Here’s a look at my Week 1 Thursday night SEC football game predictions.
Saturday Week 1 game predictions will be in a separate blog post.
Check back on my “Vince’s View” blog pagefor future posts including weekly SEC football and NFL game predictions. Bookmark my blog page and check back often.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 Ball State (6-7) at Tennessee (7-6) Series: First Meeting 7 p.m. ET • SEC Network Knoxville, Tenn. • Neyland Stadium (101,915) SiriusXM: 138 or 190 Point Spread: Tennessee -35.5 Vince’s Score Prediction: Tennessee 52 Ball State 14
Louisiana Tech (3-9) at Missouri (6-7) Series: First Meeting 8 p.m. ET • ESPNU Columbia, Mo. • Faurot Field (62,621) SiriusXM: 106 or 191 Point Spread: Missouri -20.5 Vince’s Score Prediction: Missouri 38 Louisiana Tech 21
KNOXVILLE, TN – September 02, 2021 – Head Coach Josh Heupel of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the Bowling Green Falcons and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Here’s a look at my Week 1 Thursday night SEC football game predictions.
Saturday Week 1 game predictions will be in a separate blog post.
Check back on my “Vince’s View” blog pagefor future posts including weekly SEC football and NFL game predictions. Bookmark my blog page and check back often.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 Ball State (6-7) at Tennessee (7-6) Series: First Meeting 7 p.m. ET • SEC Network Knoxville, Tenn. • Neyland Stadium (101,915) SiriusXM: 138 or 190 Point Spread: Tennessee -35.5 Vince’s Score Prediction: Tennessee 52 Ball State 14
Louisiana Tech (3-9) at Missouri (6-7) Series: First Meeting 8 p.m. ET • ESPNU Columbia, Mo. • Faurot Field (62,621) SiriusXM: 106 or 191 Point Spread: Missouri -20.5 Vince’s Score Prediction: Missouri 38 Louisiana Tech 21
KNOXVILLE, TN – September 02, 2021 – Head Coach Josh Heupel of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the Bowling Green Falcons and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
SEC West Alabama 7-1 11-1 Texas A&M 5-3 9-3 LSU 5-3 9-3 Arkansas 4-4 8-4 Ole Miss 4-4 8-4 Miss State 3-5 7-5 Auburn 2-6 5-7
SEC Championship: Alabama defeats Georgia Alabama and Georgia in College Football Playoff
Tennessee: Because of trust in Hendon Hooker, positive signs of good players becoming All-SEC caliber in defense and the culture/coaching of Josh Heupel and this staff, I upped my early off-season 8-4 regular season to 9-3. I know some are talking 10-2 or 11-1 scenarios but even with an excellent summer with plenty of positive developments, this roster isn’t there yet to win the division and get to Georgia/Alabama range. I think those games will be closer than last season, but still end up as losses. There are steps to that and this Tennessee program is climbing the ladder. The schedule is free of a treacherous consecutive week gauntlet. The offense will be one of the league’s best again. AS long as the defense improves a little, the wins should increase. The Vols should again be Top 4 on special teams as well with more team speed, athleticism and solid kickers. Depth is still a concern. The Florida game is the 8 to 9 win swing game for me.
SEC: There’s still a gap between Georgia/Alabama and everyone else. No, one regular season loss from time-to-time doesn’t mean they are falling back. I think, because Alabama has a number of tricky games (Tennessee may arguably be the toughest) that someone is trip them up early. The talent is so deep, the Tide will be there at the end. Georgia has an easier route to Atlanta. You could make a case that Tennessee will be Georgia’s still challenge also. The West is so loaded. I think a bunch of those teams will be better their SEC record will show because of the depth of competition. I only see two NCG contenders but there are a bunch of Top 25 teams. I think the SEC gets 11 bowl eligible.
KNOXVILLE, TN – November 20, 2021 – Quarterback Hendon Hooker #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers during the game between the South Alabama Jaguars and the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
Here’s an updated list of University of Tennessee players in the National Football League after the final cutdown deadline to 53-player rosters and then the signing of players to practice squads.
You’ll also see a list of players that were once at UT as well as other Knoxville area players that played at other schools.
I’ve included depth chart listings from either the team’s “unofficial” depth chart or Ourlads’ reported depth charts.
Transactions (all 8/30 – final cuts) *VFL rookie DB Theo Jackson waived by Titans *VFL rookie WR JaVonta Payton waived by Cardinals *VFL DB Justin Coleman waived by Seahawks *VFL OL Kahlil McKenzie waived by Ravens *VFL RB John Kelly waived by Browns *VFL DE/OLB Jonathan Kongbo waived by Broncos *One-time Vols QB Jarrett Guarantano waived by Cardinals *One-time Vols QB Nathan Peterman waived by Bears *One-time Vols WR Preston Williams waived by Dolphins *Knoxville product OL Nate Gilliam waived by Bengals *One-time Vols WR Brandon Johnson laced on IR by Broncos
Transactions (all 8/31) *VFL rookie DB Theo Jackson signed to practice squad by Titans *VFL DB Micah Abernathy waived by Packers *VFL OL Kahlil McKenzie signed to practice squad by Ravens *VFL RB John Kelly signed to practice squad by Browns *VFL DE/OLB Jonathan Kongbo signed to practice squad by Broncos *One-time Vols QB Nathan Peterman signed to practice squad by Bears *Knoxville product OL Nate Gilliam signed to practice squad by Bengals
Notes *There are 21 VFLs on 53-player rosters at the moment *There are 4 more VFLs on practice squads *There’s 1 other VFL on IR *15 of 32 teams have a VFL on their rosters *10 VFLs are listed as starters on their depth charts *Once again the Saints have the most VFLs on active rosters with 4 *There are 2 ex-Vols that finished college at others schools currently on NFL teams *There are 8 Knoxville-area players that did not attend UT currently on NFL teams
Tennessee Volunteers On Expanded NFL Rosters as of 9/1/22 (21) x = rookie AFC East (0) NONE – Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets
AFC North (3) OT – Ja’Wuan James (71) Baltimore Ravens (2nd team LT) QB – Joshua Dobbs (15) Cleveland Browns (2nd team QB) DB – Cameron Sutton (20) Pittsburgh Steelers (Starting RCB) NONE – Cincinnati Bengals
AFC South (2) LB – Jalen Reeves-Maybin (34) Houston Texans (3rd team WLB) LS – Morgan Cox (46) Tennessee Titans (LS) NONE – Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars
AFC West (5) OL – Trey Smith (65) Kansas City Chiefs (Starting RG) FB – Jakob Johnson (45) Las Vegas Raiders (FB) DT – Kendal Vickers (95) Las Vegas Raiders (2nd team DT) DL – Matthew Butler (73) Las Vegas Raiders-x (2nd team DT) WR – Joshua Palmer (5) Los Angeles Chargers (Starting WR) NONE – Denver Broncos
NFC East (1) DE – Derek Barnett (96) Philadelphia Eagles (2nd team RDE) NONE – Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Commanders
NFC North (1) WR – Velus Jones Jr. (12) Chicago Bears-x (Starting Slot WR/Starting PR/2nd team KR) NONE – Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
NFC South (6) WR – Cordarrelle Patterson (84) Atlanta Falcons (Starting RB) OL – Cade Mays (64) Carolina Panthers-x (2nd team RG) RB – Alvin Kamara (41) New Orleans Saints (Starting RB) DT – Shy Tuttle (99) New Orleans Saints (Starting LDT) WR – Marquez Callaway (1) New Orleans Saints (2nd team WR/PR/KR)) CB – Alontae Taylor (27) New Orleans Saints-x (2nd team RCB) NONE – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West (3) CB – Emmanuel Moseley (4) San Francisco 49ers (Starting LCB) WR – Jauan Jennings (15) San Francisco 49ers (Starting WR) DE – Darrell Taylor (52) Seattle Seahawks (Starting WLB) NONE – Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams
VFLs on Practice Squads (Not on 53-Player Roster) DB – Theo Jackson-x – Titans RB – John Kelly – Browns OL/DL – Kahlil McKenzie – Ravens OLB/DE – Jonathan Kongbo – Broncos
Injured Reserve List – VFLs (Not on 53-Player Roster) TE – Ethan Wolf – Saints
VFL Free Agents – Recently in NFL TE – Jason Croom DT – Malik Jackson P – Michael Palardy DE – Kyle Phillips DB – Nigel Warrior LB – Alexander Johnson P – Dustin Colquitt TE – Luke Stocker QB – Tyler Bray TE – Alex Ellis WR – Josh Malone CB – Bryce Thompson DB – Justin Coleman DB – Micah Abernathy DB – Kenneth George Jr.-x WR – JaVonta Payton-x
One-Time Vols That Transferred To Other Schools On NFL Rosters (2) P – Tommy Townsend (5) Kansas City Chiefs (U. of Tennessee/Florida) (P) RB – Ty Chandler (32) Minnesota Vikings (U. of Tennessee/North Carolina)-x (4th team RB/3rd team KR)
Active Knoxville Area Players That Didn’t Play At UT on NFL Rosters (8) WR – Tee Higgins (85) Cincinnati Bengals (Oak Ridge HS/Clemson) (Starting WR) LB – Devin Harper (50) Dallas Cowboys (Karns HS/Oklahoma St.)-x (3rd team MLB) WR – Randall Cobb (18) Green Bay Packers (Alcoa HS/Kentucky) (Starting Slot WR) WR – Amari Rodgers (8) Green Bay Packers (Catholic HS/Clemson) (2nd team Slot WR/Starting PR/Starting KR) QB – Trevor Lawrence (16) Jacksonville Jaguars (Born in Knoxville, did not go to HS locally/Clemson) (Starting QB) OL – Darian Kinnard (75) Kansas City Chiefs (Grew up in Knoxville, did not go to HS locally/Kentucky)-x (2nd team RT) S – Harrison Smith (22) Minnesota Vikings (Catholic HS/Notre Dame) (Starting SS) OG – Cole Strange (69) New England Patriots (Farragut HS/Chattanooga)-x (Starting LG)
Non-VFL Practice Squads (Not on 53-Player Roster) QB – Nathan Peterman – Bears (U. of Tennessee/Pitt) OG – Nate Gilliam – Bengals (Farragut HS/Wake Forest)
Injured Reserve List – Non VFLs (Not on 53-Player Roster) TE – Eli Wolf – Commanders (U. of Tennessee/Georgia) WR – Brandon Johnson – Broncos (U. of Tennessee/UCF)-x
Non-VFL Free Agents Recently In NFL WR – Jalen Hurd (U. of Tennessee/Baylor) TE – Daniel Helm (U. of Tennessee/Duke) OL – Marcus Tatum (U. of Tennessee/UCF)-x OL – Jahmir Johnson (U. of Tennessee/Texas A&M)-x DL – DeAndre Johnson (U. of Tennessee/Miami)-x DL – Savion Williams (U. of Tennessee/Florida A&M)-x QB – Jarrett Guarantano (U. of Tennessee/Washington)-x WR – Preston Williams (U. of Tennessee/Colorado St) RB – Nathan Cottrell (West HS/Georgia Tech)
This is a 2021 photo of Justin Coleman of the Miami Dolphins NFL football team. This image reflects the Miami Dolphins active roster as of June 14th, 2021 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)
Vol Network coverage of Tennessee Football expands to two hours prior to kickoff this season. The pregame show “Big Orange Countdown,” which debuted as a new show last year brings statewide network coverage at 5 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. CT on Thursday prior to Tennessee’s season opener versus Ball State.
The show is hosted by John Wilkerson, Brent Hubbs, former Vol wide receiver and team captain Jayson Swain (2003-06) and a rotating VFL special guest each week featuring former captain Will Overstreet (DE, 1998-2001) or Chris Brown (TE, 2004-07). For home games, Wilkerson, Hubbs, Swain and Overstreet or Brown will broadcast to a live audience at the amphitheater at Gate 21 outside Neyland Stadium. Fans can ask questions on-site or submit a question via Twitter @VolNetwork or e-mail via [email protected].
Following “Big Orange Countdown,” Bobby Rader hosts “Spotlight on the SEC” before handing things over to the game broadcast crew 25-minutes prior to kickoff. Bob Kesling begins his 24th year of calling Tennessee football games. He will be joined again by former Vol and NFL quarterback Pat Ryan who is entering his second year as color analyst. Network host John Wilkerson, spotter and contributor Brent Hubbs and sideline reporter Kasey Funderburg round out the in-game broadcast crew. Jeff Muir serves as the network’s ace statistician.
The “Big Orange Scoreboard and the Josh Heupel Show” provide complete postgame coverage. Vol Network programming is then capped each game with “The Final Scoreboard” hosted by Wilkerson, Rader and VFLs Troy Fleming (RB, 2000-03) and Erik Ainge (QB, 2004-07).
The Vol Network can be heard on over 64 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, UTsports.com, the Tennessee Athletics App, SiriusXM and the Varsity App.
Vol Network coverage of Tennessee Football expands to two hours prior to kickoff this season. The pregame show “Big Orange Countdown,” which debuted as a new show last year brings statewide network coverage at 5 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. CT on Thursday prior to Tennessee’s season opener versus Ball State.
The show is hosted by John Wilkerson, Brent Hubbs, former Vol wide receiver and team captain Jayson Swain (2003-06) and a rotating VFL special guest each week featuring former captain Will Overstreet (DE, 1998-2001) or Chris Brown (TE, 2004-07). For home games, Wilkerson, Hubbs, Swain and Overstreet or Brown will broadcast to a live audience at the amphitheater at Gate 21 outside Neyland Stadium. Fans can ask questions on-site or submit a question via Twitter @VolNetwork or e-mail via [email protected].
Following “Big Orange Countdown,” Bobby Rader hosts “Spotlight on the SEC” before handing things over to the game broadcast crew 25-minutes prior to kickoff. Bob Kesling begins his 24th year of calling Tennessee football games. He will be joined again by former Vol and NFL quarterback Pat Ryan who is entering his second year as color analyst. Network host John Wilkerson, spotter and contributor Brent Hubbs and sideline reporter Kasey Funderburg round out the in-game broadcast crew. Jeff Muir serves as the network’s ace statistician.
The “Big Orange Scoreboard and the Josh Heupel Show” provide complete postgame coverage. Vol Network programming is then capped each game with “The Final Scoreboard” hosted by Wilkerson, Rader and VFLs Troy Fleming (RB, 2000-03) and Erik Ainge (QB, 2004-07).
The Vol Network can be heard on over 64 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, UTsports.com, the Tennessee Athletics App, SiriusXM and the Varsity App.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – It’s officially football time in Tennessee as the 2022 season kicks off with a primetime matchup against Ball State 7 p.m. Thursday at Neyland Stadium.
The Volunteers will look to record their third straight season-opening victory as they welcome the Cardinals to Rocky Top.
BROADCAST INFO
Thursday’s contest will be televised on the SEC Network with Tom Hart (PxP), Jordan Rodgers (analyst) and Cole Cubelic (sideline analyst) on the call. Kickoff is slated for 7:04 p.m. ET.
Fans can listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast throughout the state on the Vol Radio Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) as well as satellite radio (Sirius Ch. 138, XM Ch. 190, Internet Ch. 961). A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com and the Official Gameday App.
Bob Kesling (PxP), Pat Ryan (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action, with Kasey Funderburg handling sideline duties. The Big Orange Countdown pregame show begins at 5 p.m. ET.
GAMEDAY INFO
For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee’s 2022 gameday policies, please visit the Tennessee Football Gameday Information page on UTSports.com. Some important information is also listed below.
Tickets and Parking Tickets for Thursday’s game that can be purchased at AllVols.com.
Starting this fall, tickets and parking passes to all Tennessee Athletics events, including football, will be 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.
Tennessee Athletics Digital Ticket Fan Support Team members wearing lime green shirts will be stationed outside Neyland Stadium for fans needing assistance with the digital ticketing process. They will also have power banks courtesy of Threds Inc. to help with fans who need a charge to scan in.
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.
Tennessee Athletics App Fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app, which now houses tickets as well as the Coca-Cola GBO Zone, allowing fans to play trivia, take part in a light show and much more. Search “Tennessee Athletics” in the Apple or Google Play Store or use this link to download: http://utsports.com/app
GAMEDAY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Neyland Stadium Fan Experience Enhancements Fans can enjoy several enhancements to the gameday experience at Neyland Stadium, Shields-Watkins Field this fall, including new state-of-the-art videoboards above both end zones and the North End Zone Social Deck, among others.
For more information on all of the new stadium and gameday fan experience enhancements, click HERE.
Fireworks, Neyland Night Lights: The spectacular fireworks show that debuted last season during pregame and following UT touchdowns and victories returns in 2022. The dramatic LED light show is also back to accentuate in-game festivities. With a late sunset in September, there will be a halftime light show for the season-opener against Ball State and the Sept. 17 contest versus Akron.
Toyota Volunteer Village: Toyota Volunteer Village will highlight a new artist or band each home game with a pregame concert series, providing Vol fans with the ultimate pregame atmosphere. Kelsey’s Woods will be the featured band for the season opener against Ball State on Thursday.
New this season will be a video wall for fans to check out other games around college football. Admission is free to all fans with or without a game ticket. A new food court debuts, along with appearances by Smokey and the Spirit Squad. Vol Village, located across from Circle Park, serves as the ideal spot to view the Vol Walk and the Pride of Southland Band march. Vol Village opens 3 ½ hours prior to kickoff and will open at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Truly’s Tailgate: Located outside Gate 9, fans can stop by for food and drinks at Truly’s Tailgate. 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. New food options this season include Texas Roadhouse and Big Orange Bites. 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, television entertainment and additional restroom options. Truly’s will close at the end of the third quarter.
Hot Start to Heupel Era After a record-setting debut, Josh Heupel enters his second season as head coach of the Vols. Of the eight first-year Power Five head coaches hired in 2021, no coach won more regular season games than Heupel (7). He also produced the most 2022 NFL Draft picks among coaches making their debut with a new team (5). The 27th head coach in Vol football history, Heupel’s 35 victories since the start of the 2018 season rank tied for ninth among active FBS head coaches. Heupel joined Lane Kiffin (7 in 2009), Phillip Fulmer (10 in 1993), Bill Battle (10 in 1970) and John Barnhill (8 in 1941) as the only UT coaches in the last 80 years (since 1941) to win seven or more games in his first season.
Thursday Night Openers Tennessee is opening a season on a Thursday night for the second consecutive season and the fourth time in its existence. The Vols are 3-0 in those previous matchups. UT beat Bowling Green last season, 38-6, and in 2016, the Vols held on for a 20-13 overtime victory over Appalachian State. The other win came by a 28-11 fashion at Louisville to open the 1991 campaign.
Overall, UT is 93-26-6 all-time in season openers and 75-14-4 (.826) in season openers played in Knoxville. The Big Orange are 55-12-3 (.804) in season openers played in Neyland Stadium, Shields-Watkins Field (since 1921).
Looking Back at 2021 Picked to finish fifth in the SEC East, Heupel guided Tennessee to a 7-6 first-year campaign and a 4-4 mark in SEC play to take third place in the division. The Vols beat six teams by at least 24 points en route to a Music City Bowl appearance. They dropped a 48-45 thriller to Purdue, racking up a school-bowl record 666 yards of total offense, including a career-high 378 yards passing and five touchdowns from QB Hendon Hooker.
Tennessee jumped 99 spots in scoring offense, going from 108th in the country in 2020 to seventh in 2021, while averaging 39.3 ppg, a mark that ranked second in modern school history. The Vols shattered eight team single-season records in 2021, including points (511), total offensive yards (6,174), touchdowns (67), point after touchdowns made (67), total first downs (316), rushing first downs (164), fewest interceptions thrown (3) and passing efficiency (167.10).
Dynamic Duo Hooker and senior wide receiver Cedric Tillman return this season to form one of the quarterback-receiver duos in the nation. The two have connected for at least one touchdown in three straight games and 10 games overall.
Last season, the two connected for touchdowns 10 times, which tied for fourth among QB-to-WR combos in UT single-season history. Peyton Manning-to-Marcus Nash is the single-season school record with 13 in 1997. The two need three more touchdowns together to crack the UT career QB-to-WR touchdown combos.
SERIES HISTORY
First Meeting Thursday will mark the first ever meeting on the gridiron between the Vols and Cardinals. Tennessee is 8-0 against current Mid-American Conference (MAC) teams: Akron (2-0), Bowling Green (2-0), Buffalo (1-0), Ohio (2-0) and Northern Illinois (1-0).
ABOUT BALL STATE
Led by seventh-year head coach Mike Neu, Ball State enters the 2022 season fresh off its second consecutive bowl appearance. The Cardinals went 6-6 in the regular season last year before falling to Georgia State in the TaxAct Camellia Bowl.
They return 11 starters from last year’s team (six on offense, five on defense), including their top rusher and receiver in sophomore running back Carson Steele and senior wideout Jayshon Jackson. Steele rushed for 891 yards and six touchdowns on 192 carries in 2021 while Jackson hauled in 69 receptions for 829 yards and five touchdowns. Redshirt junior John Paddock takes over at quarterback following the departure of three-year starter Drew Plitt.
Junior linebacker Clayton Coll returns to lead the defense after finishing third on the team with 108 tackles last year to go along with five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble. Redshirt sophomore defensive end Tavion Woodard is also back after leading the team with five sacks in 2021.
A total of 16 Tennessee football student-athletes will wear the SEC graduate patch during the 2022 season.
The SEC introduced the patch in 2016 season for student-athletes in all sports who have already earned their degree but have not exhausted their eligibility. The SEC logo patch on their uniforms is replaced with a special patch with the word “Graduate” underneath the conference logo. The patch is similar in design for all conference schools, but it is school-specific in color.
Tennessee’s 16 players wearing the SEC graduate patch this fall are as follows:
Tennessee opens its 126th season of football and the second year of the Josh Heupel era at 7 p.m. Thursday in Neyland Stadium. The contest will be televised by SEC Network.
Tickets remain on sale at AllVols.com or by calling (865) 946-7000. For complete gameday information, visit UTsports.com/gameday.
On the eve of the University of Tennessee’s 2022 season football opener, the Vol Network’s “Big Orange Hotline” radio show debuts with a special Wednesday night edition at 8 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Central across the state of Tennessee live from the outdoor patio at Dead End BBQ restaurant on Sutherland Avenue in Knoxville. The Vol Network’s Bob Kesling hosts the show and will be joined each week by former Vol quarterbacks Pat Ryan and Jeff Francis. The show returns to its normal Monday night spot starting next week. Former Vol wide receiver Jayson Swain, will fill in for Ryan Wednesday night.
Entering its 13th season, “Big Orange Hotline” is a weekly, one-hour, prime time Tennessee football review and preview show presented and hosted since its beginning at Dead End BBQ. The show’s entertaining style focuses on the insightful breakdown and fun-natured discussion and banter supplied by the two former Tennessee signal-callers. Wednesday’s opening show will also feature comments from Coach Josh Heupel, a player interview with wide receiver with Cedric Tillman and a scouting report on Tennessee’s season-opening home opponent, the Ball State Cardinals.
Fans can call in and ask questions by dialing 1-800-688-8657 (VOLS), Tweet questions to @VolNetwork or e-mail [email protected]. Fans are encouraged to check their local listings for the close to 20 Vol Network affiliates in the state that carry “Big Orange Hotline”. The show can also be heard live online at utsports.com, on the Tennessee Athletics App and is available on podcast.
Dead End BBQ is an award-winning unique American neighborhood barbecue restaurant located at 3612 Sutherland Avenue in Knoxville. It’s been featured on CBS, ESPN, SEC Network, The Foodable Network and The Cooking Channel. The local eatery has been voted one of America’s top 100 barbeque restaurants.
On the eve of the University of Tennessee’s 2022 season football opener, the Vol Network’s “Big Orange Hotline” radio show debuts with a special Wednesday night edition at 8 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Central across the state of Tennessee live from the outdoor patio at Dead End BBQ restaurant on Sutherland Avenue in Knoxville. The Vol Network’s Bob Kesling hosts the show and will be joined each week by former Vol quarterbacks Pat Ryan and Jeff Francis. The show returns to its normal Monday night spot starting next week. Former Vol wide receiver Jayson Swain, will fill in for Ryan Wednesday night.
Entering its 13th season, “Big Orange Hotline” is a weekly, one-hour, prime time Tennessee football review and preview show presented and hosted since its beginning at Dead End BBQ. The show’s entertaining style focuses on the insightful breakdown and fun-natured discussion and banter supplied by the two former Tennessee signal-callers. Wednesday’s opening show will also feature comments from Coach Josh Heupel, a player interview with wide receiver with Cedric Tillman and a scouting report on Tennessee’s season-opening home opponent, the Ball State Cardinals.
Fans can call in and ask questions by dialing 1-800-688-8657 (VOLS), Tweet questions to @VolNetwork or e-mail [email protected]. Fans are encouraged to check their local listings for the close to 20 Vol Network affiliates in the state that carry “Big Orange Hotline”. The show can also be heard live online at utsports.com, on the Tennessee Athletics App and is available on podcast.
Dead End BBQ is an award-winning unique American neighborhood barbecue restaurant located at 3612 Sutherland Avenue in Knoxville. It’s been featured on CBS, ESPN, SEC Network, The Foodable Network and The Cooking Channel. The local eatery has been voted one of America’s top 100 barbeque restaurants.
