Knoxville, TN – The Tennessee football team closes out its season-opening three-game homestand with an in-state battle against Tennessee Tech on Saturday at 11:00am CT inside Neyland Stadium.
The Vols will look to continue their dominance against in-state foes. UT enters Saturday’s contest having won 28 consecutive home games against in-state, non-conference opponents.
Saturday’s game will be broadcast digitally on SEC Network+ and ESPN+ with Kevin Brown (PxP), Hutson Mason (analyst), and Abby Labar (sideline) on the call. Kickoff is slated for 11:02am CT.
The game can also be accessed via ESPN+, which is a standalone streaming service that requires a subscription separate from your TV provider credentials. It is available to stream through the ESPN App on your connected streaming device and on ESPN.com. Fans seeking guidance on how to watch games on SECN+/ESPN+ can contact ESPN Customer Care at 1-888.549.3776 or click HERE.
Fans can also listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) and satellite radio (Sirius Ch. 81, XM Ch. 81, Internet Ch. 81). A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com? and the Official Gameday App.
Bob Kesling (PxP), Pat Ryan (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action, with Kasey Funderburg handling sideline duties. Big Orange Countdown begins at 10:30 a.m.
Gameday Info
For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee’s 2021 gameday policies, please visit the Tennessee Football Gameday Information page on UTSports.com. Some important information is also listed below.
Tickets and Parking
Fans with digital tickets and/or parking are encouraged to download their ticket(s) and parking to their phone prior to arriving at the gate or parking lot. Fans still interested in purchasing tickets to the game can visit AllVols.com or click HERE. The ticket office will open three hours prior to kickoff on Saturday (9 a.m.).
Tennessee Athletics App
Fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app, which now houses the Coca-Cola GBO Zone, allowing fans to play trivia, take part in a light show, and much more. Search “Tennessee Athletics” in the Apple or Google Play Store or use this link to download: http://utsports.com/app
Need To Know
Fan Experience Upgrades
As we enter the 100th season at Neyland Stadium, Shield-Watkins Field, Tennessee Athletics has unveiled several new, exciting fan experience enhancements for the 2021 football season. Among the new gameday enhancements are new LED stadium lights, ungraded fireworks and “I Will Give My All” signs throughout the stadium.
More info on all of the new gameday enhancements can be found HERE.
“I Will Give My All”: As fans make their way to their seats, they can participate in a similar tradition as the Volunteers who take the field. “I Will Give My All” signs have been installed above the portals entering each section of Neyland Stadium. Just as the team is reminded to “Give My All” before running through the T pregame, each fan entering the stadium is encouraged to do the same.
Vol Village: Make sure you visit Vol Village presented by Toyota for a whole new fan experience. It’s FREE for all fans with or without a game ticket. There will be live music, activities for everyone of all ages, food trucks, and more. Vol Village, located in a great spot to see the Vol Walk and the Band March is just across from Circle Park. The Toyota Vol Village on Sept. 18 will feature musical artist Josiah & The Greater Good, face painting, a voter registration tent, tailgate games and much more! Fans can stop by from 8:30-11:30 a.m.
September is National Voter Registration Month, so we’ll be hosting a Knoxville Voter Registration Tailgate in Vol Village from 8:30 a.m. to kickoff. The event takes place in partnership with The Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy, the University of Tennessee Student Government Association, the Knox County Election Commission and Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett.
Truly’s Tailgate: Truly’s Tailgate, located outside Gate 9 will open at 9 a.m. and stay open through the end of the third quarter. Any fans with tickets to the game can stop by for food and drinks during that time.
Jackson Off to Torrid Start
Senior defensive back Theo Jackson has been arguably the SEC’s best defensive back through two weeks and Tennessee’s top player. Jackson leads the Vols in tackles (22), tackles for loss (4.5), sacks (1) and pass breakups (4). The Nashville native has tied his career high with 11 tackles in each of his first two games of 2021. It’s the first time in his career that he’s registered double-digit tackles in back-to-back games. Jackson’s 22 tackles are the most by a Vol through the first two games of a season since Daniel Bituli had 28 through the first two of 2017.
Fast Starts
Tennessee has outscored opponents 24-0 in the first quarter this season. The Vols have scored touchdowns on the first drive of each game so far, including on their first play from scrimmage against Pitt that was setup by a Christian Charles blocked punt. Jabari Small scored on a 2-yard rush. Joe Milton III finished off a 12-play, 66-yard drive in the season-opener against Bowling Green with a 4-yard touchdown run.
Creating Negative Plays
Tennessee has racked up 21 tackles for loss through two games under new defensive coordinator Tim Banks. That tally ranks fifth in the nation and third in the SEC behind LSU (25) and Auburn (22). The Vols had 11 TFLs in the Bowling Green opener and added 10 against Pitt last week. It’s the first time since 2016 that UT has produced back-to-back games of double-digit TFLs (South Carolina 10, Tennessee Tech 13). The 21 TFLs are the most through the first two games of a season since at least 2008. A total of 11 different players have 0.5 TFL so far, including six with multiple TFLs.
Non-Conference Success
The Vols have won 20 out of their last 25 games against non-conference opponents dating back to the start of the 2015 season. UT has won 28 consecutive home games against non-conference, in-state foes. Josh Heupel is 9-4 in non-conference games as a head coach, including an 8-3 mark in three seasons at UCF and a 1-1 record at Tennessee. Heupel-coached teams were 5-1 after a loss at UCF, and only one time did they lose back-to-back games in a season.
Series History
Vols lead series, 6-0
Tennessee and Tennessee Tech have met six times with the Vols coming away victorious in all six meetings. The only other program that UT has played six or more times without losing is Southern Miss (6-0).
The last meeting between the Vols and Golden Eagles came on Nov. 5, 2016. UT piled up 471 yards of total offense while holding Tennessee Tech to just 224 total yards in a 55-0 shutout. Four of UT’s previous six meetings with the Golden Eagles have resulted in shutout wins.
About the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
Tennessee Tech enters Saturday’s game still searching for its first win of the season after losing to Samford (52-14) and Furman (26-0) to open the year. The Golden Eagles are led by fourth-year head coach Dewayne Alexander, who is 9-23 since taking over the program.
TTU has played two quarterbacks this season with Davis Shanley and Willie Miller splitting snaps. Shanley has had more success so far with 219 passing yards and one touchdown pass. Junior running back David Gist leads the ground attack with 104 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries.
Junior linebacker Seth Carlisle leads the team with 17 tackles while freshman defensive lineman Devin Squires has been the Golden Eagles’ top pass rusher with 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack. Redshirt junior defensive back Josh Reliford leads the secondary with 16 tackles and three pass breakups.
