KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee will play against its in-state rival Vanderbilt on Saturday to conclude its regular season. It starts at 3:45 p.m. after senior-class players speak.
The game also marks Senior Day, when the Vols will celebrate their senior players. However, this year's Senior Day is more complicated than past celebrations. Players can still play an extra year after many missed their chance to play due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For some 'Super Seniors,' who already played an extra year, the day will actually mark the last time they play in Knoxville for the Vols. Those players include Velus Jones Jr., Theo Jackson, Matthew Butler, Ja’Quain Blakely, LaTrell Bumphus and Caleb Tremblay.
Other players will have a choice to make — graduate and move on with their careers or take an extra and continue playing for Tennessee. Those players include Hendon Hooker, Cade Mays and Jerome Carvin. Alontae Taylor already said he accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl on Wednesday.
The Vols have dominated the all-time series against Vanderbilt with a 77-32-5 record. They are meeting for the 115th time in a series that dates back more than a century, to 1892. They faced each other every year since 1945.
The Commodores are led by head coach Clark Lea after taking over the program following 3 years as the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. They have lost six straight games and fell to Ole Miss last weekend.
The Vols already earned bowl eligibility after handily defeating South Alabama last week. After that game, the Vols earned a 6-5 record and they are looking to add another win to it. The team will learn where they will play their bowl game on Sunday, Dec. 5. It will be the 54th bowl game in program history.
The game will be broadcast on the SEC Network and kickoff is scheduled for 3:48 p.m. Fans can also listen along to the game for free online.
Tennessee's Senior Day starts around 25 minutes before kickoff. During the ceremony, fans in the audience can help honor the Vols' senior class.
This story will be updated with live updates as the game goes on.
Watch the Senior Day events below.
You can watch Coach Heupel and players speak in the postgame conference below.
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Score
Vols: 45
Vanderbilt: 21