No. 1 Texas is coming to Neyland Stadium, and this week’s KnoxTNToday Game Ball puts readers’ predictions to the test in Tennessee’s biggest matchup of the young season.
Tennessee and Texas are both 3-0 entering Saturday’s SEC opener. The Vols have defeated Furman 56-9, Georgia Tech 45-24 and Kennesaw State 42-9. Texas opened with a 59-7 win over Texas State, edged Ohio State 24-23 and defeated UTSA 30-6.
Kickoff is noon Saturday, Sept. 26, at Neyland Stadium, with the game on ABC. It will be the first regular-season football meeting between Tennessee and Texas; their three previous meetings came in the Cotton Bowl. ESPN College GameDay will also be in Knoxville, broadcasting from Ayres Hall before moving inside Neyland Stadium for the final hour leading to kickoff.
Make your Game Ball prediction
Predict the final score and see if you can Beat the Writers. The closest eligible reader wins a Dinner for Two at Aubrey’s and the KnoxTNToday Game Ball recognition.
Email your prediction to gameball@knoxtntoday.com before kickoff Saturday. Include your name, Tennessee’s final score and Texas’ final score. One entry per person.
Beat the Writers
Our KnoxTNToday writers are making their picks, too. Some are on the same wavelength.
- Charlie Barnett — 24-21 Tennessee
- Jan Dickens — 14-28 Texas
- Maria Cornelius — 31-24 Tennessee
- Tom King — 30-27 Tennessee
- Thomas Mabry — 34-21 Texas (but hopeful)
- Aneisa Rolen — 31-24 Tennessee
- Linda Sullivan —21-17 Tennessee
- Marvin West — 21-17 Tennessee
Beat the Writers is a side challenge for bragging rights only. KnoxTNToday writers are not eligible to win the Dinner for Two at Aubrey’s. On Monday, we’ll announce the winning reader, the closest writer and whether the readers or writers won the week.
How the winner is determined
An exact score wins. If no one predicts the exact final, the winner will be the entry with the smallest combined difference between the predicted scores and the actual scores. If needed, the first tiebreaker is the prediction closest to Tennessee’s actual score. A remaining tie will be decided by random selection.
Make your pick. Beat the writers. Win a Dinner for Two at Aubrey’s.
Participants must be 18 or older. One entry per person. No purchase or subscription is necessary. Entries must be received before kickoff. KnoxTNToday staff members directly involved in administering or judging the contest are not eligible to win. The KnoxTNToday Game Ball is a KnoxTNToday reader promotion and is not affiliated with or sponsored by the University of Tennessee.
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