The Tennessee Volunteers have had a successful start to the college football season.
The Vols have played in four games this season , with their only loss coming against the Texas Longhorns, while also finishing their first three games with victories over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Kennesaw State Owls, and the Furman Paladins.
In each of these four games, the Vols have had an injury that resulted in a season-ending result .
Tennessee wide receiver Joakim Dodson (9) is helped off the field during a Tennessee football game against Furman at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 5, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Tennessee Volunteers started their streak of bad luck when they played against the Furman Paladins. Their kick returner and backup slot receiver, Joakim Dodson, suffered a significant lower-body injury that ended his season. This was a big blow for the Vols in the moment, and little did they know, but this would lead to many season-ending injuries.
Sep 12, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tennessee Volunteers tight end Ethan Davis (0) is tackled by Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets safety Savion Riley (13) in the second quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
If things couldn't get worse for the Vols on the injury front, that is exactly what had happened. The Vols lost their tight end for the remainder of the season when Ethan Davis suffered a torn ACL against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on the road. One could argue that this remains the biggest injury throughout the season for the Vols.
Tennessee defensive back Dylan Lewis (34) during Tennessee football practice, at University of Tennessee, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The next injury would come against the Kennesaw State Owls when the Tennessee Volunteers returned to Neyland Stadium. This time they would have a defensive player go down with a season-ending injury, as that player was Dylan Lewis, who was a big-time rotation piece for the Vols at the safety position. The talented player went down, and it didn't look good, as he later was tabbed with a season-ending lower-body injury.
Tennessee offensive lineman Wendell Moe Jr. (75) before the game between Tennessee and Kennesaw State at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Sept. 19, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
This is the injury that I would say is the worst for the Tennessee Vols, as they are now set to be without their biggest star on the offensive line when it comes to production. That player is Wendell Moe Jr., who was a preseason All-American. This injury has completely shifted the look of the offensive line, and one could argue that this is only going to lead to more fatigue up front.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/tennessee as This Statistic Shows Just How Unlucky Tennessee Football Has Been to Begin the Season .
