FB PREVIEW: No. 8 Vols ready to face Commodores in high stakes Volunteer State showdown

FB PREVIEW: No. 8 Vols ready to face Commodores in high stakes Volunteer State showdown

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 8 Tennessee closes its regular season with a high-stakes rivalry game against in-state foe Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville.

The showdown in the Volunteer State has big College Football Playoff implications for the Big Orange, who are looking to secure a spot in the 12-team field with a win over the Commodores.

TRANSFER INFORMATION

Saturday’s game will be broadcast nationally on ABC with Dave Pasch (PxP), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst) and Taylor McGregor (sideline reporter). Coverage is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. CT).

Fans can tune in to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1), 65 stations throughout Tennessee and the Southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 119 or 191) and the SiriusXM app (Chapter 961) and the Varsity App. A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics app.

Bob Kesling (PxP), VFL Pat Ryan (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will make the decision, while VFL Jayson Swain will handle side duties for the Vol Network radio show. The Big Orange Countdown pregame show begins two hours before kickoff at 10 a.m. ET. The pregame show is hosted each week by John Wilkerson, Brent Hubbs, VFL Jayson Swain and a rotating VFL special guest. The Vol Network will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2024.

The Spanish broadcast is available locally on WNML-AM 990, with Carlos Lopez (play-by-play) and VFL Fuad Reveiz in conversation. This version is also available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics app.

MUST KNOW

Placed among the best in the nation

Tennessee heads to Nashville ranked in the top 10 in the FBS in nine major categories: kickoff return defense (3rd – 13.0), scoring defense (4th – 13.1), third-down defense (5th). – 28.8), yards allowed per play (5th – 4.33). ), Total Defense (6th – 284.3), Tackles for Loss (6th – 8.0), Rushing Defense (6th – 98.8), Red Zone Defense (7th – 71.9) and Rushing Offense (9th – 227.5). The Vols lead the SEC in third-down defense, kickoff return defense and rushing offense. UT and Army are the only teams in the country with a top-10 rushing offense and rushing defense.

The Big Orange are the only SEC team to hold 10 of their 11 opponents under 20 points this season and have allowed the fifth-fewest offensive touchdowns in the FBS this year (16). The opponents only managed one touchdown in the first quarter against Tennessee (Kentucky) this season.

D-Samp, the SEC’s MVP
Junior runs back Dylan Sampson is having one of the most productive seasons in SEC history and is a leading candidate for SEC Player of the Year honors. Sampson has already set three single-season program records and is also closing in on Tennessee’s career rushing touchdown record.

The Baton Rouge, Louisiana native enters this weekend’s contest with a UT-record 22 rushing touchdowns, a mark that leads the Power Four and is tied for third nationally and tied for fifth with LSU’s Leonard Fournette (2015). ranked in SEC history. Sampson has found pay dirt at least once in all 11 games this season and has scored multiple touchdowns seven times this year. He ranks second in program history for career rushing scores with 35 points and needs just two more to match Gene McEver’s record of 37 set in 1928-31.

Sampson also enters the regular-season finale as the conference’s leading rusher with 1,307 yards, a mark that ranks sixth in UT single-season annals. He needs just 158 ​​yards to surpass Travis Stephens’ record of 1,464 yards set in 2001 and become the Vols’ single-season rushing king.

Shutdown defense
Led by defensive coordinator and Broyles Award nominee Tim BanksThe Vols have had one of the best defensive units in the country all year long and rank among the FBS leaders in scoring defense (4th – 13.1), third-down defense (5th – 28.8) , yards allowed per play (5th – 4.33), total defense (6th – 284.3), tackles for loss (6th – 8.0), rushing defense (6th – 98.8) and red zone defense (7th – 8.0) 71.9).

Tennessee has held opponents to fewer than 20 points in 11 of its last 12 games since its 35-0 shutout of Iowa in the Citrus Bowl last season. During that span, the Vols have posted three shutouts, including two this season (71-0 against Kent State on September 14th and 56-0 against UTEP on November 23rd). It is the first time since the final two games of the 2002 regular season against Vanderbilt and Kentucky that UT has recorded multiple shutouts in a season. Tennessee is the only SEC team to hold 10 of its 11 opponents under 20 points this season.

Volumes in the CFP rankings
Tennessee enters this final weekend of the regular season in a good position to secure a spot in the new 12-team College Football Playoff. The Vols are ranked No. 8 in the latest CFP rankings, released Tuesday night, and would all but secure a spot in the field with a win on Saturday afternoon.

HISTORY OF THE SERIES

Tennessee leads the series, 78-32-5 (NCAA) | 80-32-5 (on the field)

The Vols and Commodores will meet for the 118th timeTh It’s time as the two teams battle for state bragging rights on Saturday afternoon in Nashville. The series dates back to 1892 and the two programs have played each other every year since 1945.

Tennessee has won 35 of the last 41 meetings in the series, including five in a row. UT’s 80 wins against Vanderbilt are the second-most wins against any opponent behind Kentucky (85).

ABOUT VANDERBILT

The Commodores are bowl eligible for the first time under head coach Clark Lea, who is in his fourth season leading the program. Vanderbilt enters Saturday’s game at 6-5 overall, with a record of 3-4 in conference play, and has been particularly tough at home. He had a 4-1 record at FirstBank Stadium that season, which included a win over then-top-ranked Alabama.

Fifth-year quarterback Diego Pavia provided a spark for Vandy this season after transferring from New Mexico State. A semifinalist for the Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien Award, Pavia enters the competition with 2,029 passing yards and 16 touchdown passes with just three interceptions. He also leads the team in rushing with 671 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. Tight end Eli Stowers was Pavia’s favorite target with a team-high 44 receptions, 568 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Wideouts Junior Sherrill and Quincy Skinner Jr. also combined for 727 yards and five scores through the air.

Sophomore linebacker Bryan Longwell leads the Commodores’ defense with 70 tackles to go, 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception. Randon Fontenette leads the team with eight TFLs and eight pass breakups, while Nick Rinaldi and Khordae Sydnor have the most on the team with four sacks each.

 

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