University of Tennessee Athletics
Saturday, September 12
Atlanta, Ga.
7 p.m. ET
University of Tennessee
at
Georgia Tech
FB PREVIEW: #18/18 Vols Ready for First Road Test at Georgia Tech
September 11, 2026 | Football
ATLANTA – After a successful season-opening victory over Furman in Week 1, No. 18/18 Tennessee faces its first road test of the year on Saturday night when it travels to a sold-out Bobby Dodd Stadium to square off against Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
Saturday will mark the Volunteers' 22nd time playing the Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium, which is the oldest FBS venue in the country (1905). However, it will be the first time the two programs have played at the historic stadium since 1986, a 14-13 Georgia Tech win.
Bob Wischusen (PxP), Louis Riddick (analyst) and Stormy Buonantony (sideline reporter) will have the call for Saturday's game at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
Vol Network 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 64 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 180 or 230) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 954). A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com, the Tennessee Athletics App and the Varsity App. Fans attending the game in Atlanta are encouraged to listen to the radio broadcast via the Vol Network Stadiumcast on 91.5 FM.
Voice of the Vols Mike Keith will be joined in the booth by VFL Jayson Swain (analyst) while Brent Hubbs will handle sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast.
The Big Orange Countdown pregame show, hosted by Swain and Hubbs, will begin two and a half hours prior to kickoff at 4:30 p.m. ET.
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.
Volunteer Gameday, a live, one-hour television preview show, will air starting at 5 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).
After racking up 13 tackles for loss and seven sacks in last Saturday's season opener against Furman, UT's already stout defensive unit will be bolstered further by the return of senior captain Arion Carter after the veteran linebacker was forced to sit out the opener due to an NCAA suspension. A Preseason All-SEC selection, Carter led the SEC with 7.6 tackles per game a season ago despite battling through turf toe for much of the season. On Monday, it was announced that Carter will partner with his mother Sheteka Alexander's nonprofit – Girls in Real Life Situations (GIRLS) – to raise money through his play by donating $427 for every tackle he makes this season. The Smyrna, Tennessee, native, will also donate $500 for every sack, $1,000 for every interception or forced fumble and $5,000 if he scores a defensive touchdown this year.
Brandon's Super Debut
True freshman Faizon Brandon became the first Tennessee quarterback to start in a season opener since Brent Schaeffer in 2004 and immediately showcased his immense talent in last Saturday's season-opening 56-9 win over Furman.
The Greensboro, North Carolina, native, earned numerous weekly honors, including SEC Freshman of the Week and Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Week recognition after accounting for five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing), becoming the first SEC player with three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in his first FBS start since Auburn's Cam Newton, a fourth-year collegian, on Sept. 4, 2010, versus Arkansas State.
Brandon finished the contest having completed 13-of-17 passes for 226 yards and also totaled 68 yards on the ground on 10 carries in his collegiate debut.
Vols vs. the ACC
Tennessee is facing an ACC opponent for the sixth straight season (every year of the Josh Heupel era) and will extend that streak to at seven straight years when Georgia Tech makes the return trip to Knoxville in 2027.
The Vols have won five in a row over ACC foes and outscored them 210-89 during that streak. In 2022, UT defeated No. 17 Pitt, 34-27, in overtime and ACC champ No. 7 Clemson, 31-14, in the Orange Bowl. In 2023, Tennessee opened the season with a 49-13 win over Virginia in Nashville. In 2024, the Vols dominated No. 24 NC State, 51-10, in the Duke's Mayo Classic in Charlotte on Sept. 7. Last season in Atlanta, Tennessee beat Syracuse, 45-25, in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Saturday's game is just the second time in the Heupel era that UT has played a true non-conference regular season game on the road. The 2022 Pitt contest was the first with the others being neutral site contests.
Non-Conference Regular-Season Win Streak
Tennessee puts its non-conference regular season winning streak on the line again on Saturday. The Vols have won 19 straight non-SEC regular season games dating back to a Sept. 18, 2021, a 56-0 victory over Tennessee Tech. UT's last non-conference regular season loss was to Pitt on Sept. 11, 2021, in what was Heupel's second game as head coach.
The Vols are 22-4 overall (.846) against non-SEC foes under Heupel, including 20-1 in the regular season. UT has outscored non-conference opponents 1,238-373 in the Heupel era and the .846 non-conference winning percentage during that span (since 2021) is tied for eighth in the FBS.
Classic Moments in Tennessee-Georgia Tech Series History
Both founding member of the Southeastern Conference back in 1931, Tennessee and Georgia Tech have no shortage of history on the gridiron.
Sophomore Condredge Holloway became the first Black player to start at quarterback in the SEC on Sept. 9, 1972, leading the Vols to a 34-3 season-opening victory over Georgia Tech in Atlanta in front of a national television audience on ABC. Holloway went on to guide the UT to a 10-2 record and a win over LSU in the Astro Bluebonnet Bowl that season.
The Nov. 10, 1956, meeting between coaches Bobby Dodd and Bowden Wyatt was among the greatest games in college football history. In 1961, the Associated Press ranked it as the No. 2 college football game of all-time, trailing only the 1935 Ohio State-Notre Dame game. No. 3 Tennessee edged No. 2 Georgia Tech, 6-0, in Atlanta, and vaulted to No. 1 in the AP poll following the win. The difference was a 45-yard pass from tailback Johnny Majors to Buddy Cruze down to the 1-yard line that set up Tommy Bronson's goal line score in the third quarter. The Vols forced three turnovers that day, including one in the final minute to preserve the victory. That SEC contest would help propel Tennessee to the 1956 SEC title and an undefeated regular season.
The Vols and Yellow Jackets will play for the 45th time when the two teams take the field on Saturday night, however, it'll be just the second meeting between the two programs in the last 38 years and the first on-campus meeting since a 29-15 Tennessee win at Neyland Stadium in 1987.
The last time UT and Georgia Tech squared off was in the 2017 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in the brand-new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Vols won an instant classic, prevailing 42-41 in double overtime after an impressive second-half comeback.
The Ramblin' Wreck will look to improve offensively after a narrow 14-13 loss in their season opener against Colorado last Thursday night. Transfer quarterback Alberto Mendoza, brother of 2025 Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, leads the offense in his first year as a starter. The junior signal caller was 17-of-23 passing for 237 yards against the Buffaloes.
GT will also lean heavily on its ground game, led by Michigan transfer running back Justice Haynes, who carried the ball 19 times for 64 yards in the opener. Sophomore wide receiver Jordan Allen stood out in Week 1, as well, hauling in eight receptions for 113 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, fifth year linebacker Kyle Efford led the Yellow Jackets with 13 tackles in the season opener while veteran defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas was disruptive at the point of attack with seven tackles and a sack against Colorado.
MORE INFO
GAMEDAY & BROADCAST INFO
- Opponent: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
- Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 12 | 7 p.m.
- Location: Atlanta, Ga.
- Venue: Bobby Dodd Stadium (51,913)
- TV: ESPN
- Local Radio: Vol Network (FM 107.7 in Knoxville)
- Satellite Radio: SiriusXM (Ch. 180 or 230)
- Spanish Radio: WNML (AM 990 in Knoxville)
- Live Stats: UTStats.com
#18/18 TENNESSEE (1-0 | 0-0 SEC)
Game Notes Roster Schedule Stats Record BookGEORGIA TECH (0-1 | 0-0 ACC)
Game Notes Roster Schedule Stats Digital Game Program Gameday Info Tennessee Athletics App Follow @UTGameday Buy 2026 Record Book Buy Tennessee Gear Heupel Monday PresserSaturday will mark the Volunteers' 22nd time playing the Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium, which is the oldest FBS venue in the country (1905). However, it will be the first time the two programs have played at the historic stadium since 1986, a 14-13 Georgia Tech win.
GAMEDAY INFO
To find the most up-to-date game day information for this Saturday's contest at Bobby Dodd Stadium, click HERE.BROADCAST INFO
TV/Streaming InfoBob Wischusen (PxP), Louis Riddick (analyst) and Stormy Buonantony (sideline reporter) will have the call for Saturday's game at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
Vol Network 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 64 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 180 or 230) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 954). A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com, the Tennessee Athletics App and the Varsity App. Fans attending the game in Atlanta are encouraged to listen to the radio broadcast via the Vol Network Stadiumcast on 91.5 FM.
Voice of the Vols Mike Keith will be joined in the booth by VFL Jayson Swain (analyst) while Brent Hubbs will handle sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast.
The Big Orange Countdown pregame show, hosted by Swain and Hubbs, will begin two and a half hours prior to kickoff at 4:30 p.m. ET.
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.
Volunteer Gameday, a live, one-hour television preview show, will air starting at 5 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).
NEED TO KNOW
AC Is BackAfter racking up 13 tackles for loss and seven sacks in last Saturday's season opener against Furman, UT's already stout defensive unit will be bolstered further by the return of senior captain Arion Carter after the veteran linebacker was forced to sit out the opener due to an NCAA suspension. A Preseason All-SEC selection, Carter led the SEC with 7.6 tackles per game a season ago despite battling through turf toe for much of the season. On Monday, it was announced that Carter will partner with his mother Sheteka Alexander's nonprofit – Girls in Real Life Situations (GIRLS) – to raise money through his play by donating $427 for every tackle he makes this season. The Smyrna, Tennessee, native, will also donate $500 for every sack, $1,000 for every interception or forced fumble and $5,000 if he scores a defensive touchdown this year.
Brandon's Super Debut
True freshman Faizon Brandon became the first Tennessee quarterback to start in a season opener since Brent Schaeffer in 2004 and immediately showcased his immense talent in last Saturday's season-opening 56-9 win over Furman.
The Greensboro, North Carolina, native, earned numerous weekly honors, including SEC Freshman of the Week and Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Week recognition after accounting for five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing), becoming the first SEC player with three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in his first FBS start since Auburn's Cam Newton, a fourth-year collegian, on Sept. 4, 2010, versus Arkansas State.
Brandon finished the contest having completed 13-of-17 passes for 226 yards and also totaled 68 yards on the ground on 10 carries in his collegiate debut.
Vols vs. the ACC
Tennessee is facing an ACC opponent for the sixth straight season (every year of the Josh Heupel era) and will extend that streak to at seven straight years when Georgia Tech makes the return trip to Knoxville in 2027.
The Vols have won five in a row over ACC foes and outscored them 210-89 during that streak. In 2022, UT defeated No. 17 Pitt, 34-27, in overtime and ACC champ No. 7 Clemson, 31-14, in the Orange Bowl. In 2023, Tennessee opened the season with a 49-13 win over Virginia in Nashville. In 2024, the Vols dominated No. 24 NC State, 51-10, in the Duke's Mayo Classic in Charlotte on Sept. 7. Last season in Atlanta, Tennessee beat Syracuse, 45-25, in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Saturday's game is just the second time in the Heupel era that UT has played a true non-conference regular season game on the road. The 2022 Pitt contest was the first with the others being neutral site contests.
Non-Conference Regular-Season Win Streak
Tennessee puts its non-conference regular season winning streak on the line again on Saturday. The Vols have won 19 straight non-SEC regular season games dating back to a Sept. 18, 2021, a 56-0 victory over Tennessee Tech. UT's last non-conference regular season loss was to Pitt on Sept. 11, 2021, in what was Heupel's second game as head coach.
The Vols are 22-4 overall (.846) against non-SEC foes under Heupel, including 20-1 in the regular season. UT has outscored non-conference opponents 1,238-373 in the Heupel era and the .846 non-conference winning percentage during that span (since 2021) is tied for eighth in the FBS.
Classic Moments in Tennessee-Georgia Tech Series History
Both founding member of the Southeastern Conference back in 1931, Tennessee and Georgia Tech have no shortage of history on the gridiron.
Sophomore Condredge Holloway became the first Black player to start at quarterback in the SEC on Sept. 9, 1972, leading the Vols to a 34-3 season-opening victory over Georgia Tech in Atlanta in front of a national television audience on ABC. Holloway went on to guide the UT to a 10-2 record and a win over LSU in the Astro Bluebonnet Bowl that season.
The Nov. 10, 1956, meeting between coaches Bobby Dodd and Bowden Wyatt was among the greatest games in college football history. In 1961, the Associated Press ranked it as the No. 2 college football game of all-time, trailing only the 1935 Ohio State-Notre Dame game. No. 3 Tennessee edged No. 2 Georgia Tech, 6-0, in Atlanta, and vaulted to No. 1 in the AP poll following the win. The difference was a 45-yard pass from tailback Johnny Majors to Buddy Cruze down to the 1-yard line that set up Tommy Bronson's goal line score in the third quarter. The Vols forced three turnovers that day, including one in the final minute to preserve the victory. That SEC contest would help propel Tennessee to the 1956 SEC title and an undefeated regular season.
SERIES HISTORY
Tennessee leads series, 25-17-2The Vols and Yellow Jackets will play for the 45th time when the two teams take the field on Saturday night, however, it'll be just the second meeting between the two programs in the last 38 years and the first on-campus meeting since a 29-15 Tennessee win at Neyland Stadium in 1987.
The last time UT and Georgia Tech squared off was in the 2017 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in the brand-new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Vols won an instant classic, prevailing 42-41 in double overtime after an impressive second-half comeback.
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH
The Yellow Jackets are guided by head coach Brent Key, who is now in his fourth season leading the program and boasts a career record of 27-21. Georgia Tech was picked fifth in the ACC Preseason Media Poll after finishing 9-4 overall with a 6-2 conference record in 2025.The Ramblin' Wreck will look to improve offensively after a narrow 14-13 loss in their season opener against Colorado last Thursday night. Transfer quarterback Alberto Mendoza, brother of 2025 Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, leads the offense in his first year as a starter. The junior signal caller was 17-of-23 passing for 237 yards against the Buffaloes.
GT will also lean heavily on its ground game, led by Michigan transfer running back Justice Haynes, who carried the ball 19 times for 64 yards in the opener. Sophomore wide receiver Jordan Allen stood out in Week 1, as well, hauling in eight receptions for 113 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, fifth year linebacker Kyle Efford led the Yellow Jackets with 13 tackles in the season opener while veteran defensive tackle Tawfiq Thomas was disruptive at the point of attack with seven tackles and a sack against Colorado.
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