Tennessee · SECMax Gilbert gives Arkansas a kicking edge against Tennessee
The senior former Vols kicker has made 7 of 9 field goals and 10 of 10 extra points for Arkansas before the Oct. 10 game.
OCT 10, 2026
On Saturday, Oct. 10, Tennessee is scheduled to face former Vols kicker Max Gilbert when it visits Arkansas in Fayetteville, where the senior Razorback has made 7 of 9 field-goal attempts and all 10 extra-point tries in 2026.
Gilbert entered the transfer portal after the 2025 season and appeared in 26 games for Tennessee from 2023 through 2025. He made 34 of 45 field goals and all 118 extra points for the Vols. He has scored 31 points for Arkansas.
The matchup puts 4-1 Tennessee against 2-3 Arkansas. A loss would give the Vols a second defeat before their Oct. 17 home game against Alabama; a win would preserve the momentum of their 4-1 start.
Kickoff is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. EDT at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and will air on SEC Network. Tennessee is coming off a 24-14 win over Auburn on Oct. 3, while Arkansas lost 34-7 at Texas A&M. Gilbert gives the Razorbacks a productive kicking option with three seasons in Tennessee’s program.
01 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
Gilbert’s move has changed the uniform more than the underlying conversion rate. His 7-for-9 mark at Arkansas is 77.8%, compared with 34-for-45, or 75.6%, across three Tennessee seasons; even his 14-for-19 finish in 2025 was 73.7%. The sharper difference is opportunity: all 31 Arkansas points can be accounted for by seven field goals and 10 extra points through five games.
Arkansas has already matched its two-win total from 2025. That progress meets Tennessee in the Vols’ tightest listed stretch: the Oct. 10 trip to Arkansas, the Oct. 17 home date with Alabama and the Oct. 24 trip to South Carolina. A Fayetteville loss would make Tennessee 1-2 since its 3-0 start, with Alabama and South Carolina following on successive Saturdays.
02 · The Open QuestionsQuestions to Be Answered
Will Max Gilbert get a chance to decide the game against Tennessee?
Arkansas has not played a one-score game through five dates: its wins came by 17 and 28 points, and its losses by 33, 28 and 27. Tennessee has played one, the 20-17 loss to Texas on Sept. 26. The fourth-quarter score and Gilbert’s attempt log will show whether the former Vol is supplying points or operating inside the narrow margin that makes his transfer central to the result.