Arion Carter’s season has become about more than tackles and stops for Tennessee. After the NCAA suspended him for the first game of the 2026 regular season over a $427 flight paid for during the pre-draft process, Carter responded by turning every tackle into a donation for cancer research.
He had already repaid the flight in good faith after returning to college and taking his name out of the NFL draft, but the NCAA still handed down the suspension. Carter’s answer was simple and direct: $427 for every tackle he makes this season will go to cancer research, a cause that matters to him because of his family history and because his girlfriend is currently battling cancer.
That pledge has added up quickly. Carter has 38 tackles so far this season, along with one sack, no interceptions, no forced fumbles and no touchdowns. That puts his donation total at $16,726 with six regular-season games still to go.
His latest performance came in Tennessee’s 24-17 win at Arkansas, where he finished with five tackles. Two were solo stops and three were assisted, which means this game alone added $2,135 to the total.
Now Tennessee turns its attention to Alabama in The Third Saturday in October. The game is set for 3:30 p.m.
ET at Neyland Stadium and will be televised by ABC. As of Sunday morning, FanDuel listed Alabama as 6.5-point favorites, with the Tide at -255 on the money line and Tennessee at +205.
There’s history layered into this matchup, too. Alabama has not won on the road in the rivalry since 2020.
Tennessee beat a Nick Saban team in 2022 in a shootout, then followed with a win over Kalen DeBoer in 2024. Even so, Alabama leads the series 27-22-1 as the road team.
DeBoer is 1-1 in the series, with the loss in 2024 and a home win in 2025.
In Other News...
Vols Grind Out Road Win As One Arkansas Moment Steals Attention
Tennessees trip to Fayetteville ended with a 24-17 win over Arkansas, a result that steadied the Volunteers after a road battle that never really let either side get comfortable. The victory pushed Tennessee to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in SEC play, while Arkansas slipped to 2-4 and 0-3 in conference action, leaving the Razorbacks searching for answers after another tough league loss.
The football itself had plenty to discuss, but one camera shot from the afternoon quickly took on a life of its own and became part of the conversation around the game. For Tennessee, the bigger takeaway is that a hard-fought road win can travel well in October, especially in a league where every possession seems to matter and where the Volunteers are still trying to sort out who they are as the season moves deeper into SEC play. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Defense Could Catch A Huge Break Against Alabama
Alabamas offensive line picture has become a little murkier heading into the Tennessee matchup after center Racin Delgatty went down with a lower-body injury in a recent game. His status for Saturday is still uncertain, and that matters for a Volunteers defense looking to keep pressure on a Crimson Tide front that may have to adjust on the fly.
If Delgatty is sidelined, Alabama would likely turn to backup Mal Waldrep in the middle, a spot Tennessee will be watching closely. Xavier Gilliam has been one of the Vols more reliable defensive players this season, and any instability up front could give him and the rest of the defense a better chance to win key snaps in the trenches. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Alabama Just Got Even Bigger In Knoxville
The buildup around Tennessees showdown with Alabama just picked up another layer, with SEC Nation set to spend Saturday morning in Knoxville before the Vols and Crimson Tide kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The pregame show will air from 9 a.m. to noon on SEC Network, giving the campus a full-day spotlight ahead of one of the seasons biggest SEC matchups.
The setting should feel as big as the stakes, with Neyland Stadium already sold out and fans expected to pour in early for a rare chance to make a long Saturday of it. Tennessee is also sweetening the game-day experience with half-price concessions for the first hour after gates open, which figures to help fuel the kind of atmosphere the Vols hope to ride once the broadcast lights move from campus to the stadium. [Read more 🡒]