Tennessee is headed to Fayetteville this weekend, and the Vols will do it in a clean all-white look.
The school announced Thursday that No. 15 Tennessee will wear a white helmet, white jerseys, white pants and black accessories for Saturday’s SEC road matchup at Arkansas.
Kickoff is set for 4:15 p.m. ET at Razorback Stadium.
The uniform choice fits a season that has already seen Tennessee mix things up a bit. The Vols opened with traditional orange and white against Furman, wore all-white at Georgia Tech, went back to the classic look against Kennesaw State and Texas, and then broke out the Neyland Legacy Smokey Grey against Auburn. This week’s trip to Arkansas will be Tennessee’s sixth game of the season and its second road game overall, but its first SEC road test.
On the field, Tennessee enters at 4-1 and 1-1 in conference play. The Vols started 3-0 in non-conference action with wins over Furman, Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State, then dropped their SEC opener to No. 1 Texas by three points before rebounding with a win over Auburn last weekend in Neyland Stadium.
The quarterback situation remains the biggest question for Tennessee. George MacIntyre came on for Faizon Brandon in the second quarter against Auburn and helped fuel the second-half comeback.
This week, Tennessee also revealed that Brandon has been dealing with a shoulder injury that carried over from the Texas game. MacIntyre appears set to start against Arkansas, while Brandon was listed as “questionable” in the SEC Availability Report on Wednesday night.
One area where Tennessee has separated itself is in the pass rush. The Vols have piled up 23.0 team sacks, the most in the country, and the defense has been a steady strength behind a disruptive front, a versatile and experienced linebacker group and a secondary led by star safety Dejuan Lane.
Arkansas has had a rougher go of it. The Razorbacks are 2-3 overall and 0-2 in SEC play, and all three of their losses have come by multiple scores: 43-10 to Utah, 45-17 to Georgia and 34-7 to Texas A&M.
Saturday’s game in Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium will match Tennessee’s 4-1 record against Arkansas’ 2-3 mark as the Vols try to keep building momentum in SEC play.
In Other News...
Rick Barnes Sends A Clear Message About Tennessees Defensive Standard
At UT Media Day, Rick Barnes made it clear that Tennessees defensive reputation is not built on simply finding ready-made stoppers in recruiting. Instead, the Volunteers coach said the program teaches that side of the floor, with most players arriving thinking of themselves first as offensive pieces and then learning quickly that defense, rebounding and ball control are the real currency for minutes.
Barnes pointed to the way players have grown into that standard over time, using development as proof that the identity can survive roster turnover. Even as the lineup changes, the message stays the same in Knoxville: if a player wants to stay on the floor, the defensive work has to show up first. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Shorthanded Defense Takes Another Hit Before Arkansas
Tennessee heads to Fayetteville this week for its third straight meeting with Arkansas, and the Volunteers are still trying to piece together a defensive rotation that has been tested repeatedly. Kedric Golston II is listed as out, adding another unavailable player to a growing list and leaving Tennessee with even less flexibility as it tries to keep its defense functioning at a high level.
Golstons absence does not come with a reported season-ending injury, but it does underline how thin the unit has become going into a matchup that usually demands depth and discipline. Even so, Tennessees defense has held up well overall, and the question now is how much more strain it can absorb before the extra absences start to show in a game that already carries some history. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Just Made An Early Impression On Key In-State DL Target
Joshua Lanes first trip to Knoxville gave Tennessee a chance to make a real early impression on one of the states more important defensive line prospects. The Memphis Central standout was on campus for game day at Neyland Stadium, and with the Vols already extending an offer, the visit added another layer to a recruitment that is starting to take shape.
Lane still has a few steps left before he narrows things down, including an official visit to Tennessee in November and stops with other programs such as Alabama, Oklahoma State and Oregon. He is hoping to sort through those visits and camp discussions before making a decision in December, which leaves the Vols plenty of time to keep building on what they showed him in his first look at their home atmosphere. [Read more 🡒]