Tennessee band pays homage to national champ baseball squad in football opener
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Tennessee honored its national championship-winning baseball team during the halftime band performance at Saturday’s football season opener against Chattanooga.
The Pride of the Southland marching band turned a baseball into a diamond and eventually spelled out the first name of head coach Tony Vitello. Rocky Top Insider’s Ric Butler captured the show.
Tennessee’s Pride of the Southland Marching Band turns a baseball into a diamond to celebrate the Vols’ National Championship // @rockytopinsider pic.twitter.com/vh0ATmSPKD
— Ric Butler (@Ric_Butler) August 31, 2024
Tennessee’s Pride of the Southland shouts out Tony Vitello during the halftime show // @rockytopinsider pic.twitter.com/HWZYgZ9POX
— Ric Butler (@Ric_Butler) August 31, 2024
Vitello’s Vols lost the first game of the College World Series championship series to Texas A&M back in June, but rebounded with back-to-back wins to capture the program’s first national championship on the diamond.
Tennessee became the first SEC team in history to win 60 games in a season and only the fourth team in conference history to win the regular-season SEC title, the SEC Tournament title, and the MCWS in the same season. Tennessee also became only the second team under the current tournament format (since 1999) to win the national title as the No. 1 overall seed.
Last week, Tennessee announced Vitello had agreed to a new, 5-year extension that would keep him on Rocky Top through June 2029.
Tennessee fans were treated to fireworks in the first half of Saturday’s opener, too. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava dazzled as the Vols roared out to a 45-0 halftime lead.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
