FB PREVIEW: #8 Vols Set to Battle Commodores in High Stakes Volunteer State Showdown

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – 8. Tennessee closes out the regular season with a high-stakes rivalry game against in-state foe Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville.

The Volunteer State showdown has big College Football Playoff implications for the Big Orange as they look to clinch a spot in the 12-team field with a win over the Commodores.

DISPATCH INFO

Saturday’s game will feature a national telecast on ABC with Dave Pasch (PxP), Dusty Dvoracek (Analyst) and Taylor McGregor (Sideline Reporter) on the call. Coverage is scheduled to begin at 12:00 PM ET (11:00 AM CT).

Fans can listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) over 65 stations across the state of Tennessee and the Southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 119 or 191) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 961 ), as well as 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 call the action, with VFL Jayson Swain handling the sideline for the Vol Network radio broadcast. The Big Orange Countdown pregame show begins two hours before kickoff at 10 A.M. The pregame show hosts John Wilkerson, Brent Hubbs, VFL Jayson Swain and a rotating VFL special guest each week. The Vol Network celebrates 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 on the call. That version is also available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics app.

MUST KNOW

Ranking among the country’s best

Tennessee heads to Nashville ranked in the FBS top 10 in nine major categories: kickoff return defense (3rd-13.0), scoring defense (4th-13.1), third-down defense (5th-28.8), yards per punt. plays allowed (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 offensive (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 nation with a top 10 in 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 issued the fifth-most offensive touchdowns in the FBS this year (16). Opponents have managed just one touchdown in the first quarter this season against Tennessee (Kentucky).

D-Samp, the SEC’s MVP
Junior runs back Dylan Sampson is having one of the most productive seasons in SEC history and is among the top contenders to be named SEC Player of the Year. Sampson has already set three single-season program records and is also closing in on Tennessee’s career rushing touchdowns 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 as well as tied for fifth in SEC history with LSU’s Leonard Fournette (2015). Sampson has found pay dirt at least once in all 11 games this season and scored multiple touchdowns seven different times this year. He ranks second in program history for career rushing touchdowns with 35 and is just two more away from tying Gene McEver’s record of 37 from 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 is just 158 ​​yards short of surpassing Travis Stephens’ 2001 record of 1,464 yards and becoming the Vols’ single-season rushing king.

Shutdown Defense
Led by defensive coordinator and Broyles Award nominee Tim BanksThe Vols have boasted one of the nation’s top defensive units all year, ranking among the FBS leaders in scoring defense (4th–13.1), third-down defense (5th–28.8), yards per carry, plays allowed (5th – 4.33), total defense (6th – 284.3), tackles for loss (6th – 8.0), rushing defense (6th – 98.8) and red zone defense (7th – 71.9).

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

Tie in the CFP rankings
Tennessee enters this final weekend of the regular season in 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 guarantee themselves a spot in the field with a win Saturday afternoon.

SERIES HISTORY

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

The Vols and Commodores meet for the 118th^th time when the two teams battle for state bragging rights Saturday afternoon in Nashville. The streak dates all the way 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 over Vanderbilt are its second most over 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 6-5 overall with a 3-4 mark in conference play and has been particularly tough at home, boasting a 4-1 record at FirstBank Stadium this season that includes a win over then-top-ranked Alabama.

Fifth-year quarterback Diego Pavia has given Vandy a big spark this season after transferring from New Mexico State. Pavia is a Maxwell Award and Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist and enters the contest 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 has been Pavia’s favorite target with 44 receptions, 568 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Wideouts Junior Sherrill and Quincy Skinner Jr. has also combined for 727 yards and five scores through the air.

Sophomore linebacker Bryan Longwell leads the Commodores’ defense with 70 tackles to go along with 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’s four sacks each are tied for the team lead.