The first “UT” team to take the stage in Knoxville this weekend won’t be on the football field.
Texas volleyball opens SEC play Friday night against Tennessee, kicking off a busy stretch in the Battle of the UTs before the No. 1 Longhorns and No. 13 Volunteers meet in football less than 24 hours later at Neyland Stadium.
For Jerritt Elliott’s group, the timing matters. Texas is 4-4, a rough start by the standards of a program that still sits inside the top 10 and has kept much of its top talent from last season. That makes this opener more than just another ranked matchup - it’s the start of conference play, and the SEC is about to raise the difficulty level even more.
Tennessee brings a much cleaner record into the night, sitting at 9-1 after sweeping eight opponents and losing only to No. 2 Pitt.
The Vols are also coming off a top-25 win, taking down No. 9 Penn State in four sets.
But the schedules tell a different story.
Texas has already been through a gauntlet, facing No. 9 Arizona State, No.
11 TCU, No. 1 Nebraska, No.
23 USC, No. 4 Louisville, No.
5 SMU and No. 6 Wisconsin.
The Longhorns went 3-4 in those ranked matchups, with their fourth win coming against unranked Marquette. Tennessee, by comparison, went 2-1 against ranked opponents and also beat then-No.
21 Indiana.
That’s what makes Friday such an important measuring stick for both teams. Tennessee has the better record. Texas has seen the tougher road.
After the trip to Knoxville, Texas stays on the SEC road with a matchup at No. 3 Kentucky on Sunday, Sept.
- Then the Longhorns head back to Gregory Gym for home dates against Mississippi State and Alabama.
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Texas Newcomers Are Already Setting The Tone For No. 1
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Sophomore Luka Mladenovic gave Texas another strong showing by winning the 200 breast and finishing second in the 100 breast and 200 IM. The meet mixed collegiate and professional swimmers across several events, but the Longhorns still came away looking like a group with depth and versatility. For a No. 1 team trying to establish its rhythm early, performances like these matter because they hint at how quickly the newcomers are already raising the standard. [Read more 🡒]