Tennessee announces details for Week 4 Checker Neyland game against Texas
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Tennessee has a big task in front of it in Week 4.
After a 42-9 rout of Kennessaw State at Neyland Stadium moved them to 3-0 on the season, the Volunteers face a significant step up in class as No. 1 Texas comes to town. The Longhorns remained perfect after a 30-6 win over UTSA in Austin.
Saturday’s game was designated the program’s 10th Checker Neyland game. On Sunday, the Volunteers released details, and it includes a big change from previous years involving section colors — as you can see below:
The Vols will be looking to pull even in Checker Neyland games: they’re 4-5 all time in them. That includes a wild 44-41 overtime loss against Georgia in 2025. Before that, Tennessee had won three consecutive times: against Florida (2022 and 2024) and Texas A&M (2023).
From a big-picture standpoint, a victory over the top-ranked team in the country would be a massive boost to both Tennessee’s SEC hopes and College Football Playoff aspirations. True freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon has looked good early on, throwing for six touchdowns and zero interceptions in his first three games. He was 18-for-26 for 178 yards and a touchdown against Kennesaw State while adding 47 yards and a TD on the ground.
Kickoff from Rocky Top is set for noon ET.
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.
