Tennessee’s November 21 meeting with LSU now has a kickoff time, and it won’t be under the lights in Neyland Stadium. The Volunteers and Tigers are set for a 3:30 p.m. ET start, with the game slated to air on either ESPN or ABC.
The matchup will close out Tennessee’s home schedule in the regular season, and it also lands on senior day for the Vols. That gives the afternoon showdown a little extra weight inside Neyland, even if the hoped-for night atmosphere is off the table.
The announcement comes as Tennessee rides momentum from its win over Kentucky, which followed the earlier victory against Alabama. Those two results have raised the bar around the program, and the next stretch of the season will keep attention fixed on the bigger picture.
That includes the upcoming trip to face Texas A&M, a game Tennessee already knows the kickoff time for, while the rest of the schedule still hangs in front of it. LSU, though, is the final home test.
There’s also a familiar face attached to the date. Lane Kiffin will be back in Knoxville for the first time since beating Tennessee with Ole Miss, making this another game with plenty of edge. The source of the lasting memory from that one was the aftermath of thrown mustard bottles and golf balls.
For Tennessee, the path forward is straightforward: keep stacking wins and avoid slipping against Texas A&M or Vanderbilt. If the Vols want to strengthen their case for the College Football Playoff, the LSU game looks like one of the toughest checkpoints left.
In Other News...
Josh Heupels DaSaahn Brame Update Gives Vols Fans Some Relief
DaSaahn Brames exit against Kentucky briefly added another uneasy moment to Tennessees night, especially after the tight end went down following the controversial incomplete-pass ruling in the end zone. Anytime a player leaves with a head injury, the immediate concern is bigger than the result on the field, and for the Volunteers it was another reminder of how quickly a game can turn.
Josh Heupel eased some of that worry after the game, saying Brame is doing well and is expected to be in good condition for the upcoming matchup with Texas A&M. Tennessee still has to get through the first availability report, which comes Wednesday night, but for now the update gives Vols fans a little relief heading into a game week that already has plenty of attention on it. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Playoff Standing Suddenly Looks Less Comfortable Than It Seems
Tennessees spot in the latest College Football Playoff conversation looks secure on paper, but the broader SEC picture is starting to feel crowded. In ESPNs latest round of predictions, 11 of the networks 12 writers projected four SEC teams into the 2026 bracket, with Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Texas showing up most often as the leagues presumed heavyweights.
For the Volunteers, the takeaway is less about being in the mix and more about how little margin there may be if the conference keeps stacking contenders around them. Kentucky, despite sitting No. 6 in the initial CFP rankings, did not appear in any of the new projections, a reminder that early positioning can shift quickly once the selection debate starts to narrow. The full set of ESPN picks only reinforces how tightly the race is being judged at the top. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Defense Just Sent Texas A&M A Brutal Message
Tennessees defense kept rolling in a 34-6 win over Kentucky, and Arion Carter was at the center of it with 13 tackles, four for loss and two sacks. The Volunteers smothered the Wildcats from start to finish, forcing three turnovers and shutting down fourth-down chances as the game tilted decisively in Tennessees favor.
That kind of performance lands with extra force this week because Texas A&M is next on the schedule, and the Aggies are already in a precarious spot after a loss to South Carolina. They need to win two of their final three games to become bowl eligible, and now they have to do it against a Tennessee defense that just spent an afternoon sending a very clear message. [Read more 🡒]