KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A season-opener versus Syracuse in Atlanta followed by Southeastern Conference home games against Georgia, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt highlight the 2025 Tennessee football schedule.
The league office unveiled the full slate of 2025 dates on the SEC Network Wednesday evening. Conference opponents are identical to 2024 with the game location flipped from what was played this season.
All four of the Volunteers’ non-conference games were previously announced. Tennessee opens the season in the Aflac Kickoff Game on Aug. 30 against Syracuse in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
A Sept. 6 home opener versus East Tennessee State precedes the Vols’ SEC opener against Georgia on Sept. 13 in Neyland Stadium. It will be the earliest meeting between the two teams in 30 years since UT won 30-27 in Knoxville on Sept. 9, 1995.
A third straight home game against non-conference foe UAB on Sept. 20 is followed by Tennessee’s first road appearance of the year, a Sept. 27 matchup at Mississippi State. UT will make just its second appearance in Starkville since 2008 and first since Oct. 13, 2012.
The Vols return home to host Arkansas on Oct. 11, representing the Razorbacks’ first trip to Knoxville since 2015. Tennessee then plays back-to-back road games with its Alabama rivalry renewed in Tuscaloosa on the traditional Third Saturday in October (Oct. 18) followed by a Oct. 25 game against Kentucky in Lexington.
Three of the Vols’ four games during the month of November will be played in Neyland Stadium. For the first time since the double-overtime thriller on Sept. 12, 2015, Oklahoma visits Knoxville on Nov. 1. Tennessee’s final non-conference game is Nov. 15 against New Mexico State in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
The Vols then travel to Gainesville to take on Florida on Nov. 22 in what will be the latest meeting between the two teams in the Swamp since the infamous Dec. 1, 2001, UT win. That contest was rescheduled after the events of 9/11.
Tennessee closes the regular season at home versus Vanderbilt on Nov. 29.
The 2025 schedule once again features two open dates. Tennessee will be idle on Oct. 4 and Nov. 8.
Fans can renew their 2025 season tickets at AllVols.com. Fans interested in joining the 2025 season ticket waiting list can fill out the season ticket interest form at UTsports.com/seasontickets.
The Volunteers carry 20 consecutive home sellouts into the 2025 campaign. Tennessee drew a combined 713,405 fans in Neyland Stadium in 2024, which ranked sixth in the FBS and third in the SEC.
2025 Tennessee Football Schedule Date, Opponent, Location Aug. 30, vs. Syracuse, Atlanta, Ga. (Aflac Kickoff Game) Sept. 6, EAST TENNESSEE STATE, KNOXVILLE Sept. 13, GEORGIA*, KNOXVILLE Sept. 20, UAB, KNOXVILLE Sept. 27, at Mississippi State*, Starkville, Miss. Oct. 11, ARKANSAS*, KNOXVILLE Oct. 18, at Alabama*, Tuscaloosa, Ala. Oct. 25, at Kentucky*, Lexington, Ky. Nov. 1, OKLAHOMA*, KNOXVILLE Nov. 15, NEW MEXICO STATE, KNOXVILLE Nov. 22, at Florida*, Gainesville, Fla. Nov. 29, VANDERBILT*, KNOXVILLE
The Pageant returns: Saturday, December 14 at 3p.m.; Sunday, December, 15 at 3p.m. and Monday, December, 16 at 7p.m. Location: Knoxville Civic Coliseum, 500 Howard Baker Avenue Price: No Charge for admission. $5 parking. Phone: 865-209-8705 Website: KnoxvilleNativity.com Email: [email protected] Facebook: Nativity Pageant of Knoxville Instagram: @nativitypageant Join us as we celebrate the 56th year of the Nativity Pageant of Knoxville with a presentation of the traditional Christmas story of the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. Plan to bring your entire family to witness the portrayal of Christ’s birth story with realistic sets, live animals, a full orchestra, a 150 member cast, and 150 voice choir. No tickets necessary; the doors will open 1 hour prior to showtime. Special music and photo opportunities will be offered one hour prior to showtime. All performances will offer accommodations for deaf & hearing impaired and Spanish translations. While there is NO charge for admission, parking fees are determined by the Coliseum and set at $5. Visit http://KnoxvilleNativity.com for more information.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) New details revealed in court Wednesday in the murder of an 18-year-old in Knoxville.
Juan Carlos Diaz Perez is charged in the murder of his girlfriend Suceli Perez back in July. Her body was found in a truck bed in Oak Ridge, a day after KPD received a report of a potential deadly assault.
Disturbing information from the autopsy report was released in court Wednesday detailing multiple chopping wounds and fragments of bone and teeth found in the victim’s hair. The report also indicated Suceli Perez was strangled.
The case was turned over to the grand jury. The suspect’s bond set at $250,000.
Knoxville, TN (WOKI) Knoxville Police investigating a “suspicious death” Tuesday in South Knoxville have now charged a man with murder.
KPD says officers were dispatched around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to an apartment in the 1500 block of Daylily Drive where a woman was found dead on the front porch.
One person, later identified as 60-year-old Charles Hornberger, was detained for questioning; he is charged with first-degree murder after admitting to shooting the victim who was identified as his wife.
During the investigation, police say detectives learned from witnesses that Hornberger was heard yelling and causing a disturbance earlier in the day.
Additional information, including the woman’s identity, has not been released.
ORIGINAL STORY: Knoxville Police detectives and forensics staff are investigating a “suspicious death” in South Knoxville.
KPD says a woman was found dead at an apartment in the 1500 block of Daylily Drive, and one person was detained for questioning.
The woman’s identity, has not been released.
Police say 60-year-old Charles Hornberger was charged with first-degree murder after Knoxville Police Department officers responded to an apparent suspicious death. (Courtesy: KCSO)
MEDIC Regional Blood Center’s Pint Before Christmas gets underway next week.
The event runs December 16th – Christmas Eve and holiday donors will receive a long-sleeved holiday shirt, a night session pass to Ober Mountain, and a coupon for Texas Roadhouse. Shirts and passes are while supplies last.
Recommendation is that a man convicted in the 1995 murder of a Knoxville couple should not get parole.
David Scarbrough was one of three men charged in connection to the murder of Les and Carol Dotts, who were murdered inside their Knoxville home. Yesterday (Tuesday), Board member Zane Duncan said his vote is to decline parole because of the seriousness of the offense and to continue correctional treatment for three years.
Throughout the hearing, Scarbrough maintained that he had nothing to do with the Dotts’ murder.
The Dotts daughter says she wasn’t convinced that Scarbrough deserved to get out of prison. Scarbrough was sentenced to 60 years in prison.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Southeastern Conference office announced Tuesday afternoon that six members of the Tennessee football team were selected to the coaches’ 2024 All-SEC teams.
Tennessee’s six honorees on the coaches’ All-SEC teams are its most since also having six players recognized in 2012. Junior running back Dylan Sampson, senior center Cooper Mays and junior edge rusher James Pearce Jr. claimed First Team All-SEC accolades, while sophomore cornerback Jermod McCoy was tabbed Second Team All-SEC in his first year on Rocky Top. Senior guard Javontez Spraggins and redshirt sophomore kickoff specialist Josh Turbyville rounded out the honorees for the Vols, earning Third Team honors from the league coaches.
Tennessee has now produced 14 Coaches All-SEC honorees in the Josh Heupel era (2021-present), its most in a four-year span since also having 14 recognized from 2009-12.
Sampson was selected first team as both a running back and all-purpose recipient, becoming the first Vol running back to earn first-team honors since Travis Stephens in 2001. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native produced the most prolific rushing campaign in Tennessee history during the 2024 regular season, breaking school records for rushing yards (1,485), rushing touchdowns (22), points scored (132), total touchdowns scored (22) and consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (11). He led the conference in 11 different categories, including 123.8 rushing yards per game and 22 rushing touchdowns — tied for the fifth-most rushing scores in SEC single-season history.
A Rimington Trophy finalist, Mays is the Vols’ first first-team center since Scott Wells in 2003. He anchored Tennessee’s offense in 2024 as UT produced a top 10 rushing offense and total offense in the country and punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff. Mays played a team-high 816 offensive snaps according to PFF and did not allow a sack or QB hit throughout the entire campaign, and he carries a current streak of 26 consecutive games without allowing a sack that dates back to the 2022 season. Mays led an offensive line unit that paved the way for the top rushing attack in the SEC for the second year in row. Tennessee’s 232.0 rushing yards per game ranked first in the conference and ninth in the FBS, while its 462.9 yards of total offense per game were second in the league and eighth nationally.
At least one UT offensive lineman has received first or second team accolades in all four seasons under Heupel and six consecutive seasons overall dating back to 2019.
Pearce earned First Team All-SEC acclaim from the league coaches for the second consecutive season, and the Vols have now produced a first-team defensive lineman under the direction of Rodney Garner for three straight seasons. The junior from Charlotte, North Carolina, generated 52 total pressures according to PFF, which led the SEC and ranked fifth among edge rushers in the Power Four conferences. His 11 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks led the Tennessee defense in 2024, including an impressive stretch of logging at least half a TFL in eight straight games – spanning Sept. 21 at Oklahoma through Nov. 23 against UTEP.
McCoy made an immediate impact on the Tennessee secondary in his first season with the Vols, starting all 12 games during the regular season and leading the Big Orange with 13 passes defended (four interceptions, nine pass breakups) which ranked second in the SEC and second among underclassmen nationally. The sophomore from Whitehouse, Texas, is tied for the SEC lead with four picks, and his 13 passes defended are the most by a Vol since Theo Jackson also had 13 in 2021. McCoy’s 90.3 coverage grade according to PFF ranks second in the SEC and fifth in the FBS among cornerbacks in 2024.
One of the most experienced Vols in the trenches, Spraggins picked up Third Team All-SEC honors after starting 11 of 12 games in 2024 at right guard and helping pave the way for the league’s No. 1 rushing offense. The East St. Louis, Illinois, native saw action on 740 offensive snaps throughout the season and allowed only two sacks according to PFF, including no sacks allowed in his last seven games played. The seasoned veteran has appeared in 56 games with 48 career starts – the most of any player on the 2024 Tennessee roster – and helped the Vols earn three consecutive honors as Joe Moore Award semifinalists.
A former Knoxville Catholic standout, Turbyville handled kickoff duties for Tennessee for the second year in a row in 2024 and was effective on a national scale. His 66 touchbacks ranked second in the SEC and tied for third in the FBS, while his 84.62 touchback percentage and 63.87 kickoff average ranked third and fifth in the league, respectively.
The SEC office will continue to announce postseason awards throughout the week, recognizing its conference players and coach of the year on Wednesday before unveiling the league’s All-Freshman team on Thursday.
Nashville, TN (WOKI) A resounding success, the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s (TDOT’s) month-long initiative “No Trash November” sees nearly 70,000 pounds of litter removed from Tennessee roadways.
TDOT officials say over 2,400 volunteers participated in 175 cleanups, collecting more than 3,200 bags of litter, weighing almost 70,000 pounds.
Among the groups recognized this year by TDOT for the most pounds of trash collected was Keep Knoxville Beautiful, collecting nearly 12,000 pounds of litter, about 17% of the total picked up around the state.
Additional groups recognized throughout the state for removing the most litter in their communities were Donnie E Horton Post 254 (2,095 pounds collected), Conservation Kid in Hamilton County (315 pounds collected) and TN Delta Alliance (6,110 pounds collected).
“We are grateful to the more than 2,400 Tennesseans that came together in November to help us in our mission to prevent and reduce litter,” said Michael McClanahan with the TDOT Beautification Office. “Community cleanups and individual actions taken last month showcase what we can achieve when we work together to preserve our state’s beauty. We encourage all residents to be a part of the solution to end littering. Even small, simple actions can help, from reducing single-use plastics to recognizing that food waste is litter, every effort counts.”
New to Nobody Trashes Tennessee and No Trash November is the Trash Masters Rewards program. Participants earn points for various activities like taking a litter quiz, attending cleanup events, and spreading awareness. Points may be redeemed for a variety of rewards, including discounts at local businesses and exclusive Nobody Trashes Tennessee swag. “More than 1,600 people have signed up since we launched the program in October. It’s a fun and engaging way for individuals to contribute to a litter-free Tennessee while being recognized for their commitment to the environment,” said McClanahan.
Nearly 70,000 Pounds of Litter Removed During TDOT’s 4th Annual No Trash November, say officials.
Claiborne County, TN (WOKI) The Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office is on the lookout for a felon officials say is armed and dangerous.
CCSO officials say 48-year-old Ralph E. Ray cut his ankle monitor off and could be traveling with his girlfriend or fiancée Tracy Ann Brooks.
While the office isn’t sure where Ray is, officials did say he has contacts in Knoxville and Anderson County. They also say Ray has been traveling to Nashville recently.
He is wanted for possession of meth, fentanyl and a firearm while committing a dangerous felony.
Those with information are asked to call 911 or 423-626-2501.
WHITE PINE, Tenn. (WVLT) – A White Pine teacher accused of hitting a student with an iPad had had previous problems at the school system, according to a personnel file obtained by WVLT News.
The case centers on Joseph Lee. Friday, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said Lee had assaulted the student and was facing a charge for child abuse.
According to Lee’s personnel file, it isn’t the first time he faced consequences for his treatment of students. The file contains a letter outlining a “conference of concern” claiming Lee violated a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) in April of last year.
An IEP outlines how students with special needs are to be educated and treated while at school. According to the file, Lee took a student outside in direct sunlight, even though they had a sensitivity to light.
“On April 18, your mentor strongly advised you against taking this student outdoors and despite the student being escalated you chose to take [them] outdoors,” the letter said.
That same document claimed that Lee was also reprimanded for “continued inappropriate contact with students.”
It said Lee was seen throwing a student into the air playfully and letting students sit on his lap.
“You commented several times to the class that you knew you were not to engage in this behavior but chose to do so,” the letter said.
Lee was taken to the Jefferson County Detention Center on Friday. He’s also been suspended from the school system.
