Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Tennessee running back Daune Morris (17) runs for a touchdown during Tennessee’s college football game against Kennesaw State at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville on Sept. 19, 2026.
At 7-2 and currently ranked No. 8 in the country, the Tennessee Volunteers sit in a good spot to return to the College Football Playoff this season, especially with a win over third-ranked Alabama already under their belts.
However, the Vols may well have to go 3-0 over the last three weeks of the regular season to secure that spot, and that task just became even more difficult.
Tennessee is a 2.5-point favorite this weekend against host Texas A&M, and should be favored in the final week of the season against in-state rival Vanderbilt. But a visit from LSU on Nov. 21 looms large.
The Tigers are already a formidable foe, and they’ll be even more difficult to beat without second-leading rusher Daune Morris.
UPDATE: Tennessee RB Daune Morris cited for reckless driving following a car crash, per police report.
He struck a fire hydrant and four parked cars in a collision that flipped his vehicle on its roof.
Morris will miss the Texas A&M game.
https://t.co/NiCWARPFU9— Adam Sparks (@AdamSparks) November 13, 2026
Daune Morris Hit Fire Hydrant And Flipped Car In Reckless Driving Incident
Tennessee ruled Morris out of Saturday’s game with the Aggies due to injuries sustained during a car accident late Wednesday evening.
Now, further reporting from Adam Sparks of Knoxville News Sentinel reveals that Morris was cited for reckless driving after he struck a fire hydrant, four parked cars, and then rolled his vehicle onto its roof during the incident.
Chris Low of On3 Sports further reported that Morris suffered a broken leg and will be out for the remainder of the season.
That’s a major loss for Josh Heupel and the Volunteers. Morris, a sophomore, has rushed for 434 yards and three touchdowns on 66 carries this year as the primary backup to star DeSean Bishop.
He also had a career-long 66-yard touchdown run last week in a win over the Kentucky Wildcats.
Now, Tennessee will have to find a way to replace his production for the rest of the season while also sorting out Morris’s status with the program.