Tennessee Volunteers RB DeSean Bishop Previews New Mexico State Matchup

Starting running back DeSean Bishop previews the Tennessee football matchup with New Mexico State

Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop (18) high-fives fans at the Vol Walk before a NCAA football game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Oklahoma Sooners at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on November 1, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers will look to rebound this weekend as the team returns home to Neyland Stadium after a week off to play Group of Five opponent New Mexico State.

With the team already holding three losses following the dropped game against Oklahoma, every single week will be crucial to the marginal chances for the College Football playoff during the remainder of the season, and that starts this week in a get-right game with a pair of rivalry matchups following soon after.

Starting running back DeSean Bishop spoke to the media on Monday afternoon to preview the matchup with New Mexico State this weekend.

DeSean Bishop Grateful for the Game Following Bye Week

Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop (18) after scoring a touchdown during a NCAA football game against Kentucky at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky on Oct. 25, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I love the bye weeks because you go all week missing football. It is good to have a little bit of time away from ball, but you come back ready to work and it is much-needed for sure. Just going in to this week and preparing the way we are supposed to prepare for New Mexico State and getting represent and wear the new jerseys will be big as well. We are looking forward to it and I am excited to be back and I am grateful be back in this building. It is a blessing to be here every day. I say it constantly and it really is, especially being healthy as well. There is a lot of guy that are not being able to participate right now and missed almost the entire season, so I am just grateful to be where I am at right now."

DeSean Bishop Putting Losses Behind Him to Focus on What's Next

Nov 1, 2025; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Desean Bishop (18) runs the ball against the Oklahoma Sooners during the first quarter at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | Randy Sartin-Imagn Images

"I mean it is a blessing (to be here); I say it all the time, just being able to be here and be in the moment. I know thing have not gone our way, the way we wanted to, especially last game, but we are just so close. I say this to myself all the time, but we are probably a couple of plays away from honestly being undefeated, which probably sucks to say, but I mean we are just happy to be here. I am blessed to be able to be ready to go for this week and I know we will handle business this weekend. (We will) do what we need to do to prepare for New Mexico State and leave whatever it is in the past and just focus on the future."

Click HERE to watch and listen to everything that starting running back DeSean Bishop had to say ahead of the home game against New Mexico State.

---