Carter, Moss collect honors after Kentucky win

Tennessee seniors Arion Carter and Qua Moss received national and conference recognition Monday after leading a dominant defensive performance against No. 6 Kentucky. Carter was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week, while Moss earned Shriners Children's East-West Bowl Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Carter recorded a game-high and season-best 13 tackles, including 10 solo stops. His career highs were two sacks and four tackles for loss, with those four stops producing 21 lost yards.

Carter stopped Kentucky on fourth-and-1 in the fourth quarter to give Tennessee possession, and he made another tackle for loss on third-and-7 while the Vols led 13-7.

Tennessee held Kentucky to its lowest point total of the season and did not allow a touchdown. Carter, a Butkus Award semifinalist and Campbell Trophy finalist, became the fifth FBS player in the past 11-plus seasons to record at least 13 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks against an AP top-10 opponent.

Moss posted a career-high nine tackles, including six solo stops, and forced two fumbles. His other contributions were a sack, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup.

The forced fumbles were Moss' first two at Tennessee and the second and third of his college career. He became the fourth Tennessee player since 2019 to force two fumbles in one game and the first Volunteer to do it since Edrees Farooq against Oklahoma on Nov. 1, 2025.

Moss matched his career high with the sack, while his six solo tackles exceeded his previous career high of five total tackles. Tennessee now has eight SEC weekly honors this season and 59 during Josh Heupel's tenure, which began in 2021.

Why it matters

Tennessee kept Kentucky out of the end zone and held the Wildcats to their lowest point total of the season. Carter and Moss combined for 22 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles, driving a defensive effort that earned each senior weekly recognition.