SEC Nation announces Rivalry Week destination
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
SEC Nation will head to Knoxville for Week 14’s game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt, the final episode of the SEC Network’s pregame show before heading to Atlanta for the conference championship game.
The Volunteers have dominated the all-time series against the Commodores (79-33-5) and are winners of the last four meetings. They looked comfortable in a 31-11 win at Florida, their first win in Gainesville since 2003. DeSean Bishop ran for 116 yards and two touchdowns while Star Thomas added a rushing TD of his own, as the Vols snapped a 10-game losing streak at The Swamp.
Vandy, led by the dynamic Diego Pavia, will be looking to make history at Neyland Stadium. Its next win will secure the first 10-win season in the 135-year history of the program. The Commodores, ranked No. 14 in the College Football Playoff rankings, still have a slight chance of making their first-ever Playoff appearance, but that will require a win and some chaos among the teams above them. They dominated Kentucky 45-17 in their last outing as Pavia threw for a school-record 484 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for a sixth score, potentially working his way into the Heisman Trophy discussion.
This is the 13th time SEC Nation has been to Knoxville. Its last visit was Oct. 29, 2024, as the Volunteers defeated Alabama 24-17. Tennessee is 5-7 when hosting the program.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
