ESPN’s “College GameDay” crew split down the middle on Saturday morning, and that says plenty about the buzz around Tennessee’s SEC opener against No. 1 Texas.
Right before kickoff, four of the show’s voices took their shot at predicting what happens when the Volunteers and Longhorns meet at Neyland Stadium. The group was divided 2-2, with Desmond Howard and Nick Saban backing Texas and Johnny Knoxville and Pat McAfee siding with Tennessee.
The game is set for noon ET, with Chris Fowler handling play-by-play, Kirk Herbstreit on analysis and Holly Rowe reporting from the sideline. It’s Tennessee’s first noon ABC kickoff inside Neyland Stadium since Sept. 19, 1992.
Texas is also stepping into a setting it has never seen before. The Longhorns are playing at Neyland Stadium for the first time in school history, and this is the first regular-season meeting between the two programs. They have met three times before, all in Cotton Bowls in 1951, 1953 and 1969, with Texas winning the last two.
Neyland will be packed again, with the stadium sold out for the 30th straight game. Fans are set to checker the crowd in orange and white to show off Tennessee’s signature pattern.
Howard called it a coin-flip type of matchup and pointed to the veteran quarterback as the difference. “This is a tough one for me.
This is another flip the coin. I think the teams are evenly matched.
I think both defenses are going to play well. I have to lean towards the team with the veteran quarterback, so Hook 'Em.
Give me Arch Manning and the Longhorns.”
Saban also went with Texas and leaned into the atmosphere around the stadium. “This is a great environment to play in. It was always a rivalry game for us at Alabama, so this was a great competitive venue to play in - and the last time I played here, this goal post right here ended up in the river.
“But I'm telling ya, that goal post is safe today. I'm taking Texas.”
Knoxville gave Tennessee the edge, using the moment to jab at Texas. “Look, we got some questions about our defense.
They've got some questions about their offense. But after the game, Tennessee will remain the real UT and Texas will remain the real UTI.
Tennessee, cmon.”
McAfee also backed the Vols, tying his pick to the scene and the feeling around the stadium. “They might need Johnny Knoxville out there today and I know you would give your all.
You're not the only one. Eight-largest stadium in the world.
I had all intensive purposes of picking Arch Manning running wild on this field just like his uncle used to do. I thought Sark was going to bring in a bunch of dogs that were going to disrupt everything that Heupel and this freshman quarterback have.
“Heupel spins it, hits the cross bar. Colby (XX), hits for over $1.2 million.
This man (Knoxville) showed up in a full football uniform with a cup. It feels like the football Gods are talking.
Give me the Tennessee Volunteers to get a huge win over the No. 1 team in the country.”
In Other News...
Tennessee Texas Finish Just Got An Official Officiating Twist
The Southeastern Conference added an officiating wrinkle to Tennessees loss to Texas, saying the Volunteers drop-kick onside attempt was handled incorrectly. The league said the kick should have drawn a five-yard penalty and a replay of the down because it was taken from behind the required 35-yard line, a violation of free-kick rules.
Even so, the correction does not change the result of Texas 20-17 win over Tennessee. For the Volunteers, it leaves one more frustrating detail attached to a game already decided by a narrow margin, even if the official ruling stops short of altering the final scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Secondary Just Took Another Brutal Hit Before Auburn
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For a defense already managing other season-ending injuries in the back end, losing Lewis only tightens the margin for error. The Vols have had to keep adjusting their depth and rotations in the secondary, and now they head into the Auburn matchup with another important piece unavailable, leaving the coaching staff to sort out how to patch together a group that has been hit hard. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Fans Are Stuck On One Faizon Brandon Debate
Tennessees loss to Texas left plenty of fingerprints on the offense, but the loudest postgame debate has centered on Faizon Brandon and how much of the struggle was really on the quarterback. Brandon finished 17 of 29 for 145 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions, yet the bigger number was the sacks, with Tennessees protection breaking down often enough to make the whole night feel hurried and uneven.
Film analyst Brooks Austin pushed back on the idea that Brandon alone was responsible, pointing to a shaky run game and the lines problems up front as part of the picture. Josh Heupel sounded similarly measured, saying Brandon may have been sped up and stressing that the answer has to come from more than one player. For Tennessee, the uncomfortable part is that the debate is still open, and the film may only deepen it. [Read more 🡒]