KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Following a record-setting win over ETSU, No. 15/15 Tennessee turns its attention to SEC play as the Vols host No. 6/3 Georgia on Saturday in a sold-out Neyland Stadium. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, with the return of “Checker Neyland” showcasing UT’s iconic checkerboard pattern throughout the venue.
The national spotlight will also be on Knoxville as ESPN College GameDay originates from Ayres Hall for the first time since 2022. Saturday’s contest will also include an on-field salute to VFL John Henderson, who will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame later this fall.
After Monday morning meetings and workouts, head coach Josh Heupel met with local media to preview the top-15 matchup.
“Obviously, we know the test that we have in front of us, facing a really good Georgia football team,” Heupel said in his opening remarks. “It’s a great weekend and opportunity for (College Gameday) to be here on the biggest stage in college football. While that’s going on, we get a chance to also recognize and welcome back one of our own, John Henderson. College Football Hall of Famer, one of the greatest that have ever played the position and certainly one of the greats here. It would be great to have a bunch of his teammates back here as we get a chance to celebrate him.
“Checker Neyland, I anticipate our fans helping bring in the Neyland Effect here and create a great atmosphere on Saturday afternoon. Looking forward to the contest and the preparation during the course of the week.”
While the buildup to Saturday is filled with energy and anticipation, Heupel stressed the importance of his team remaining laser-focused on the details during their prep for the Bulldogs.
“I am excited to go compete,” Heupel said. “This is our conference opener against a great opponent, and it’s going to be a great atmosphere. For us the preparation is going to be important, focusing in on what matters, which is your preparation and the details of it. The subtlety of this game is that you have to win one-on-ones, but you also have to play assignment sound. You’re playing a really good opponent, and you can’t give them anything. Then through your preparation when a play presents itself, you have to go and make it.”
Full comments from Heupel’s Monday press conference can be viewed below.
Tennessee Football Press Conference | Sept. 8, 2025
Head Coach Josh Heupel
Opening statement…
“How’s everybody? I’m pleased with what our guys did last weekend. Today’s about getting better, great in the building. Obviously, we know the test that we have in front of us, facing a really good Georgia football team. It’s a great weekend, opportunity for GameDay to be here on the biggest stage in college football. While that’s going on we get a chance to also recognize and welcome back one of our own, John Henderson. College Football Hall of Famer, one of the greatest to have ever played the position and certainly one of the greats here. It will be great to have a bunch of his teammates back here as we get a chance to celebrate him too. Checker Neyland, I anticipate our fans helping bring in the Neyland Effect here and create a great atmosphere on Saturday afternoon. Looking forward to the contest and the preparation during the course of the week.”
On preparing to compete against Georgia QB Gunner Stockton…
“He’s played really well. You look at him this year, he’s taken great care of the football, he’s been accurate with it, he’s got the ability to be extremely mobile and extend and create plays on his own. You have to do a great job of applying pressure but still bottling them up inside of the pocket, not letting them get outside of it. If they choose, he certainly can be a part of the quarterback run game as well, try to tilt the numbers. Huge test for us defensively. Communication will be important with shift, trade and motion before the snap of the football as well. We got to be at our best.”
On handling Georgia’s aggressive defensive backs against young wide receivers…
“Absolutely, in this football game there’s 1-on-1’s that guys are going to have to win all over the football field. You’re talking about the wide receivers, that’s going to happen and at the line of scrimmage as well. You got to play with the fundamentals and technique and get off of it, that’s press man and all the coverage variations that they have, you also have to be able to recognize those things as well. Protecting the quarterback and winning the line of scrimmage are going to be important and vice versa for us defensively, we got to do a great job against the run, getting them into third and longs, and then you got to be able to get off the field.”
On what he’s excited for with this week’s game…
“I am excited to go compete, this is our conference opener, a great opponent and it’s going to be a great atmosphere. For us the preparation is going to be important, focusing in on what matters, which is your preparation and the details of it. The subtleties of this game, you got to go win 1-on-1s but you also have to play assignment sound. You’re playing a really good opponent and you can’t give them anything, and then through your preparation, when a play presents itself, you got to be able to go make it.”
On Georgia’s ability at the line of scrimmage…
“Well, they are extremely physical as a football team, they’re well coached across the board, but the line of scrimmage, the combination of those things with their skill sets, their talent and the athletic traits that they have, I think it’s a combination of all those parts.”
On the emphasis on ball security with Joey Aguilar…
“Ball security will be important in this one, it’s a game of limited possessions, you got to maximize your opportunities, the ball is everything. You can’t give them short fields, and you got to maximize your opportunities when you are on the plus side of the 50 as well, and that comes in the form of the guy that has the ball in his hands, as far as our skill players securing it. It’s the quarterback taking care of it in the pass game, being decisive and reading things the right way. It comes in the form of protection too, so it’s all 11 and they got to do a great job of it.”
On Lance Heard’s leadership role on the offensive line…
“Yeah, a lot of new guys in there. He is one guy who had a lot of time on tasks inside of our program. That was a challenge that I and (Coach Glen Elarbee) and our staff presented to him during the course of our offseason. Lance has grown a bunch in the time that he’s been here. He came in as a transfer, really six months into college football. Dealt with adversity last year, some injuries, played through a lot of it. He’s had a great offseason and really grew as a leader for our program and is excited about the steps that he’s taken in that way.”
On defending the middle of the field the last two games and the importance of that this week…
“You’re going to have to defend the entire field in this one. The middle of the field is important. I feel like we’ve done a good job. There’s a couple of things that we’ve given up. A couple weeks ago on some third downs in particular that we can play better in some of our zone principles, pattern reading, those types of things, but all-in-all, it’s been sound.”
On Georgia’s skill players, specifically WR Zachariah Branch…
“Still really talented. Got speed, playmakers. Branch is a guy that’s played at a high level, has experience, has played really well here the first couple of games. Dynamic in the return game, as well. He poses a big test for us.”
On your success in recruiting transfers during his time in Knoxville…
“Through the recruiting process – and the portal recruiting is sped up – I think our personnel staff, our coaches have done a great job on background, identifying the traits that we look for in recruiting, not just portal guys but high school guys as well, and being able to track the right player and the right type of kid here. I also think our leadership here is a big part of that too, and helping onboard those guys and getting them going in the right direction right away.”
On making sure the team stays grounded and focused after a big win into going against a team like Georgia…
“Yeah, the previous Saturday has nothing to do with what is going to happen or transpire to the following Saturday. Nothing good or bad follows with you. You have to learn from your lessons and your preparation. Practice takes you to a position being ready to go play at a high level. In this one, the details are going to matter. It comes in your fundamentals, your technique, your eye discipline, everything post snap, it’s going to be really important.”
On this game being earlier in the season than usual and if that creates any differences in preparation…
“I think all of your early season games, we talked about it before, week one after week one and two but even at this point there is less current video of what they’re doing, so communication adjustments are important in this one. That’s your players are on the field, it’s also your coaches and players together when you get to the sideline.”
On how special it is to have a quarterback like Joey Aguilar who is actively in the huddle even at the end of the game when he’s not playing…
“He’s a great teammate, that’s who he’s been from the time that he got here, developing relationships as he was first onboarding into our program. He’s certainly a guy that cares about the guys that are around him. To go cheer on the other quarterbacks, the other young guys that were getting an opportunity, it speaks to who we know him to be on a day-to-day basis and I think that’s important in your leadership from your team.”
