Kentucky tight end Mikkel Skinner took aim at Neyland Stadium’s noise after the Wildcats’ 34-6 loss to Tennessee, claiming the crowd wasn’t always as loud as it seemed.
“It was loud, but I started peeping what Tennessee was doing. When they scored, the fans, s*** was not nearly as loud.
But when we was on third down it was loud because the speakers were pumping fake crowd noise. It’s not real,” Skinner said.
The comment came after Tennessee controlled a game that wasn’t especially close, with Kentucky managing only two field goals in a result that was far from normal for the Will Stein offense.
The Wildcats were dealing with Tennessee’s “Dark Mode” atmosphere inside Neyland Stadium, where fans were encouraged to wear dark mode-themed shirts and plenty of them did. But Skinner’s suggestion that the Volunteers were pumping in artificial noise is not a new one.
That accusation has been raised before, and Tennessee athletic director Danny White previously pushed back hard on it, saying the volume comes from the crowd itself.
“No, we don’t! Just 100K+ beautiful, booming, Big Orange voices! #GBO 🍊”
Neyland Stadium has long carried a reputation as one of college football’s loudest venues, and Tennessee supporters point to the sheer size and energy of the home crowd as the reason. White reiterated that view in 2024, crediting the fans rather than any speaker system.
Tennessee now turns its attention to Texas A&M on Saturday before closing its home regular season against LSU.
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Took A Defensive Hit Vols Fans Feared
Tyree Weathersbys night ended early after the Tennessee defensive lineman suffered an apparent left-leg injury during the game and did not return. It was a frustrating development for a player who has been one of the Vols most important front-line pieces this season, bringing pressure and production with 8.5 sacks and 19 tackles while helping anchor a defense that has leaned on him heavily.
Even though his absence did not change the outcome of the game, it leaves Tennessee with a more immediate concern heading into the next stretch. The Vols have counted on Weathersbys ability to disrupt plays in the backfield, and any extended time without him would test a defensive depth chart that now has to prove it can hold up if the injury lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Suddenly Has A Real Opening After Wild AP Poll Chaos
The first College Football Playoff rankings already added a wrinkle to the national picture, and the AP Top 25 could be headed for its own shakeup after a chaotic weekend across the sport. USC landed at No. 20 in the CFP release even though it sat higher in the AP poll, a reminder that the two rankings can tell very different stories when the committee and voters weigh results differently.
For Tennessee fans watching the national board, the bigger takeaway is how much movement is still ahead after several top-10 teams stumbled, including Ohio State and Kentucky. USC is likely to climb a bit when the AP voters reset their ballots, but the real intrigue is how the ripple effects could open the door for teams near the top of the race as the rankings start to settle into a new order. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Miltons First Eagles Start Raised A Tough Question For Vols Fans
Joe Milton III got his first NFL start for the Philadelphia Eagles because Jalen Hurts was sidelined by injury, and it offered Tennessee fans a familiar face in an unfamiliar spot. The former Volunteers quarterback was thrust into the spotlight against the New York Giants, where he showed the same big-arm tools that made him such an intriguing pro prospect while also taking on the full weight of a starting assignment.
Milton finished 18 of 34 for 169 yards and added 64 rushing yards on nine carries, but the outing also came with seven sacks and a fumble in a loss for Philadelphia. For Vols fans, the bigger question now is whether this was just a one-game detour or the start of a longer run, since it is still unclear if Milton will keep the job for the rest of the season. [Read more 🡒]