ESPN’s College GameDay is heading back to Knoxville, and this time the celebrity guest picker will be Johnny Knoxville.
The announcement came Thursday afternoon on The Pat McAfee Show, setting Knoxville up for Saturday morning’s broadcast from Tennessee’s campus before the Volunteers face No. 1 Texas.
Knoxville, a native of Knoxville, Tenn., is a stunt performer, actor, producer and screenwriter. He’s best known as a co-creator and star of MTV’s comedy stunt show Jackass (2000-2001) and the film franchise that followed it (2002-2026). He graduated from South Doyle High School in South Knoxville in 1989.
GameDay will begin on the lawn of Ayres Hall from 9 a.m. ET to 11 a.m. ET, then shift inside Neyland Stadium for the final hour from 11 a.m. to noon ahead of the noon kickoff.
Chris Fowler will handle play-by-play duties for the game on ABC, with Kirk Herbstreit as analyst and Holly Rowe on the sideline.
Saturday’s stop will mark the second straight season GameDay has visited Rocky Top. The show was there last September for Tennessee’s home game against No. 6 Georgia, and this latest trip will be its 13th broadcast from Knoxville.
Both teams enter at 3-0 after home wins Saturday night. No. 14 Tennessee beat Kennesaw State 42-9, while Texas took care of UTSA 30-6.
Tennessee opened the season with a 56-9 win over Furman on Sept. 5, then went to Atlanta the next week and knocked off Georgia Tech 45-24.
Texas started with a 57-7 win over Texas State before pulling off a 24-23 comeback victory over then-No. 1 Ohio State the following week.
Rece Davis is in his 12th season hosting College GameDay. He is joined by analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Nick Saban, Desmond Howard and Pat McAfee, with Jen Lada and Jess Sims reporting. Stanford Steve serves as research producer, and Pete Thamel is the college football insider.
Tennessee’s history with College GameDay stretches across three decades, with appearances listed from 1995 through 2025, including games against Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Nebraska, Miami, Auburn, South Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Ohio State and others.
In Other News...
Nick Saban Sees One Big Edge For Tennessee Against Texas
Nick Saban took a first look at Tennessees matchup with Texas during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, and his focus quickly settled on the part of the Vols offense that has become such a defining feature under Josh Heupel. He pointed to Tennessees running game as an important edge and tied it directly to the structure and tempo of Heupels system, which has long been built to stress defenses and keep them on their heels.
Saban also spent time on Texas, where the biggest question in his view centers on Arch Manning and the Longhorns ability to create explosive plays downfield. It sets up an intriguing early storyline for a game with plenty of attention already attached to it, and Sabans full breakdown is slated to air Saturday morning on ESPNs College GameDay. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Suddenly Faces A Serious Situation With Key Defensive Assistant
Tennessees defensive staff is dealing with an unexpected off-field concern after the program announced that linebackers coach William Inge has been hospitalized because of a personal medical issue. The university asked for privacy for Inge and his family while also thanking supporters for their prayers, a reminder of how quickly football can take a back seat when a coachs health becomes the priority.
Inge has been an important part of Tennessees recent defensive work, helping guide a unit that has developed into one of the teams strengths and played a role in the growth of linebackers such as Arion Carter. For a staff that leans heavily on continuity and communication, his absence is a significant situation to monitor while the program waits for more clarity. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Is Giving Vols Fans A Reason To Arrive Early Saturday
With President Donald Trump expected to attend Saturdays game against Texas, Tennessee is treating Neyland Stadium like a much bigger event than a normal fall kickoff. The university said gates will open an hour early, and fans who beat the crowd can take advantage of half-off concessions from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., a small perk built around what is shaping up to be a heavily monitored day on campus.
The bigger message from Tennessee is simple: leave early and be ready for a slower approach to the stadium. Secret Service screenings and extra security checkpoints are in place, and the school is reminding fans to follow the clear bag policy while also accounting for longer travel times and heavy airport traffic around Knoxville. For a matchup with this much attention, the early-arrival push may end up being just as important as anything that happens on the field. [Read more 🡒]