KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s starting quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, encountered an upper-body injury during the latter stages of the first half of Saturday night’s game against Mississippi State, preventing him from taking the field after halftime.

The injury occurred when Mississippi State safety Isaac Smith collided with Iamaleava as he released the football. Before leaving the game, Iamaleava completed 8 passes out of 13 attempts, amassing a total of 174 yards and throwing two touchdown passes. Backup quarterback Gaston Moore stepped in to lead the team as the Volunteers entered the second half with a 20-7 advantage.

Looking ahead, the Volunteers are set to face a tough challenge as they prepare to play against the No. 3 ranked Georgia team next week.