Kane Brown celebrated his first Father’s Day since the October 2019 birth of his baby girl, Kingsley, with a video performance of “For My Daughter.” Kane released the video via Vevo on June 21 in honor of the special day.
During the performance of the touching tune, Kane is accompanied by an acoustic guitar and fiddle as he sings the heartfelt lyrics that he penned: “I grew up without a Dad / I’m gonna be the best one I can be.”
Watch Kane’s special performance below.
photo by TCD
By Vince Ferrara / @VinceSports
Which SEC teams are scheduling tougher future non-conference games with more than one Power 5 opponent per season? Which schools look like they schedule to be try to be bowl eligible?
I was on the panel of The Sports Source TV show last Sunday on WATE 6. On the show, host John Pennington shared some numbers on Power 5 non-conference opponents (including Notre Dame) scheduled by SEC schools and how low on that list Tennessee is.
So, I decided to update my blog from last year on this subject and share more numbers on that subject. Watch that segment below then take a look at the numbers in this post.
John’s show has a great group of analysts and VFLs in rotation to talk UT and SEC sports. The Sports Source airs weekly, Sundays 11am to 12:30pm, on WATE 6.
John focused on 2020 to 2029 games. These below include all future games as far ahead as 2037 in some cases. Both sets of stats tell a similar story. The University of Tennessee has work to do to catch-up with the rest of the league that’s taking steps towards “scheduling up.”
I asked UT AD Phillip Fulmer this week if there were plans to toughen-up the future non-conference schedule. He said when he first started as AD, his reaction to the non-conference schedule was, “Gosh, why don’t we all play two Power 5 teams, out of conference Power 5 teams?” He said he learned, after a couple of years, that since they were fighting like heck to move-up in the SEC that they need to take care of the current games first and those other tougher non-conference games will come later. Read and listen to Fulmer’s full comments here.
My source for the schedule breakdown is FBSchedules.com, which is a fantastic website that posts games after being announced by schools. This is the site that gives us the annual helmet schedules for college football.
Future SEC Football Non-Conference Power 5 Games Scheduled
1. Georgia 36 (10 seasons with 2 P5s/4 seasons with 3 P5s)
2. Florida 30 (8 seasons with 2 P5s/2 seasons with 3 P5s)
3. South Carolina 23 (5 seasons with 2 P5s)
4. Alabama 22 (6 seasons with 2 P5s)
5. Missouri 18 (3 seasons with 2 P5s)
6. Ole Miss 14 (1 season with 2 P5s)
7. LSU 13
8. Vanderbilt 12
8. Miss State 12
10. Texas A&M 10
11. Arkansas 9
11. Auburn 9
13. Kentucky 8
14. Tennessee 6
Power Five Opponents – SEC Schools
(vs. 9 teams) – 36 games
Georgia Tech (18)
Clemson (6)
Virginia
Oregon
Oklahoma (2)
UCLA (2)
Florida State (2)
Texas (2)
Ohio State (2)
*Group of Five Games – 7
FCS Games – 5
Total Games Set – 48
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2023
(vs. 7 teams) – 30 games
Florida State (18)
Utah (2)
Miami (2)
California (2)
Colorado (2)
Arizona State (2)
Texas (2)
*Group of Five Games – 7
FCS Games – 4
Total Games Set – 41
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2022
(vs. 4 teams) – 23 games
Clemson (18)
North Carolina
Miami (2)
Virginia Tech (2)
*Group of Five Games – 10
FCS Games – 4
Total Games Set – 37
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2024
(vs. 12 teams) – 22 games
USC
Miami
Texas (2)
Wisconsin (2)
West Virginia (2)
Ohio St (2)
Florida State (2)
Notre Dame (2)
Georgia Tech (2)
Arizona (2)
Oklahoma (2)
Virginia Tech (2)
*Group of Five Games – 11
FCS Games – 3
Total Games Set – 36
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2023
(vs. 5 teams) – 18 games
Illinois (8)
Kansas (4)
Boston College (2)
Kansas State (2)
Colorado (2)
*Group of Five Games – 26
FCS Games – 11
Total Games Set – 55
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2029
(vs. 8 teams) – 14 games
Baylor
Louisville
Georgia Tech (2)
Wake Forest (2)
USC (2)
Oregon State (2)
Virginia Tech (2)
Purdue (2)
*Group of Five Games – 13
FCS Games – 8
Total Games Set – 35
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2026
(vs. 7 teams) – 13 games
Texas
UCLA (2)
Florida State (2)
Clemson (2)
Oklahoma (2)
Arizona State (2)
Utah (2)
*Group of Five Games – 11
FCS Games – 4
Total Games Set – 28
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2024
(vs. 6 teams) – 12 games
Stanford (4)
Kansas State
Wake Forest (2)
Virginia Tech (2)
NS State (2)
Purdue
*Group of Five Games – 15
FCS Games – 7
Total Games Set – 34
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2025
(vs. 6 teams) – 12 games
NC State (2)
Arizona (2)
Arizona State (2)
Minnesota (2)
Texas Tech (2)
Washington State (2)
*Group of Five Games – 14
FCS Games – 8
Total Games Set – 34
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2022
(vs. 5 teams) – 10 games
Colorado (2)
Miami (2)
Notre Dame (2)
Arizona State (2)
Louisville (2)
*Group of Five Games – 11
FCS Games – 6
Total Games Set – 27
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2025
(vs. 4 teams) – 9 games
Oklahoma State (4)
Notre Dame (2)
Texas
Utah (2)
*Group of Five Games – 18
FCS Games – 5
Total Games Set – 32
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2025
(vs. 5 teams) – 9 games
North Carolina
Penn State (2)
California (2)
Baylor (2)
UCLA (2)
*Group of Five Games – 11
FCS Games – 3
Total Games Set – 23
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2023
(vs. 1 team) – 8 games
Louisville (8)
*Group of Five Games – 17
FCS Games – 7
Total Games Set – 32
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2025
(vs. 3 teams) – 6 games
Oklahoma (2)
Pittsburgh (2)
Nebraska (2)
*Group of Five Games – 8
FCS Games – 1
Total Games Set – 15
Earliest Open Scheduling Spot: 2021
Summary – Vince’s View:
There is no reason why a proud program with great football history like Tennessee should be last in the SEC in Power 5 games scheduled. Georgia has 30 more P5 games scheduled than UT, at the moment. Even if you took the annual Georgia Tech game out, Georgia still has 12 more games scheduled. That’s six home-and-home series. It’s a conservative wait-and-see approach that doesn’t match the justified confidence shown otherwise in third-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt.
There are a few other schools that also aren’t impressive in their Power 5 non-conference scheduling, like Kentucky, who has just one opponent (Louisville) 8 times. Then again, UT has never wanted to be compared to UK in football anything.
Tennessee’s future non-conference schedule needs to be beefed-up for the fans and for business (yes, when things return to normal.) Early-season high-profile games can bring you gate revenue, even if the team isn’t competing for championships. Tougher opponents give you the chance to learn about your team. Those challenges make you better. Plus, it gives you a chance to advance your program quicker when you win those games.
With scheduling of Power 5 opponents needing to be done so far in advance, UT can ill afford to wait until it returns to prominence. If UT schedules eight years in advance after starting to win again, who’s to say UT will still be winning then? Or, what if UT does put it together competing for a college football playoff position one year in the future, but it’s playing three or four weak non-conference opponents and you need that strength of schedule boost? Will UT miss out on a playoff opportunity?
Fulmer also told us that that scheduling Power 5 schools is “a little bit” tough. What if your choices of opponents become more limited if you wait? THat could delay the enhancement of the schedule.
A smaller percentage of fans don’t want too difficult of a schedule, especially considering Alabama being on the schedule every year. I’ve been told and read, “You have to start beating the Georgia States before you take on the big boys.” I’ve heard all the arguments against a tougher schedule. I don’t buy any of them. I don’t think most feel that way though.
I’d like to see UT schedule like it expects to be good to great. The trend is going towards a tougher schedule in the SEC, even with a challenging conference slate, so UT needs to keep up with the upper part of the conference rather than drawing comparisons to the bottom end of the league. If for no other reason, do it because fans want and deserve better games.
Find more of my broadcasting work at VinceSports.net.
Here’s our latest poll question that’s always on the bottom right of the main page of the website.
We want to know, which ONE true freshman will make the biggest impact on the 2020 Tennessee Volunteers football season when it’s all said and done. It’s only freshmen, so Cade Mays is not an option for this question. However, we’ve listed all 23 true freshmen as choices, so you can pick any ONE you want.
Thanks for voting below or find it here and for sharing with your friends and followers!
Photo of Harrison Bailey, Dominic Bailey, Cooper Mays and Keshawn Lawrence courtesy of UT Athletics.
Gabby Barrett released her debut album, Goldmine, on June 19.
The new album features a talented cast of songwriters backed by Gabby’s dynamic vocals, which radiate on songs like “Hall of Fame” and “You’re the Only Reason.”
Buoyed by No. 1 lead single, “I Hope,” which topped the Billboard Country Airplay chart in April, Goldmine features 13 songs, including current single, “The Good Ones.” Penned by Gabby, Zach Kale, Emily Landis and Jim McCormick, “The Good Ones” was inspired by Gabby’s then-boyfriend, now-husband Cade Foehner.
Gabby co-penned 12 songs on the album with a bevy of top songwriters, including Josh Osborne, Emily Weisband, Ross Copperman, Josh Kear, Jon Nite and more. The album’s title track—the only song Gabby didn’t write—was penned by Nicolle Galyon, Caitlyn Smith and Liz Rose.
“I am so excited that my first album is finally complete,” says Gabby. “I’ve been writing for this project for almost two years, pulling together who I am as an artist and working hard with my team to make this album an expression of that. To see it come together like this feels amazing and is such a huge blessing.”
Gabby became the fourth solo female artist in 14 years to score a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Country Airplay chart with her debut single, following Carly Pearce’s “Every Little Thing” (Nov. 2017), Kelsea Ballerini’s “Love Me Like You Mean It” (June 2015) and Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” (Jan. 2006).
Goldmine Track List & Songwriters
1. “I Hope” (Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Jon Nite)
2. “Thank God” (Gabby Barrett, Nicolle Galyon, Jon Nite, Jimmy Robbins)
3. “Write It on My Heart” (Gabby Barrett, Ross Copperman, Josh Osborne)
4. “Footprints on the Moon” (Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Jon Nite)
5. “You’re the Only Reason” (Gabby Barrett, Ross Copperman, Josh Kear)
6. “Goldmine” (Nicolle Galyon, Caitlyn Smith, Liz Rose)
7. “The Good Ones” (Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Emily Landis, Jim McCormick)
8. “Jesus & My Mama” (Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Cliff Downs, Marti Dodson)
9. “Hall of Fame” (Gabby Barrett, Adam Doleac, Trannie Anderson, Zach Kale)
10. “Got Me” feat. Shane & Shane (Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Shane Barnard, Cade Foehner, Bryan Fowler)
11. “Rose Needs a Jack” (Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Joe Clemmons)
12. “Strong” (Gabby Barrett, Emily Weisband, Ross Copperman)
13. “I Hope” feat. Charlie Puth (Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Jon Nite, Charlie Puth)
photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com
![Rascal Flatts Releases Reflective New Single, “How They Remember You” [Listen]](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/602/2020/06/19084331/Rascal-Flatts-JS.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
Rascal Flatts released a new single, “How They Remember You,” on June 19.
Penned by Marc Beeson, Josh Osborne and Allen Shamblin, “How They Rember You” will impact country radio on June 22. The new tune was produced by Dann Huff.
“How They Remember You” is Rascal Flatts’ first new music since the release of standalone single, “Back to Life,” in 2018. The trio planned to embark on their Farewell Tour from June to October 2020, but the tour has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Listen to “How They Remember You” below.
photo by TCD
Willie Nelson released a video for his newly recorded song, “We Are the Cowboys.” The song is featured on Willie’s upcoming album, First Rose of Spring, which drops on July 3.
The tune was originally recorded—and penned—by Billy Joe Shaver on his 1981 album, I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal. Willie also put his pipes to the song with Shaver, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson on the 1999 album, Honk Tonk Heroes.
Almost 40 years after its initial recording, Willie has brought the song back to life, singing: “Cowboys are average American people / Texicans, Mexicans, Black men and Jews / They love this old world and they don’t want to lose it / They’re counting on me and they’re counting on you.”
Watch Willie’s new video, which was directed by his son, Micah Nelson.
photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com
Luke Bryan performed a stripped-down version of his new song, “Build Me a Daddy,” on the at-home edition of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on June 18.
Penned by Jake Mitchell, Josh Thompson and Brett Tyler, “Build Me a Daddy” is featured on Luke’s upcoming seventh studio album, Born Here, Live Here, Die Here, which is set to drop on Aug. 7. The new song follows the release of three singles from the album: “Knockin’ Boots,” “What She Wants Tonight” and “One Margarita.”
Watch Luke’s performance of “Build Me a Daddy” below.
photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com
Fresh off of the released of his No. 1 country album, Life on the Flip Side, Jimmy Buffett was expected to make his Grand Ole Opry debut on June 27 alongside Brad Paisley and Mac McAnally, who is a longtime member of Jimmy’s backing band, The Coral Reef Band.
However, Jimmy canceled the appearance due to the “recent spikes in COVID-19.” Jimmy shared the news on June 18 via a statement on Facebook, which you can read below.
“To all Opry fans, I would just like to say how disappointed I am that because of circumstances with the recent spikes in COVID-19, I have had to postpone my trip to Nashville to play with Mac and Brad Paisley. I have loved the Grand Ole Opry since the days I covered shows at the Ryman as a Billboard reporter on Music Row in the early 70s before I moved to Margaritaville. As soon as it is safe for me to travel back to Music City and meet up with Mac and Brad, I will come play for you. Can’t wait. See you then and keep your Fins Up. JB”
Brad Paisley is still slated to appear on the Opry on June 27, according to Opry.com, while Mac McAnally has been removed from the lineup.
The Grand Ole Opry has aired without an audience present since March 19 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, a number of stars have helped keep the Opry’s Saturday night shows rolling along, including Kelsea Ballerini, Garth Brooks, Luke Combs, Vince Gill, Dustin Lynch, Craig Morgan, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Ricky Skaggs, Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood and more.
The Opry has aired every Saturday for more than 90 years.
photo by E.M., AFF-USA.com
By Sports Animal Staff / @SportsRadioWNML
University of Tennessee head football coach Jeremy Pruitt spoke to the local media on a Zoom call Thursday afternoon.
Listen to that entire session below.
He talked about COVID-19 testing, what the running back room looks like with the news he shared that RB Tim Jordan is no longer on the team, UT’s plan to wear black jerseys vs. Kentucky and why, working with his team on social justice actions, Cade Mays’ transition, freshmen and young players still getting opportunities to play early plus much more.
Following in the footsteps of past country luminaries like Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and more, Trisha Yearwood and The Judds will be honored with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced the 2021 Class of inductees in the following categories: Motion Pictures, Television, Live Theatre/Live Performance, Recording and Radio. The more than 30 new inductees include Zac Efron, Courtney Cox, Kelly Clarkson, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Christian Slater and more.
“After 37 years, I still find myself amazed,” said Wynonna Judd. “What a journey it has been so far. Thankful to still be included.”
“Many years ago before moving to Nashville, we lived in Hollywood,” said Naomi Judd. “It was a very hard time. I could barely pay the rent and keep food on the table for Ashley, Wynonna and myself. Walking down Hollywood Boulevard, and seeing those stars under my feet, it just never occurred to me that our names would one day be on a star with all of those famous people. It’s surreal to even imagine it now. I’m thrilled that we have been given such amazing recognition.”
Honorees will be recognized with a star unveiling ceremony in Hollywood at a later date.
photo by Tammie Arroyo, AFF-USA.com
