FB PREVIEW: #21/20/23 Vols Host Aggies for Homecoming/Salute to Service Recreation

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Fresh off an open week, No. 21/20/23 Tennessee returns to motion for its penultimate residence sport of the season when it hosts New Mexico State on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. at Neyland Stadium.

Saturday will function UT’s 101^st Homecoming sport. The Vols boast a 77-20-3 on-field file all-time for Homecoming.

The contest can even be Tennessee’s annual Salute to Service sport. The Big Orange will honor all navy branches and personnel all through the sport and put on their latest Smokey Grey sequence uniform, the “Volunteer Spirit”, which pays tribute to the United States Armed Forces.

GAMEDAY TIMELINE

Will Call Opens at Gate 21 – 12:15 p.m.
Truly’s Tailgate Opens – 12:15 p.m.
Vol Village Opens – 12:45 p.m.
Gates Open – 1:45 p.m.
Vol Walk – 2 p.m.
Pride of the Southland Band March – 2:35 p.m. (Map of Band March Route)
Pride of the Southland Band Pregame Performance Begins – 4:06 p.m.
National Anthem/Flyover – 4:09 p.m.
*Two F-35s out of the 58^th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida
Vols Run Through the T – 4:17 p.m.
Kickoff – 4:20 p.m.

NEYLAND STADIUM, PRESERVED BY PILOT

Neyland Stadium has been residence of the Vols for greater than 100 years and that legacy will stay on due to a transformative partnership with Tennessee Athletics and Knoxville-based Pilot, the most important community of journey facilities in North America. In August 2024, Tennessee and Pilot introduced the partnership that preserves the long-lasting venue’s title and enhances the stadium expertise for future generations. Under the phrases of the settlement, which is slated for as much as 20 years and will prolong additional, the names of Neyland Stadium and Shields-Watkins Field will stay unchanged.

Neyland Stadium. Home of the Vols. Proudly preserved by Pilot.

IMPORTANT GAMEDAY INFO

Earlier this 12 months, University of Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White introduced updates for followers coming to Neyland Stadium in 2025.

To ease congestion, gates will now open for all followers two and a half hours earlier than kickoff. Gate 20 will reopen to all followers, and college students will proceed to enter the stadium on the southeast nook at Gate 4. Students are inspired to stroll down Lake Loudoun Blvd. and switch left onto Phillip Fulmer Way on the Pat Summitt statue.

To alter for extra congestion for followers coming into the stadium, the Pride of the Southland Band’s march will start on Pat Head Summitt Street at 2:35 p.m. The band will then take a left onto Volunteer Blvd. and proceed down the Johnson-Ward Pedestrian Walkway earlier than coming into Neyland Stadium at Gate 25. The salute to the hill will happen on the nook of Volunteer Blvd. and the doorway to the Johnson-Ward Pedestrian Walkway. 

For extra info and the up to date pregame insurance policies, in addition to urged entry factors based mostly on seat places, CLICK HERE.

For essentially the most up-to-date info on all of Tennessee’s 2025 gameday insurance policies, please go to the Tennessee Football Gameday Information web page on UTSports.com.

NEYLAND STADIUM FAN ENHANCEMENTS, UPDATES & INITIATIVES FOR 2025

Fans will discover plenty of new options and facilities which have been accomplished for the 2025 season. Most notably, main updates have been accomplished within the South End Zone. Entry into Gate 9 has doubled in measurement whereas the southwest plaza has expanded to ease congestion. A brand new elevator has been added to the southeast nook of Neyland Stadium, permitting patrons to entry all three ranges on the south finish of the stadium.

Fans can even discover new restrooms, a brand new UT Medical first help station and a considerably wider concourse to assist ease navigation across the south finish of the stadium. A Vintage Volunteer trailer has been behind part M on the brand new south concourse of Neyland Stadium. The store will provide classic gear and distinctive objects.

Beginning this fall, Neyland Stadium is now a cashless venue. Fans must be ready as they strategy concession stands, Vol Shop or any retail places contained in the stadium. All Tennessee venues might be cashless through the 2025-26 athletic 12 months.  

For extra info on all updates and new initiatives in place at Neyland Stadium this season, click on HERE.

TICKETS AND PARKING

Tickets for Saturday’s sport are formally offered out. Tickets and parking passes to all Tennessee Athletics occasions, together with soccer, are actually digital and may be accessed by way of a cell system to enhance safety and cut back the chance of ticket fraud in addition to make the method extra handy for followers.

Fans will acquire admission into Neyland Stadium through a novel QR code which might be scanned straight from a cell system. For fast and straightforward entry into Tennessee Athletics venues, followers are inspired to obtain the Tennessee Athletics app from the App Store (iPhone) and Google Play (Android). Your cell system is the ticket on gameday. All legitimate digital tickets will show a shifting barcode or a maintain close to 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 now not be issued or accepted for entry at any Tennessee Athletics venue. The solely licensed sources for tickets to Tennessee Athletics occasions are the Tennessee Athletics Ticket Office, AllVols.com, the venue field workplace the place the athletic occasion is going down and Ticketmaster.

An entire step-by-step information on learn how to greatest entry and use your digital tickets and parking passes, together with diagrams and FAQ is offered right here.

TENNESSEE ATHLETICS APP

Fans are inspired to obtain the brand new and improved Tennessee Athletics App, which homes the GBO Zone, permitting followers to play trivia, participate in stadium gentle reveals and rather more. 

Search “Tennessee Athletics” within the Apple or Google Play Store or use this LINK to obtain.

GAMEDAY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Homecoming: Saturday will mark Tennessee’s 101^st Homecoming sport in program historical past. The Vols have received 11 straight Homecoming contests towards non-conference foes.

Former NASA astronaut and retired Captain of the United States Navy Butch Wilmore will function this 12 months’s Homecoming Grand Marshall and be acknowledged throughout a first-quarter media timeout. Homecoming awards will happen on the sector following the Pride of the Southland Band’s halftime efficiency.

Vol Village Presented by Toyota: Vol Village offered by Toyota, serves as the perfect spot to view the Vol Walk and the Pride of Southland Band march. Admission is free to all followers with or with no sport ticket. Located throughout from Circle Park, Vol Village options stay music, meals vans and beverage stations, interactive shows and enjoyable actions for all ages.

Vol Village will spotlight a brand new artist or band every residence sport with a pregame live performance sequence, offering Vol followers with the final word pregame environment. This week’s featured artist is the duo September Song. Vol Village opens at 12:45 p.m. for Saturday’s sport.

Truly’s Tailgate: Located outdoors Gate 9, followers are inspired to go to the brand new and improved Truly’s space for meals, drinks and extra! Truly’s Tailgate has expanded with Texas Roadhouse and plenty of different new meals and beverage choices for followers to take pleasure in earlier than and through the sport.

Fans could enter Truly’s previous to gates opening with out having a ticket scanned. When gates open, followers might want to scan their ticket to enter Truly’s.

For any sport beginning later than midday ET, Truly’s will open 4 hours previous to kickoff. For Saturday’s sport, the tailgate will open at 12:15 p.m. Truly’s will keep open all through the sport, giving followers within the south concourse quite a lot of meals, drinks and extra restroom choices. Truly’s will shut on the finish of the third quarter.

For full gameday info, go to UTsports.com/gameday.

BROADCAST INFO

TV Info
Dave Neal (PxP), Fozzy Whittaker (analyst) and Morgan Uber (sideline reporter) could have the decision for Saturday’s sport at 4:15 p.m. on the SEC Network.

Radio Info

UT followers can hearken to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast through the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) on 70 stations throughout the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 106 or 190) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 960). A stay audio stream of the published can even be obtainable on UTSports.com​ and the Tennessee Athletics App.  Voice of the Vols Mike Keith might be joined within the sales space by VFL Ramon Foster (analyst) whereas Brent Hubbs will deal with sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast.

The Big Orange Countdown pregame present, hosted by Hubbs, begins two hours previous to kickoff at 2:15 p.m. VFL Jayson Swain additionally returns as a part of the official gameday radio staff this season and might be part of the community’s pregame, halftime and postgame programming.

Tennessee’s official Spanish radio broadcast is offered regionally on WNML-AM 990 with Carlos Lopez (play-by-play) and J.P. Vasquez (analyst) on the decision. That model can also be obtainable on UTSports.com​ and the Tennessee Athletics App. 

Volunteer Gameday, a stay, one-hour tv preview present, will originate stay from Neyland Stadium starting at 2:15 p.m. The present might be hosted by Keith, VFL Heath Shuler and WVLT-Knoxville’s Brittany Tarwater. Volunteer Gameday might be obtainable on Knoxville flagship TV station WVLT and throughout the state on the brand new Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN).

NEED TO KNOW

UT to Debut New “Volunteer Spirit” Smokey Grey Uniforms
Tying into Saturday’s Salute to Service theme, the Vols will don their new “Volunteer Spirit” Smokey Grey uniforms. Tennessee’s defining pillar of service and selfless management for greater than 200 years, the “Volunteer Spirit” supplies the inspiration behind the latest Nike Smokey Grey sequence soccer uniform that can honor the United States Armed Forces. 

Learn about all the small print relating to the “Volunteer Spirit” Smokey Grey uniforms by clicking HERE.

Vols Look to Extend Non-Conference Win Streak

Tennessee places its non-conference common season profitable streak on the road this Saturday, having received 17 non-SEC common season video games in a row. The present streak dates again to a Sept. 18, 2021, a 56-0 victory versus Tennessee Tech. The Vols’ final non-conference common season loss was to Pitt on Sept. 11, 2021, in what was Josh Heupel‘s second sport at UT.

Aguilar Having Season to Remember

Tennessee’s passing sport has been deadly all 12 months lengthy thanks largely to senior sign caller Joey Aguilar, who ranks within the prime 10 nationally in 5 completely different classes, together with complete offense (sixth – 313.6), passing touchdowns (ninth – 21), passing yards per sport (fourth – 304.1), passing yards per completion (eighth – 14.04) and passing yards (sixth – 2,737). Aguilar leads the SEC in passing touchdowns, passing yards, passing yards per sport, passing yards per completion, and he is second in complete offense and passing effectivity (161.0).

In convention play, Aguilar boasts a league-best 330.7 yards per sport passing, and has fired 13 touchdowns in these contests, which is tied with Georgia’s Gunner Stockton for first within the SEC. The California native is the one participant in league-only video games averaging over 300 yards passing. Alabama’s Ty Simpson is second at 266.5. Aguilar’s 337.3 yards of complete offense per sport in convention play additionally ranks No. 1 amongst SEC gamers.

Aguilar has handed for greater than 390 yards in every of his final two video games (at Kentucky, vs. Oklahoma) and has produced 4 300-yard passing video games this season, which is tied for third at school historical past and are essentially the most by a Vol in a single-season since Hendon Hooker had 4 in 2022.

Staley Stealing the Show

Redshirt freshman large receiver Braylon Staley is having a breakout season in his second 12 months with this system and has been acknowledged as one of many prime freshmen within the nation. Staley was just lately named a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award and added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.

The South Carolina native ranks second amongst FBS freshmen with 52 catches and leads all FBS freshmen in receiving yards with 703. He is second amongst FBS freshmen and first amongst Power Four freshmen in landing catches with 5, as properly. Staley’s playmaking expertise have been on show all season as 330 of his 703 receiving yards have come after the catch.

SERIES HISTORY

First Meeting
The Vols and Aggies will sq. off for the primary time when the 2 sides take the sector on Saturday afternoon. This is simply the third time that Tennessee has confronted an opponent from the state of New Mexico. The Vols performed the New Mexico Lobos in Neyland Stadium in 1983 and 1986, profitable each contests.

ABOUT NEW MEXICO STATE

After getting off to a 3-2 begin to the season, the Aggies have dropped 4 straight coming into this weekend’s contest towards the Volunteers. They are led by second-year head coach Tony Sanchez.

New Mexico State depends closely on its passing sport and senior quarterback Logan Fife, who has handed for two,072 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, however has additionally thrown 11 interceptions. Junior wideout Donovan Faupel is Fife’s prime goal with a team-best 43 receptions for 503 yards and 5 touchdowns. Cal switch operating again Kadarius Calloway leads the Aggies dashing assault with 86 carries for 313 yards and three scores.

Redshirt sophomore security Naeten Mitchell leads NMSU on the defensive facet of the ball with 70 complete tackles, 4 move breakups, three interceptions and a pair of pressured fumbles. Fresno State switch defensive lineman Ezra Christensen has been a disruptive drive, as properly, with a team-leading 9 tackles for loss and 6 sacks on the 12 months.