University of Tennessee
ETSU
FB PREVIEW: #22/17 Vols Host In-State Bucs for 2025 Home Opener
September 05, 2025 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Following an impressive season-opening 45-26 victory over Syracuse in Atlanta last weekend, No. 22/17 Tennessee will play at Neyland Stadium for the first of seven times in the regular season this year when it welcomes it-state foe ETSU to Rocky Top on Saturday afternoon.
MORE INFO
GAMEDAY & BROADCAST INFOÂ Â Â Â Â
- Opponent: ETSU Bucs  Â
- Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 6 | 3:30 p.m.
- Location: Knoxville, Tenn.
- Venue: Neyland Stadium (101,915)
- TV/Stream: SEC Network+/ESPN+
- Local Radio: Vol Network (FM 107.7 in Knoxville)
- Satellite Radio: SiriusXM (Ch. 139 or 202)
- Live Stats: UTStats.com
#22/17 TENNESSEE (1-0 | 0-0 SEC)
Game Notes Roster Schedule Stats Record Book
ETSU (1-0 | 0-0Â SoCon)
Game Notes Roster Schedule Stats Record Book Digital Game Program Gameday Info Tennessee Athletics App Digital Ticketing Guide Clear Bag Policy Follow @UTGameday Buy 2025 Record Book Buy Tennessee Gear Heupel Monday Presser
Neyland Stadium will be sold out for the 21st consecutive game when the Vols and Bucs take the field on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. UT will look to extend its home unbeaten streak to nine straight games and improve to 21-1 over its last 22 games at Neyland Stadium with a win on Saturday.
NEYLAND STADIUM, PRESERVED BY PILOT
Neyland Stadium has been home of the Vols for more than 100 years and that legacy will live on thanks to a transformative partnership with Tennessee Athletics and Knoxville-based Pilot, the largest network of travel centers in North America. In August 2024, Tennessee and Pilot announced the partnership that preserves the iconic venue's name and enhances the stadium experience for future generations. Under the terms of the agreement, which is slated for up to 20 years and could extend further, the names of Neyland Stadium and Shields-Watkins Field will remain unchanged.
Neyland Stadium. Home of the Vols. Proudly preserved by Pilot.
BROADCAST INFO
TV/Streaming Info
Matt Schumacker (PxP), Dustin Fox (analyst) and Stephanie Otey (sideline reporter) will have the call on SEC Network+ and ESPN+ for Saturday's game. Kickoff is slated for 3:32 p.m. ET.
The online stream for Saturday's game can be accessed through SEC Network+, which is complementary to SEC Network and accessible with your TV provider credentials. It can be accessed through the ESPN App on smartphones, tablets, connected streaming devices or via espn.com/watch.
The game can also be found on ESPN+, a standalone streaming service that requires a subscription separate from your TV provider credentials. It is available to stream through the ESPN App on your connected streaming device and on ESPN.com.
Fans seeking more guidance on how to watch games on SEC Network+ and ESPN+ can contact ESPN customer care at 888-549-3776. Assistance is available online at support.espn.com.
Radio Info
UT fans can listen to Tennessee's official radio broadcast via the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) on 70 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 139 or Ch. 202) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 964). A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com​ and the Tennessee Athletics App.Â
New Voice of the Vols Mike Keith will be joined in the booth by VFL Ramon Foster (analyst) while Brent Hubbs will handle sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast.
The Big Orange Countdown pregame show, hosted by Hubbs, begins two and a half hours prior to kickoff at 1 p.m. VFL Jayson Swain also returns as part of the official gameday radio team this season and will be a part of the network's pregame, halftime and postgame programming.
Tennessee's official Spanish radio broadcast is available locally on WNML-AM 990 with Carlos Lopez (play-by-play) and J.P. Vasquez (analyst) on the call. That version is also available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics app.Â
Volunteer Gameday, a live, one-hour television preview show, will originate love from Neyland Stadium beginning at 1:30 p.m. The show will be hosted by Keith, VFL Heath Shuler and WVLT-Knoxville's Brittany Tarwater. Volunteer Gameday will be available on Knoxville flagship TV station WVLT and across the state on the new Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN).
GAMEDAY INFO / TIMELINE
For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee's 2025 gameday policies, please visit the Tennessee Football Gameday Information page on UTSports.com.
The gameday timeline as well as other important information is listed below.
Truly's Tailgate Opens – 11:30 a.m.
Vol Village Opens – 12 p.m.
Will Call Opens at Gate 21 – 12:15 p.m.
Vol Walk – 1:10 p.m.
Gates Open – 1:30 p.m.
Pride of the Southland Band March – 2 p.m. (Map of Band March Route)
Pride of the Southland Band Pregame Performance Begins – 3:18 p.m.
National Anthem/Flyover – 3:20 p.m.
Vols Run Through the T – 3:29 p.m.
Kickoff – 3:32 p.m.
NEYLAND STADIUM FAN ENHANCEMENTS, UPDATES & INITIAVES FOR 2025
Fans will notice a number of new features and amenities that have been completed for the 2025 season. Most notably, major updates have been completed in the South End Zone. Entry into Gate 9 has doubled in size while the southwest plaza has expanded to ease congestion. A new elevator has been added to the southeast corner of Neyland Stadium, allowing patrons to access all three levels on the south end of the stadium.
Fans will also notice new restrooms, a new UT Medical first aid station and a significantly wider concourse to help ease navigation around the south end of the stadium. A Vintage Volunteer trailer has been behind section M on the new south concourse of Neyland Stadium. The shop will offer vintage gear and unique items.
Beginning this fall, Neyland Stadium is now a cashless venue. Fans should be prepared as they approach concession stands, Vol Shop or any retail locations inside the stadium. All Tennessee venues will be cashless during the 2025-26 athletic year. Â
For more information on all updates and new initiatives in place at Neyland Stadium this season, click HERE.
TICKETS AND PARKING
Tickets for Saturday's game are officially sold out. Tickets and parking passes to all Tennessee Athletics events, including football, are now digital and can be accessed through a mobile device to improve security and reduce the risk of ticket fraud as well as make the process more convenient for fans.
Fans will gain admission into Neyland Stadium via a unique QR code which will be scanned directly from a mobile device. For quick and easy entry into Tennessee Athletics venues, fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app from the App Store (iPhone) and Google Play (Android). Your mobile device is the ticket on gameday. All valid digital tickets will display a moving barcode or a hold near reader (tap-and-go) icon. PLEASE NOTE: SCREENSHOTS OF TICKETS WILL NOT SCAN AT THE GATE AND WILL NOT ALLOW ENTRY!
Printed PDF tickets will no longer be issued or accepted for entry at any Tennessee Athletics venue. The only authorized sources for tickets to Tennessee Athletics events are the Tennessee Athletics Ticket Office, AllVols.com, the venue box office where the athletic event is taking place and Ticketmaster.
A complete step-by-step guide on how to best access and use your digital tickets and parking passes, including diagrams and FAQ is available here.
TENNESSEE ATHLETICS APP
Fans are encouraged to download the new and improved Tennessee Athletics App, which houses the GBO Zone, allowing fans to play trivia, take part in stadium light shows and much more.Â
Search Tennessee Athletics in the Apple or Google Play Store or use this LINK to download.
GAMEDAY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Vol Village Presented by Toyota: Vol Village presented by Toyota, serves as the ideal spot to view the Vol Walk and the Pride of Southland Band march. Admission is free to all fans with or without a game ticket. Located across from Circle Park, Vol Village features live music, food trucks and beverage stations, interactive displays and fun activities for all ages.
Vol Village will highlight a new artist or band each home game with a pregame concert series, providing Vol fans with the ultimate pregame atmosphere. Vol Village opens at noon for Saturday's game.
Truly's Tailgate: Located outside Gate 9, fans are encouraged to visit the new and improved Truly's area for food, drinks and more! Truly's Tailgate has expanded with Texas Roadhouse and a number of other new food and beverage options for fans to enjoy before and during the game.
Fans may enter Truly's prior to gates opening without having a ticket scanned. When gates open, fans will need to scan their ticket to enter Truly's.
For any game starting later than noon ET, Truly's will open four hours prior to kickoff. For a noon kickoff, the tailgate will open at 9 a.m.  Truly's will stay open throughout the game, giving fans in the south concourse a variety of food, drinks and additional restroom options. Truly's will close at the end of the third quarter.
For complete gameday information, visit UTsports.com/gameday.
NEED TO KNOW
Vols Looking for Milestone Win in Home Opener
A win on Saturday would be the 500th on-field victory in the history of Shields-Watkins Field (1921-pres.). Tennessee has won its last five home openers and will look to continue its recent dominance on Rocky Top under head coach Josh Heupel.
The Vols are 20-1 over the last three seasons inside of Neyland Stadium and 25-4 overall in home games under Heupel, outscoring opponents 1,263-523.
Another Dominant Opener
Tennessee improved to 5-0 in season openers under Heupel with a 45-26 throttling of Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta. The Vols have now outscored opponents 260-58 in openers under Heupel.
Appalachian State graduate transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar, making his first Vol start, accounted for 281 yards of total offense and was 16-of-28 for 247 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Aguilar fired the longest pass play in the SEC in Week 1 when he connected for a 73-yard bomb to Braylon Staley with 11:14 left in the second quarter.
The Vols rushed for 246 yards and averaged 6.2 yards per carry, while finishing with 493 yards of total offense. UT was a perfect 5-of-5 in the redzone, as well. Duke transfer running back Star Thomas had a game-high 92 rushing yards and caught a 7-yard touchdown pass. Fellow running back DeSean Bishop, making his first-career start, finished with 82 rushing yards and a score. Six different Vols scored on the day, including transfer defensive back Colton Hood, who recorded a 22-yard scoop-and-score on a strip sack by defensive lineman Nathan Robinson late in the first quarter.
Tennessee's new-look offensive line did not allow a sack on the day, while the defense registered five sacks, representing the Vols' most since the 2024 Citrus Bowl. UT finished the day with 10 pass breakups - its most in a game since recording 10 at Georgia on Oct. 9, 2004. Linebacker Arion Carter recorded a team-high nine tackles, including a sack and a tackle for loss.
Dominance in Non-Conference Play
The Big Orange will look to continue their dominance against non-SEC foes on Saturday. UT has won 15 non-conference regular season games in a row dating back to a 56-0 victory over Tennessee Tech on Sept. 18, 2021. The Vols' last non-conference regular season loss was to Pitt on Sept. 11, 2021, in what was Heupel's second game at UT.
Tennessee is 18-3 overall vs. non-SEC foes under Heupel and has outscored non-conference opponents 1,012-314 in the Heupel era. The Vols have won 15 of their last 16 games overall versus non-conference competition with the only loss occurring last December at eventual national champion Ohio State in the College Football Playoff.
Lots of New Faces
A total of 21 players made their Tennessee debuts in the Aflac Kickoff Game win over Syracuse in Atlanta. Fifteen of those 21 made their collegiate debuts overall, all true freshmen. The Vols also had 11 players - eight on offense and three on defense - make their first Tennessee starts last Saturday against the Orange. Six of the 11 made their first collegiate starts overall - five on offense and one on defense.
The UT first-time starters vs. Syracuse included: QB Joey Aguilar (24 starts at App State), RB DeSean Bishop, S Edrees Farooq, CB Colton Hood (1 start at Colorado), WR Mike Matthews, RG Wendell Moe Jr. (27 starts at Arizona), DT Jaxson Moi (8 starts at Stanford), C Sam Pendleton (7 starts at Notre Dame), RT Jesse Perry, WR Braylon Staley and LG Shamurad Umarov.
SERIES HISTORY
Tennessee vs. ETSU: 1-0
Despite being separated by just 108 miles, Saturday will mark just the second meeting all time between the Vols and Bucs. Tennessee won 59-3 in the only prior meeting in the series back in 2018.
The Vols own an 8-0 record vs. in-state foes under Heupel: 4-0 vs. Vanderbilt, 1-0 vs. Austin Peay, 1-0 vs. Chattanooga, 1-0 vs. Tennessee Tech and 1-0 vs. UT Martin. All eight of those wins have been by double digit margins, including six by 24 points or more.
ABOUT ETSU
ETSU is off to a 1-0 start under the leadership of new head coach Will Healy. The Bucs defeated Murray State by a score of 45-17 in their season opener last Saturday after compiling 572 yards of total offense, 392 of which came on the ground.
Offensively, seven different players recorded at least three rushing attempts in ETSU's win over the Racers last weekend, led by 128 yards on 14 carries from UConn transfer running back Devontae Houston. The Bucs are implanting a two-quarterback system with a pair of Power Four transfers in Cade McNamara (Iowa) and Jacolby Criswell (North Carolina). McNamara passed for 146 yards and touchdown to go along with three rushes for 19 yards last week while Criswell had 34 yards through the air and six carries for 46 yards. True freshman wideout Jeremiah Harrison led the team in receiving yards with 56 on three receptions while also finding the end zone.
On the defensive side of the ball, ETSU racked up nine tackles for loss and four sacks in its win over Murray State. Senior linebacker Ty Anderson led the charge with eight tackles, 2.5 TFLs and a sack. Redshirt sophomore defensive back Jason Duclona also had a productive season opener with five tackles and an interception. Â
