Kelsey Pope will have a built-in subplot when Tennessee heads to Atlanta on Saturday night, but the Vols’ pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach isn’t interested in letting family ties take over the moment.
His brother, Kyle Pope, coaches Georgia Tech’s defensive ends and outside linebackers, which means Tennessee’s first road game of the 2026 season will put the Pope brothers on opposite sidelines in the same stadium. That’s the kind of twist the family will probably enjoy later, not the kind Kelsey Pope plans to dwell on before kickoff.
“It’ll be fun. I think it’ll be something fun for our family.
I think they’ll probably enjoy it more than me. My focus right now is to get these guys in the room ready to go win one on the road.
I’m sure once we get to the back end of season, Christmas and all that stuff, it’ll be good memories. But just honestly, my focus is on the players right now.
It’s in a different spot. But it’ll be a cool moment,” Pope said.
The matchup also gives Tennessee something it didn’t get in Week 1: a road test against a defense Pope believes can challenge his group in a meaningful way. The Vols opened with a 56-9 win over Furman, racking up 638 yards of offense while the defense posted seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss.
Now No. 20/18 Tennessee leaves Neyland Stadium for the first time in 2026 and heads to Bobby Dodd Stadium for a 7 p.m.
ET kickoff Saturday.
Pope made it clear he views Georgia Tech as more than just the next opponent. He spoke about the Yellow Jackets as a defense with real pieces, including players Tennessee will have to account for all over the field.
“They’ve got some guys that have played significant football. They’ve got a transfer, who we’ve seen before who’s a really good athlete.
They’ve got another kid playing corner who’s a good player. They’ve got some athletes at safety that can move around and give you some issues.
We’re excited about going to face a good group.”
That tone carried through the rest of his comments. Pope didn’t frame the trip as something Tennessee should cruise through. He framed it as a chance to see where the offense stands when the setting changes and the opponent pushes back.
“I think our guys understand it, especially with the league that we play in, that these type of games and going against these type of groups, they bring the best out of you. Some of our best games have been against really good opponents.”
That challenge comes at an interesting time for Tennessee’s passing game. Mike Matthews was electric in the opener, finishing with a career-high 132 receiving yards and two touchdowns against Furman. Saturday night should tell the Vols a lot more than that opener could, simply because Georgia Tech figures to present a far tougher environment.
Pope said Tennessee’s weekly prep is built to match that kind of test.
“When we go to practice each week, we try to make sure that we respect those opponents. We talk in depth about what they do, what they like, and how we want to attack to give our guys a real plan. So I’m excited about getting down there on the road and facing a good team and seeing what we’re made of,” Pope said.
So yes, there’s a family angle here. Two brothers.
One field. One night in Atlanta.
But when the ball kicks off, Kelsey Pope’s attention will be on Tennessee’s receivers, Tennessee’s offense, and Tennessee’s chance to prove something away from home.
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