Story by
Vols 'refreshed, rejuvenated, ready to go' ahead of Kentucky game
- Story by
- Vols 'refreshed, rejuvenated, ready to go' ahead of Kentucky game
No. 16 Tennessee (6-2, 3-2 SEC) will return to action on Saturday after its only open date during the regular season. The Vols will face No. 7 Kentucky (7-1, 5-1 SEC) in Week 10.
Rankings reflect the US LBM Coaches Poll .
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Kickoff between the Vols and Wildcats is slated for 6:15 p.m. EST at Neyland Stadium (ESPN).
Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel discussed the Vols' growth during their open date.
"We'll find out here as we get to game day," Heupel said. "I thought we practiced well, they were intentional when they were in the building. Had some time this weekend to get away from it. When you have a BYE week, I think that's important. They were refreshed, rejuvenated, ready to go this morning, but we got to carry that throughout the week."
Kentucky also had an open date prior to playing at Tennessee.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
More: Josh Heupel discusses Tennessee's starting quarterback versus Kentucky
Members of the military hold up a American Flag before the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 11, 2010 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
(Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)
Sept. 18, 2021; Fayetteville, Arkansas; Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Jake Yurachek (35) carries the United States flag onto the field prior to the game against the Georgia Southern Eagles at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
(Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports)
Wide receiver Quindarius Carr #9 of the Auburn Tigers runs onto the field carrying the American Flag with wide receiver Travante Stallworth #85 of the Auburn Tigers on September 10, 2011 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama.
(Butch Dill, Getty Images)
Dominique Easley #2 of the Florida Gators holds an American flag before a game against the UAB Blazers at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 10, 2011 in Gainesville, Florida.
(Sam Greenwood, Getty Images)
Fans of the Georgia Bulldogs hold an American flag to commemorate 9/11 before a game against the UAB Blazers at Sanford Stadium on September 11, 2021 in Athens, Georgia.
(Brett Davis, Getty Images)
The American flag carried by Kentucky's ROTC covered the football field before the national anthem as the Kentucky Wildcats play Eastern Michigan at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky on Sept. 13, 2025.
(Matt Stone/USA TODAY Network)
Eric Reid #1 of the LSU Tigers carries an American Flag onto the field before playing the Idaho Vandals at Tiger Stadium on September 15, 2012 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
(Chris Graythen, Getty Images)
Nov. 23, 2023; Starkville, Mississippi; Mississippi State Bulldogs linebacker Nathaniel Watson (14) carries an American Flag onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
(Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports)
Sept. 29, 2001: Fans wave an American Flag before the Missouri versus Nebraska game at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri.
(Elsa, Getty Images)
Nov. 4, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi; Mississippi Rebels defensive back Nyseer Fullwood-Theodore (44) runs the American flag onto the field prior to the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
(Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports)
Sept. 11, 2010; Norman, Oklahoma; Oklahoma Sooners Ruf Nek carries the american flag on the Sooner Schooner prior to kick-off for the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Memorial Stadium.
(Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
The American flag is presented on the field before a game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Alabama Crimson Tide on September 17, 2005 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Grant Halverson, Getty Images)
A Tennessee marching band member holds an American flag during halftime against Auburn at Neyland Stadium on Nov. 9, 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
(Michael Patrick/USA TODAY Network)
Oct. 3, 2020; Austin, Texas; Texas player Anton Simieou runs onto the field with an American flag before a NCAA college football game against TCU at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
(Ricardo B. Brazziell-USA TODAY Sports)
Nov. 11, 2023; College Station, Texas; Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Sam Mathews (12) runs out with the American Flag prior to the game against Mississippi State Bulldogs at Kyle Field.
(Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports)
Nov. 16, 2019; Nashville, Tennessee; Members of the Army hold a large American flag during the national anthem as helicopters perform a flyover before a game between the Vanderbilt Commodores game and the Kentucky Wildcats at Vanderbilt Stadium.
(Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Network)
1
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Members of the military hold up a American Flag before the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 11, 2010 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
(Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)
1
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Members of the military hold up a American Flag before the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Bryant-Denny Stadium on September 11, 2010 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
(Kevin C. Cox, Getty Images)
2
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Sept. 18, 2021; Fayetteville, Arkansas; Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Jake Yurachek (35) carries the United States flag onto the field prior to the game against the Georgia Southern Eagles at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
(Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports)
3
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Wide receiver Quindarius Carr #9 of the Auburn Tigers runs onto the field carrying the American Flag with wide receiver Travante Stallworth #85 of the Auburn Tigers on September 10, 2011 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama.
(Butch Dill, Getty Images)
4
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Dominique Easley #2 of the Florida Gators holds an American flag before a game against the UAB Blazers at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 10, 2011 in Gainesville, Florida.
(Sam Greenwood, Getty Images)
5
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Fans of the Georgia Bulldogs hold an American flag to commemorate 9/11 before a game against the UAB Blazers at Sanford Stadium on September 11, 2021 in Athens, Georgia.
(Brett Davis, Getty Images)
6
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
The American flag carried by Kentucky's ROTC covered the football field before the national anthem as the Kentucky Wildcats play Eastern Michigan at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky on Sept. 13, 2025.
(Matt Stone/USA TODAY Network)
7
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Eric Reid #1 of the LSU Tigers carries an American Flag onto the field before playing the Idaho Vandals at Tiger Stadium on September 15, 2012 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
(Chris Graythen, Getty Images)
8
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Nov. 23, 2023; Starkville, Mississippi; Mississippi State Bulldogs linebacker Nathaniel Watson (14) carries an American Flag onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
(Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports)
9
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Sept. 29, 2001: Fans wave an American Flag before the Missouri versus Nebraska game at Faurot Field in Columbia, Missouri.
(Elsa, Getty Images)
10
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Nov. 4, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi; Mississippi Rebels defensive back Nyseer Fullwood-Theodore (44) runs the American flag onto the field prior to the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
(Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports)
11
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Sept. 11, 2010; Norman, Oklahoma; Oklahoma Sooners Ruf Nek carries the american flag on the Sooner Schooner prior to kick-off for the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Memorial Stadium.
(Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
12
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
The American flag is presented on the field before a game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Alabama Crimson Tide on September 17, 2005 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.
(Grant Halverson, Getty Images)
13
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
A Tennessee marching band member holds an American flag during halftime against Auburn at Neyland Stadium on Nov. 9, 2013 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
(Michael Patrick/USA TODAY Network)
14
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Oct. 3, 2020; Austin, Texas; Texas player Anton Simieou runs onto the field with an American flag before a NCAA college football game against TCU at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
(Ricardo B. Brazziell-USA TODAY Sports)
15
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Nov. 11, 2023; College Station, Texas; Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Sam Mathews (12) runs out with the American Flag prior to the game against Mississippi State Bulldogs at Kyle Field.
(Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports)
16
/16
PHOTOS: SEC football patriotic scenes
Nov. 16, 2019; Nashville, Tennessee; Members of the Army hold a large American flag during the national anthem as helicopters perform a flyover before a game between the Vanderbilt Commodores game and the Kentucky Wildcats at Vanderbilt Stadium.
(Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Network)
Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Vols 'refreshed, rejuvenated, ready to go' ahead of Kentucky game
