BATON ROUGE, La. – Following an open week, a rested and focused Tennessee team is ready to hit the road for a ranked matchup against No. 25 LSU inside Death Valley on Saturday afternoon.
The No. 8 Volunteers will make the rare trip to Baton Rouge looking to build on their impressive 4-0 start to the season and notch their first win over the Bayou Bengals since a 30-27 overtime victory on the road in 2005.
Saturday will also mark the return of Tennessee’s “Smokey Grey” alternate uniforms, which UT will be wearing for the first time since 2017. The Big Orange are 3-1 all-time in their Smokey Grey alternates.
BROADCAST INFO
Saturday’s contest will be televised on ESPN with Bob Wischusen (PxP), Dan Orlovsky (analyst), Todd McShay (field analyst) and Kris Budden (sideline) on the call. Kickoff is slated for noon ET (11 a.m. central).
Fans can listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) over 64 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, UTSports.com, the Tennessee Athletics App, SiriusXM/SiriusXM app (Ch. 81) and the Varsity App. A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com and the Official Gameday App.
Bob Kesling (PxP), Pat Ryan (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action, with Kasey Funderburg handling sideline duties. The Big Orange Countdown pregame show begins at 10:00 a.m. ET.
GAMEDAY INFO
For any Tennessee fans making the trip to Baton Rouge, the most up-to-date information on LSU’s gameday policies can be found at the LSU Football Gameday Information page.
NEED TO KNOW
Utilizing the Open Week
Josh Heupel owns a 6-1 record in games played after an open week in his four previous seasons as a head coach (5-1 at UCF), including a 45-42 road win at No. 18 Kentucky last year. The Vols are 83-49-9 all-time after open dates and 49-35-2 after open weeks in league play. This represents the third time that Tennessee will face LSU after a Vols open date. UT won the two previous meetings by scores of 26-18 in Knoxville in 2001 and 24-10 in Knoxville in 1975.
Offense in No. 1
A year after setting a school record for points in a season and becoming the FBS’ most improved offense (No. 7, 39.3 ppg), Tennessee’s offense is still thriving. The Vols are averaging a nation-best 559.3 yards per game of total offense and are also No. 1 in passing offense (365.8 ypg) and redzone offense (22-22). UT ranks second in the nation in passing efficiency (196.30) and scoring offense (48.5). The Vols are third in the FBS in completion percentage (73.8). UT has put up at least 30 points in a league-best seven straight games, a first since they did it in seven straight games from 2016-17. UT leads the SEC in six different offensive categories: total offense, scoring offense, passing offense, passing efficiency, completion percentage and red zone offense.
Run Stoppers, Takeaway Specialists
Tennessee’s defense has been one of the nation’s best at bottling up opposing rushing attacks this season, allowing just 97.8 yards per game on the ground, which ranks 21st nationally and third in the SEC. The Vols have also been opportunistic, forcing eight turnovers through four games, which is fourth in the conference. UT has not lost the turnover battle in each of its last seven games.
Chasing Records
Star quarterback Hendon Hooker has elevated his game to the next level this season and is in the midst of rewriting the Tennessee record books. The redshirt senior has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 16 straight games, which is second in UT history behind Heath Shuler’s record of 18 consecutive games from 1992-94. He has accounted for multiple touchdowns in 16 of his last 17 games entering Saturday’s showdown and has thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game he has started at UT (15).
Hooker has also continued his climb on UT’s career touchdown passes list, entering Saturday’s contest sixth on the list with 39 TD passes, 14 behind Joshua Dobbs (53) for fifth. The Greensboro, North Carolina, native carries a streak of 212 consecutive pass attempts without an interception into Saturday’s game against the Tigers, which is already a program record.
SERIES HISTORY
Tennessee leads series, 20-10-3
The Vols will be looking to snap a five-game losing streak to the Tigers and post their first win down on the bayou since 2005. The last meeting between the two programs was a 30-10 LSU victory in Knoxville in 2017.
ABOUT LSU
The Tigers are led by first-year head coach Brian Kelly, who took over the program following an impressive 12-year stint at Notre Dame, where he led the Fighting Irish to the BCS National Championship game in 2012 and two College Football Playoff appearances in 2018 and 2020. Kelly’s 288 career victories are the most of any active FBS head coach. LSU has won four straight following a 24-23 loss to Florida State in its season opener.
Offensively, the Bayou Bengals are led by Arizona State transfer quarterback Jayden Daniels. The junior signal caller has completed nearly 68 percent of his passes for 915 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions while also leading the team in rushing with 321 yards to go along with three scores on the ground. Malik Nabers enters the contest as LSU’s leading receiver in a deep and talented group of pass catchers, totaling 22 receptions for 290 yards and a touchdown. Jaray Jenkins leads the team with three receiving touchdowns. LSU also deploys a stable of running backs, boasting four players with 28 or more carries. Armoni Goodwin leads the group with 34 rushing attempts for 199 yards and five touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, senior safety Jay Ward leads the Tigers with 25 total tackles to go along with three pass breakups and an interception. Talented edge rusher BJ Ojulari is tops on the team with 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries. LSU ranks third in the SEC and 19th nationally in total defense, giving up only 293.8 yards per game. The Tigers are also tied for 14th in the FBS in scoring defense, allowing just 14.8 points per game.
-UT Athletics
