Overview
- Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ESPN at Neyland Stadium, which is sold out and hosting the series’ first meeting with both teams ranked.
- Vanderbilt enters 9-2 at No. 12 seeking the program’s first 10-win season and a boost to a narrow College Football Playoff path.
- Diego Pavia surged into Heisman contention after a school-record 484 passing yards and six total touchdowns in a 45-17 win over Kentucky.
- Tennessee is 8-3 at No. 18 and plays its Senior Day at home, looking to close the regular season with a rivalry win under coach Josh Heupel.
- Odds and models give the Vols a modest edge, with Tennessee favored by 2.5 points and ESPN’s FPI at 57.6% for UT, even as the series stands 81-32-5 in UT’s favor with six straight wins.