The Knoxville Fire Department on a different type of call, not to the scene of a fire and not a cat in the tree.
Saturday afternoon at 1:57 PM, the Knoxville Fire Department was called to an address on Vermont Avenue for a man stuck in a tree.
KFD crews successfully extricated the man from the tree and brought him safely to the ground, approximately 30 feet, within 1 hour of receiving the call.
Initially, the male appeared injured but later refused transport or medical care.
A critical piece of the puzzle in removing the man from the tree was the technical expertise of the KFD crew on the scene and the KFD tiller truck. Without this, the man would have likely been stuck for an extended period.
Columbus Day, also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, is tomorrow (Monday).
Columbus Day has been an official federal holiday since 1937 to honor explorer Christopher Columbus landing in North America, some states and cities have renamed the holiday Indigenous Peoples’ Day to honor the culture of Native Americans.
U.S. stock markets, including the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq, will remain open and follow a regular schedule on Monday.
Most banks will not be open and USPS will be closed, no regular mail deliveries will be performed but other delivers vary by state.
Federal Reserve banks and their branches will close on Monday.
Tennessee recognizes Columbus Day, but the Governor often moves the holiday to the Friday after Thanksgiving to create a four-day weekend.
The Knox County Criminal Court Clerk’s Offices will be closed on Columbus Day 2024. Knox County Convenience Centers are open on Columbus Day and Knox County Schools are in session today. Knox County Libraries are also open Monday.
Blount County Schools are closed for a Professional Development Day with no students in class Monday.
Knoxville Police Department detectives are investigating after a man was shot on I-40 East near the Holston River Bridge on Saturday evening.
At around 6:55 p.m. on Saturday, October 12, 2024, KPD officers responded to the aforementioned location, where a Ford F-150 was crashed in the center median. The driver, a currently unidentified man, was suffering from at least one gunshot wound. The victim was transported to the UT Medical Center with critical injuries.
A man who was witnessed running from the truck was located and detained by responding officers. He has since been questioned.
No arrests have been made and the motive for the shooting is unknown at this time.
Detectives are investigating a report that there was an altercation involving the Ford F-150 and the occupants of a white Jeep, which allegedly fled the scene.
Detectives are urging anyone who potentially witnessed an altercation of that nature or with information concerning the shooting to contact East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers anonymously at 865-215-7165.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. –Dylan Sampson ran for three touchdowns, including the decisive blow in overtime, as No. 8/9 Tennessee overcame a double-digit third-quarter deficit to stave off Florida, 23-17, on Saturday evening in front of a sold-out Checker Neyland crowd of 101,915.
The Vols (5-1, 2-1 SEC) trailed 10-0 midway through the third quarter before scoring 17 unanswered points to seize the lead with just under 10 minutes remaining in the contest. Florida (3-3, 1-2 SEC) evened it up at 17 with 29 seconds left and came up empty on its first possession in overtime, setting the stage for UT’s first walk-off victory since defeating No. 3/1 Alabama, 52-49, in regulation here on Oct. 15, 2022.
On the game-winning drive, quarterback Nico Iamaleava found tight end Holden Staes for three yards, Sampson carried for eight yards, Iamaleava connected with receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. for 11 yards and Sampson carried for two yards before plowing up the middle for one more to ignite a raucous celebration as well as the orange-hued fireworks launched into the night sky.
Sampson finished the night with 112 yards on a career-high 27 carries. It marked the fifth time in six appearances this year that the junior running back had scored multiple touchdowns on the ground, including the third time he has posted at least three rushing scores.
Defensively, Tennessee came up with big plays at opportune times to prevent the Gators from adding to their lead. Contributing to that effort were a pair of turnovers forced and fourth-down stops, 12 tackles for losses (by 12 players) and three sacks. Safety Christian Charles, LEO Joshua Josephs, STAR Boo Carter and LEO James Pearce Jr. all recorded seven tackles each, with Carter posting a sack and 1.5 TFLs; Joseph 1.5 TFLs and a pass break-up; Pearce a half sack, TFL, forced fumble and fumble recovery; and Charles a TFL. Defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott also was credited with 1.5 sacks along with two tackles.
After forcing Tennessee to punt on its second drive of the game, the Gators took possession at their own 49 and drew first blood. They took 10 plays to move to the UT 24 before Vol defensive tackles Omari Thomas and Bryson Eason stuffed running back Jadan Baugh for a four-yard loss on a third-and-one carry. Trey Smack came on and booted a 42-yard field goal with 3:15 remaining to provide Florida a 3-0 lead it would carry into the locker room at the half.
The Vol defense made several crucial plays in the second quarter to end UF drives and keep their team within striking distance. Cornerback Rickey Gibson III dropped receiver Eugene Wilson III on a fourth-and-one jet sweep to end a drive with 8:16 to go at the UT 18. Pearce later wrestled the ball loose from UF quarterback Graham Mertz and recovered to extinguish a threat at the UT one. Then, just before the half, Norman-Lott and Carter sacked Mertz for a 10-yard loss. Due to a penalty-induced runoff, time expired before the Gators were able to salvage a field goal.
Florida padded its lead with 7:18 remaining in the third frame, with Mertz hitting tight end Arlis Boardingham for a 13-yard touchdown reception. Smack’s PAT made the score 10-0 Gators.
The Vols delivered a much-needed offensive response on the next series. Facing a fourth-and one at the Florida six, Sampson burst through the line and spun his way into the end zone to cap an 11-play, 75-yard drive and get the Big Orange on the board. Max Gilbert’s extra point trimmed the deficit to 10-7 with 2:57 to go in the third.
On Florida’s ensuing possession, reserve quarterback DJ Lagway attempted a pass on the first play from scrimmage. UT linebacker Arion Carter was in position to haul in his first career interception, returning it 15 yards to the Gator 20. After the Vols’ drive stalled, Gilbert came on to drill a 35-yard field goal and even the score at 10 with 1:37 to go in the third period.
After the Big Orange defense yet again stymied the Gators, Tennessee got great field possession at the Florida 29 following a 17-yard Jermod McCoy return of a Florida punt out of its own end zone. Two plays later, Sampson scampered 23 yards off right tackle into the checkerboard and gave the Vols their first lead of the night. Gilbert’s PAT made it 17-10 with 9:42 to go.
Facing third and 19, Florida countered with 29 seconds remaining in the game, as Lagway found receiver Chimere Dike open across the middle for a 27-yard touchdown pass. Smack’s PAT evened the score at 17, and that’s the way regulation play ended.
Florida got the ball first in overtime and came up empty on its possession, as Smack’s 47-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right. The Vols, however, made their opportunity count, as Sampson punctuated a five-play drive with a one-yard plunge to send the Tennessee fans home happy.
UP NEXT Tennessee is back at home next weekend on the 19th of the month, as #7/7 Alabama comes to Rocky Top for the traditional “third Saturday in October” showdown. The game is slated to kick at 3:30 p.m. and will be televised on ABC.
UPDATE: Residents can safely return to the area that was evacuated while trained Bomb Squad technicians worked to safely dispose of a large amount of commercial grade explosives and blast caps that were found inside of a steel box on Mynderse Avenue Thursday afternoon.
The evacuation was lifted at 10 p.m. on Friday night after technicians completely cleared the contents of the box and rendered them safe. The explosives were soaked in diesel fuel and burned, while the blast caps were taken to a safe location and detonated.
The response was led by the KPD Bomb Squad and drone team members with support and assistance from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Metro Nashville Police Department Bomb Squads, the Knoxville Fire Department, AMR, Knoxville-Knox County Emergency Management, the Red Cross, and City of Knoxville Traffic Engineering and Public Service.
No injuries were reported, including to any Bomb Squad technicians or first responders.
Attached are drone photos captured from the scene, which includes initial photos of the box as well as Bomb Squad technicians removing the explosives by hand. The full resolution images can be found on the KPD social media channels.
UPDATE: Earlier this morning, an explosive ordnance robot was deployed to get a sample of the suspected explosives found inside of a box at CMC Recycling on Thursday afternoon.
The sample tested positive for ammonium nitrate, as confirmed by lab scientists at Quantico, which is consistent with dynamite.
Currently, Bomb Squad technicians are actively working to remove the dynamite from the box and safely dispose of it. In order to dispose of dynamite, technicians will methodically remove it from the box, douse the dynamite in diesel fuel, and burn it.
Those efforts are being supported by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Metro Nashville Police Department Bomb Squads, including advanced MNPD robotic equipment.
It was initially reported that the box contained around 200 sticks of dynamite. Technicians have not yet verified how many pieces of dynamite are in the box.
There is no evidence to suggest that the box was left on the site maliciously or with criminal intent. CMC Recycling is a metal recycling facility that purchases material to be salvaged. The box, which was locked and unmarked, was on the site for at least several days. On Thursday, CMC Recycling was using a torch to salvage the box when they unintentionally set the box on fire and discovered the dynamite.
The box is no longer smoldering or emitting smoke.
The evacuation zone will remain in place until Bomb Squad technicians have completely disposed of the contents of the box and it is deemed safe to return to the area.
That work is expected to continue into tonight and potentially into tomorrow (Saturday) morning.
UPDATE: The evacuations prompted by the suspected explosive material that was found on Mynderse Avenue on Thursday afternoon is expected to remain in effect through the remainder of the night and potentially into Friday night.
Residents living within an approximately 3,000-square foot perimeter of CMC Recycling located at 2706 Mynderse Avenue have been implored to evacuate. Residents are strongly urged to stay away from the evacuation zone until it has been deemed safe to return.
KPD Bomb Squad personnel will remain on scene throughout the night.
The explosive material was found inside an approximately 5×5 steel box that is actively emitting smoke. It is suspected that the box contains a large amount of dynamite, though that has not yet been confirmed.
KPD NEWS RELEASE: Evacuations Ordered Due to Suspected Explosives
Residents within a 3,000-foot radius of suspected explosives that were found on Mynderse Avenue have been ordered to evacuate.
At around 2:15 p.m. today, Knoxville Police Department and Knoxville Fire Department personnel responded to CMC Recycling at 2706 Mynderse Avenue on a report that employees had discovered an approximately 5×5 steel box that contained suspected dynamite and was smoking.
KPD and KFD personnel closed Western Avenue between Texas Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue and immediately evacuated businesses in the immediate area.
KPD Bomb Squad technicians arrived at the scene and conducted an initial assessment of the box with the use of the drone. That assessment did not with complete certainty positively identify the contents of the box. However, based on that initial assessment and out of an abundance of caution, Bomb Squad technicians believe the box does contain explosives.
KPD and KFD officials have subsequently ordered an evacuation within an approximately 3,000-foot radius of the suspected explosives.
Efforts to evacuate the impacted area remain ongoing. Those efforts are being led by KPD and KFD with the assistance of Tennessee Highway Patrol deputies.
The Jacob Building has been established as an emergency shelter for residents who were ordered to evacuate.
Western Avenue remains closed between Pleasant Ridge Road and Massachusetts Avenue. The closure is expected to remain in place for an extended amount of time.
There is no evidence to suggest foul play or that the box was left on site maliciously. It is believed that employees were sorting through material when they discovered the box and attempted to open it. They called 9-1-1 immediately after seeing the contents.
Greene County, TN (WOKI) A woman is in stable condition and an investigation is underway following a shooting early Friday morning in Greene County.
Officials with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office say deputies responded to the 7000 block of Old Stage Road around 3:40 a.m. for a burglary call.
GCSO says “the caller stated that someone had entered his home and that he had gone to a neighbor’s house to call for help because his girlfriend was still inside.”
Police say not long after, a woman called from the home saying she had been shot twice. When deputies got inside, they reportedly found a 24-year-old who had been shot in the hand and back.
Officials say the woman was flown to Johnson City Medical Center where she is in stable condition.
No word yet on a suspect.
The woman was flown to Johnson City Medical Center and is stable, GCSO said. (Frankly Media)
Knoxville, TN (WOKI / KPD) UPDATE 10/11 1:28 p.m.: Earlier this morning, an explosive ordnance robot was deployed to get a sample of the suspected explosives found inside of a box at CMC Recycling on Thursday afternoon.
The sample tested positive for ammonium nitrate, as confirmed by lab scientists at Quantico, which is consistent with dynamite.
Currently, Bomb Squad technicians are actively working to remove the dynamite from the box and safely dispose of it. In order to dispose of dynamite, technicians will methodically remove it from the box, douse the dynamite in diesel fuel, and burn it.
Those efforts are being supported by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Metro Nashville Police Department Bomb Squads, including advanced MNPD robotic equipment.
It was initially reported that the box contained around 200 sticks of dynamite. Technicians have not yet verified how many pieces of dynamite are in the box.
There is no evidence to suggest that the box was left on the site maliciously or with criminal intent. CMC Recycling is a metal recycling facility that purchases material to be salvaged. The box, which was locked and unmarked, was on the site for at least several days. On Thursday, CMC Recycling was using a torch to salvage the box when they unintentionally set the box on fire and discovered the dynamite.
The box is no longer smoldering or emitting smoke.
The evacuation zone will remain in place until Bomb Squad technicians have completely disposed of the contents of the box and it is deemed safe to return to the area.
That work is expected to continue into tonight and potentially into tomorrow morning.
UPDATE: Knoxville, TN (WOKI / KPD) Residents within a 3,000-foot radius of suspected explosives that were found on Mynderse Avenue have been ordered to evacuate.
At around 2:15 p.m. today, Knoxville Police Department and Knoxville Fire Department personnel responded to CMC Recycling at 2706 Mynderse Avenue on a report that employees had discovered an approximately 5×5 steel box that contained suspected dynamite and was smoking.
KPD and KFD personnel closed Western Avenue between Texas Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue and immediately evacuated businesses in the immediate area.
KPD Bomb Squad technicians arrived at the scene and conducted an initial assessment of the box with the use of the drone. That assessment did not with complete certainty positively identify the contents of the box. However, based on that initial assessment and out of an abundance of caution, Bomb Squad technicians believe the box does contain explosives.
KPD and KFD officials have subsequently ordered an evacuation within an approximately 3,000-foot radius of the suspected explosives.
Efforts to evacuate the impacted area remain ongoing. Those efforts are being led by KPD and KFD with the assistance of Tennessee Highway Patrol deputies.
The Jacob Building has been established as an emergency shelter for residents who were ordered to evacuate.
Western Avenue remains closed between Pleasant Ridge Road and Massachusetts Avenue. The closure is expected to remain in place for an extended amount of time.
There is no evidence to suggest foul play or that the box was left on site maliciously. It is believed that employees were sorting through material when they discovered the box and attempted to open it. They called 9-1-1 immediately after seeing the contents.
KPD spokesman Scott Erland says Western Avenue and the evacuation area will be closed through tomorrow (Friday), possibly tomorrow (Friday) night while crews work to secure the box. He says it is not a mandatory evacuation but they are counting on residents to abide by the evacuation request. Erland also says there are several businesses in the evacuation area so they are working to clear the area so they can re-open.
ORIGINAL STORY: Knoxville, TN (WVLT / WOKI) UPDATE: The Knoxville Police Department and Knoxville Fire Department are on the scene of what could be a box of explosives near Western Avenue.
At this time, the situation is still extremely active. Those on the scene told WVLT News that KPD officers found the box on Mynderse Avenue, about 100 yards from the 2700 block of Western Avenue.
WVLT News also spoke with KPD Communications Manager Scott Erland, who said everyone on the scene is acting as if the box, which was at one point smoking, is explosive out of an abundance of caution.
An evacuation order came with the emergency response, which started around 2:15 p.m., Erland said. It covers a 3000 foot radius, more than half a mile, of the area.
“We’re going to take it slow and cautiously,” Erland said, adding that the response was likely to be a “prolonged event.”
The KPD spokesperson also said the department’s bomb squad had responded to the scene.
“At this point we really don’t know what we’re dealing with, just operating with the utmost caution,” Erland said.
In a later update, KFD and KPD said responders had sent an alert to people asking them to evacuate the area shown here. (Courtesy: KPD)
Due to the ongoing operations and evacuations on Western Avenue, the Knoxville Fire Department has decided to be proactive and cancel tonight’s KFD Night on the Square.
Officials say it’s regretful they canceling the event which offers Children’s Activities, a Fire Safety House, Equipment demos and much more.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After nearly an entire month without a home game, No. 8/9 Tennessee finally returns to Neyland Stadium this Saturday night to take on SEC rival Florida in a primetime battle under the lights.
The Volunteers will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss on the road at Arkansas last weekend, while the Gators come into the game having won two straight after defeating UCF, 24-13, at home last Saturday.
NEYLAND STADIUM, PRESERVED BY PILOT
Earlier this year, Tennessee Athletics and Pilot broke new ground in college sports by entering a multi-year partnership that preserves the iconic venue’s name and enhances the stadium experience for future generations. Under the terms of the agreement, which is slated for up to 20 years and could extend further, the names of Neyland Stadium and Shields-Watkins Field remain unchanged. Pilot is designated as the presenting partner of the Neyland Stadium renovation project and the official travel stop of Tennessee Athletics.
Neyland Stadium. Home of the Vols. Proudly preserved by Pilot.
BROADCAST INFO
Saturday’s game will be televised on ESPN with Bob Wischusen (PxP), Louis Riddick (analyst) and Kris Budden (sideline reporter) on the call. Kickoff is slated for 7:05 p.m.
Fans can listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast on the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) over 65 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 84) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 84), as well as the Varsity App. A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App. Vol Network celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2024.
Bob Kesling (PxP), VFL Pat Ryan (analyst) and Brent Hubbs (analyst) will call the action, with VFL Jayson Swain handling sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast. The Big Orange Countdown pregame show begins two hours prior to kickoff at 5 p.m. The pregame show is hosted by John Wilkerson, Brent Hubbs, VFL Jayson Swain and a rotating VFL special guest each week.
The Spanish broadcast is available locally on WNML-AM 990 with Carlos Lopez (play-by-play) and VFL Fuad Reveiz on the call. That version is also available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics app.
The gameday timeline as well as other important information is listed below.
Will Call Opens at Gate 21 – 3 p.m. Truly’s Tailgate Opens – 3 p.m. Vol Village Opens – 3:30 p.m. Vol Walk – 4:50 p.m. Gates Open – 5 p.m. Pride of the Southland Band March – 5:20 p.m. (Pedestrian Bridge) Pride of the Southland Band Pregame Performance Begins – 6:51 p.m. National Anthem/Flyover – 6:54 p.m. *Flyover will feature four A-10C Thunderbolt II aircrafts from the 355th Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona Vols Run Through the T – 7:02 p.m. Kickoff – 7:05 p.m.
NEW NEYLAND STADIUM FAN ENHANCEMENTS FOR 2024
A host of new fan enhancements are in place at Neyland Stadium this season.
RockyTopWiFi, Neyland Stadium’s Wi-Fi system, debuted during the 2023 season and is fully functional throughout Neyland Stadium for the 2024 campaign. Fans are encouraged to utilize the network and stay connected on their mobile devices during the game.
Other fan enhancements include but are not limited to upgraded speakers, new televisions, trading cards, commemorative tickets and various concession upgrades throughout the stadium.
For more information on all the new Neyland Stadium fan enhancements for this season, click HERE.
TICKETS AND PARKING
Tickets for Saturday’s game are officially sold out. Tickets and parking passes to all Tennessee Athletics events, including football, are digital and can be accessed through a mobile device to improve security and reduce the risk of ticket fraud as well as make the process more convenient for fans.
Fans will gain admission into Neyland Stadium via a unique QR code which will be scanned directly from a mobile device. For quick and easy entry into Tennessee Athletics venues, fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app from the App Store (iPhone) and Google Play (Android). Your mobile device is the ticket on gameday. All valid digital tickets will display a moving barcode or a hold near reader (tap-and-go) icon. PLEASE NOTE: SCREENSHOTS OF TICKETS WILL NOT SCAN AT THE GATE AND WILL NOT ALLOW ENTRY!
Printed PDF tickets will no longer be issued or accepted for entry at any Tennessee Athletics venue. The only authorized sources for tickets to Tennessee Athletics events are the Tennessee Athletics Ticket Office, AllVols.com, the venue box office where the athletic event is taking place and Ticketmaster.
Fans are encouraged to download the new and improved Tennessee Athletics App, which houses the GBO Zone, allowing fans to play trivia, take part in stadium light shows and much more.
Search “Tennessee Athletics” in the Apple or Google Play Store or use this LINK to download.
GAMEDAY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Vol Village Presented by Toyota: Vol Village presented by Toyota, serves as the ideal spot to view the Vol Walk and the Pride of Southland Band march. Admission is free to all fans with or without a game ticket. Located across from Circle Park, Vol Village features live music, food trucks and beverage stations, interactive displays and fun activities for all ages.
Vol Village will highlight a new artist or band during each home game with a pregame concert series, providing Vol fans with the ultimate pregame atmosphere. Matt Stillwell will be this week’s featured artist. Vol Village opens at 3:30 p.m. for Saturday’s game.
Truly’s Tailgate: Located outside Gate 9, fans can stop by for food and drinks at Truly’s Tailgate. Fans may enter Truly’s prior to gates opening without having a ticket scanned. When gates open, fans will need to scan their ticket to enter Truly’s.
New to Truly’s this season is the addition of the Vintage Volunteer Shop, where fans can purchase classic gameday merchandise with all their favorite marks and logos.
Truly’s will open at 3 p.m. on Saturday and remain open for the majority of the game, giving fans in the south concourse a variety of food, drinks, television entertainment and additional restroom options. Truly’s will close at the end of the third quarter.
Checker Neyland Presented by Pilot Saturday’s night game will feature the iconic checkerboard pattern throughout the stands as Checker Neyland presented by Pilot, Tennessee’s popular fan-driven initiative, returns for the eighth time in program history.
Fans are encouraged to wear orange or white, depending on their seat location. To find out if your seat section is orange or white, go to CheckerNeyland.com and enter your section/row/seat number as it appears on your digital ticket. Fans in the Yee-Haw Ole Smoky Social Deck are encouraged to wear white.
The Vols have won their last two #CheckerNeyland games, topping Florida, 38-33, in 2022 and defeating Texas A&M, 20-13, last season.
The Neyland Effect Neyland Stadium is once again one of the nation’s most electric environments and toughest places to play for visiting teams. Over the past two seasons, the Vols are 15-1 inside of its confines, outscoring opponents 780-280. In the Josh Heupel era (since 2021), UT is 20-4 at home and has outscored its opponents 2,001-444 with 17 of those wins coming by double digits. Tennessee’s 15 home wins since the start of the 2022 season are tied for seventh in the nation and the Big Orange have won seven straight night games in Neyland Stadium.
Neyland Stadium will be sold out for 16th consecutive game on Saturday. UT has ranked in the top five nationally in attendance in each of the last two seasons, ranking No. 3 in total attendance (713,405) and No. 4 in average attendance (101,915) while leading the SEC in attendance in 2023.
Bouncing Back Josh Heupel has lost back-to-back games just three times as a head coach in his seven seasons. He owns a 14-3 record following a loss in the same season, including a 9-2 mark at Tennessee and 5-1 record at UCF. The only two times it occurred at UT was in his first year of 2021 as the Vols dropped back-to-back games to No. 13 Ole Miss and No. 4 Alabama and then last year with back-to-back losses at No. 16 Mizzou and versus No. 1 Georgia.
Sampson Continues to Produce Dylan Sampson has been the catalyst for Tennessee’s offensive success this season, ranking among the nation’s best running backs through six weeks. The junior leads all power conference players and ranks second nationally in rushing touchdowns with 12. Sampson also leads the SEC and is 10th in the FBS in rushing yards per game (117.8) and ranks third in the conference in yards per carry (6.47). His four 100-plus yard rushing games are tops in the SEC while his 72 total points accounted for rank second nationally.
Sampson is the third Vols’ running back in the last three seasons to score double-digit rushing touchdowns in a single campaign – joining Jabari Small and Jaylen Wright who had 13 and 10 in 2022, respectively.
SERIES HISTORY
Florida leads series, 32-21 Saturday will mark the 35th consecutive year that Tennessee and Florida face each other dating back to the 1990 season. The Vols will look to record their second consecutive home victory over the Gators for the first time since doing so in 1990 and 1992.
In the last meeting between the two programs in Knoxville, quarterback Hendon Hooker accounted for 461 total yards and three touchdowns to lead the Big Orange to a 38-33 victory. Current UT wideout Bru McCoy had a big day, as well, hauling in five catches for 102 yards and a touchdown in the victory.
ABOUT FLORIDA
Third-year head coach Billy Napier and the Gators enter Saturday’s matchup at 3-2 overall and 1-1 in league play. Florida lost its SEC opener against Texas A&M, 33-20, before bouncing back with a 45-28 road win at Mississippi State a week later.
Offensively, the Gators have utilized two quarterbacks in veteran Graham Mertz and highly-touted freshman DJ Lagway. Mertz has completed 77.2 percent of his passes for 666 yards and five touchdowns while Lagway has completed 69.1 percent of his throws for 667 yards and four touchdowns. The duo has combined to toss five interceptions, as well. Eight different players have caught a touchdown pass for UF, but no player has caught more than two so far this year. Montrell Johnson Jr. leads the rushing attached with 288 yards and four scores on 58 carries.
Defensive back Jordan Castell and linebacker Grayson Howard are tied for the team lead with 24 tackles while redshirt junior edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. leads the Gators with 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
The 2024-25 Southeastern Conference women’s basketball broadcast schedule was released by the league on Thursday afternoon, clearing the way for the University of Tennessee to reveal nearly all tip times and TV designations for the upcoming season.
Fans interested in cheering on Kim Caldwell‘s high-energy squad should visit AllVols.com for ticket information. Big Orange supporters will have 18 opportunities to get behind their team at home, with season and single-game tickets currently on sale. Besides using AllVols.com, fans can also purchase tickets by calling the UT Ticket Office at 1-800-332-VOLS between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday.
The Lady Vols have 14 of 30 contests confirmed for linear television, including nine on SEC Network, three on ESPN, one on ESPN2 and one on FOX. There will be 13 matchups streamed live on SECN+, one on ESPN+ and two more via a service to be announced later when West Palm Beach Classic matchups and times are revealed. The complete Tennessee schedule is available at UTSports.com.
All games on ESPN platforms (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and ESPN+/SECN+) are available through the ESPN App, which is accessible via connected devices.
Institutions can produce any conference and non-conference games that are not otherwise picked up for linear television and stream those on SECN+. Those contests are available via the ESPN app.
The Lady Vols will make their debut at Food City Center at 6:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 31, as they host Carson-Newman in an exhibition game. That matchup will be streamed on SECN+.
Tennessee opens the regular season at home on Nov. 5, as Samford comes to Knoxville for another 6:30 p.m. battle available on SECN+.
The Lady Vols enter the 2024-25 campaign under the direction of first-year skipper Caldwell, who possesses a 217-31 (.875) career record. She guided her previous squads to eight NCAA Tournaments in as many seasons, including two NCAA DII Final Fours and a 2022 NCAA DII National Championship. Caldwell directed Marshall University to a 26-7 overall record, 17-1 Sun Belt Conference record, a sweep of league hardware and the Thundering Herd’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 1997 in her only season there in 2023-24. For her performance, she earned SBC Coach of the Year and Spalding Maggie Dixon WBCA Division I Rookie Coach of the Year acclaim.
The Big Orange women feature six experienced players returning from last season, including 33-game starters Jewel Spear and Sara Puckett, and welcome five Power-4 level additions from the transfer portal as well as a pair of highly-regarded redshirts. The squad will employ Caldwell’s trademark high-octane offense and intense pressure defense, looking to propel Tennessee to its 43rd-consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.
The Knoxville Fire Department on a different type of call, not to the scene of a fire and not a cat in the tree. Saturday afternoon at 1:57 PM, the Knoxville Fire Department was called to an address on Vermont Avenue for a man stuck in a tree. KFD crews successfully extricated the man from…… Continue Reading
Columbus Day, also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, is tomorrow (Monday). Columbus Day has been an official federal holiday since 1937 to honor explorer Christopher Columbus landing in North America, some states and cities have renamed the holiday Indigenous Peoples’ Day to honor the culture of Native Americans. U.S. stock markets, including the New York Stock Exchange…… Continue Reading
Knoxville Police Department detectives are investigating after a man was shot on I-40 East near the Holston River Bridge on Saturday evening. At around 6:55 p.m. on Saturday, October 12, 2024, KPD officers responded to the aforementioned location, where a Ford F-150 was crashed in the center median. The driver, a currently unidentified man, was suffering…… Continue Reading
Posted on October 13, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
Read Online | Box Score (XML) | Final Book (PDF) | Postgame Notes | Postgame Quotes | Download Video | Download Media Photos KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Dylan Sampson ran for three touchdowns, including the decisive blow in overtime, as No. 8/9 Tennessee overcame a double-digit third-quarter deficit to stave off Florida, 23-17, on Saturday evening in front of a sold-out Checker Neyland crowd of 101,915. The Vols (5-1, 2-1 SEC)…… Continue Reading
UPDATE: Residents can safely return to the area that was evacuated while trained Bomb Squad technicians worked to safely dispose of a large amount of commercial grade explosives and blast caps that were found inside of a steel box on Mynderse Avenue Thursday afternoon. The evacuation was lifted at 10 p.m. on Friday night after technicians…… Continue Reading
Posted on October 11, 2024 by rtravers • 0 Comments
Greene County, TN (WOKI) A woman is in stable condition and an investigation is underway following a shooting early Friday morning in Greene County. Officials with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office say deputies responded to the 7000 block of Old Stage Road around 3:40 a.m. for a burglary call. GCSO says “the caller stated that…… Continue Reading
Knoxville, TN (WOKI / KPD) UPDATE 10/11 1:28 p.m.: Earlier this morning, an explosive ordnance robot was deployed to get a sample of the suspected explosives found inside of a box at CMC Recycling on Thursday afternoon. The sample tested positive for ammonium nitrate, as confirmed by lab scientists at Quantico, which is consistent with…… Continue Reading
Due to the ongoing operations and evacuations on Western Avenue, the Knoxville Fire Department has decided to be proactive and cancel tonight’s KFD Night on the Square. Officials say it’s regretful they canceling the event which offers Children’s Activities, a Fire Safety House, Equipment demos and much more.… Continue Reading
Posted on October 11, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After nearly an entire month without a home game, No. 8/9 Tennessee finally returns to Neyland Stadium this Saturday night to take on SEC rival Florida in a primetime battle under the lights. The Volunteers will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss on the road at Arkansas last weekend, while…… Continue Reading
Posted on October 11, 2024 by Jim Kelly • 0 Comments
Eric TrainerWomen’s BasketballOctober 10, 2024 The 2024-25 Southeastern Conference women’s basketball broadcast schedule was released by the league on Thursday afternoon, clearing the way for the University of Tennessee to reveal nearly all tip times and TV designations for the upcoming season. Fans interested in cheering on Kim Caldwell‘s high-energy squad should visit AllVols.com for ticket information. Big…… Continue Reading
