Former Vols’ quarterback to fill in on Tennessee-Arkansas broadcast

VFL quarterback to fill in on the Tennessee-Arkansas game broadcast Saturday.

No. 4 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) will look to remain undefeated and extend its win streak to six games on Saturday.

Arkansas (3-2, 1-1 SEC) will host the Vols during Week 6 of the 2024 college football season. Kickoff for the SEC matchup is slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday and will be televised by ABC.

The contest can also be listened to on the Vol Network. The Vol Network announced ahead of kickoff that former Tennessee quarterback Jeff Francis will serve as an analyst for the Week 6 contest.

“VFL QB Jeff Francis will be filling in for Pat Ryan on the broadcast this evening,” Vol Network announced.

Francis played for the Vols from 1985-88.

READ: Updated SEC football power rankings entering Week 6

Score predictions for Tennessee-Arkansas football game

Vols Wire provides score predictions for the Tennessee-Arkansas football game.

No. 4 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) will play its third regular-season game away from Neyland Stadium on Saturday. Rankings reflect the US LBM Coaches Poll.

Arkansas (3-2, 1-1 SEC) will host the Vols in Week 6 of the 2024 college football season.

Kickoff between the Vols and Razorbacks is slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT and will be televised by ABC. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe will be on the call.

Ahead of the Week 6 contest, Vols Wire provides score predictions.

Tennessee-Arkansas football game score predictions

  • Dan Harralson (Vols Wire): Tennessee 37, Arkansas 17
  • Ken Lay (Vols Wire): Tennessee 35, Arkansas 17
  • Shane Shoemaker (Vols Wire): Tennessee 38, Arkansas 20
  • Average score: Tennessee 37, Arkansas 18

READ: 2024 Tennessee football game-by-game predictions

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Two former Vols to serve as captains for Arkansas game

Two former Vols will serve as game captains for Arkansas against Tennessee.

No. 4 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) will play at Arkansas (3-2, 1-1 SEC) on Saturday in Week 6 of the 2024 college football season. Rankings reflect the US LBM Coaches Poll.

Two former Vols will serve as Arkansas game captains against Tennessee. Arkansas announced Doneiko Slaughter, Addison Nichols, Anthony Switzer and Kyle Ramsey as Week 6 game captains.

Slaughter appeared in 43 games for the Vols as a defensive back from 2020-23, recording 87 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, three sacks, one interception and seven pass deflections.

Nichols appeared in 14 games on the offensive line at Tennessee from 2022-23.

Kickoff between the Vols and Razorbacks is slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday. ABC will televise the SEC matchup.

READ: Updated SEC football power rankings after Week 5

Tennessee announces uniform combination for Arkansas game

Tennessee football announces uniform combination for the game at Arkansas on Saturday.

No. 4 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) will look to remain undefeated in Week 6 at Arkansas (3-2, 1-1 SEC). Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT (ABC) on Saturday.

Rankings reflect the US LBM Coaches Poll.

Tennessee announced its uniform combination for the Southeastern Conference matchup on Saturday. The Vols will wear white helmets, white jerseys and orange pants at Arkansas.

Tennessee had its first of two open dates last week during the 2024 regular-season. The Vols will return to Neyland Stadium in Week 7 versus Florida.

Kickoff between the Vols and Gators is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT and will be televised by ESPN.

READ: Updated SEC football power rankings after Week 5

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Four Vols listed as out at Arkansas

Tennessee football players listed as out for the Arkansas game on Saturday.

Beginning with the 2024-25 athletics calendar, Southeastern Conference schools will provide public reports on availability of student-athletes to participate in each conference game in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and baseball.

No. 4 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) will play at Arkansas (3-2, 1-1 SEC) on Saturday in Week 6 of the 2024 college football season. Rankings reflect the US LBM Coaches Poll.

Kickoff between the Vols and Razorbacks is slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT (ABC) at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Defensive back Jourdan Thomas, defensive back John Slaughter, linebacker Edwin Spillman and defensive back Montrell Bandy are listed as out, per the SEC availability report, for Tennessee against Arkansas.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Looking back at Arkansas’ 1964 national title featuring Johnny Majors

Johnny Majors served as an assistant coach at Arkansas from 1964-67, winning the 1964 national championship.

No. 4 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) will play at Arkansas (3-2. 1-1 SEC) Saturday in Week 6 of the 2024 college football season.

One of Tennessee’s most revered football figures, Johnny Majors, served as an assistant coach for the Razorbacks.

He was an assistant coach under Frank Broyles at Arkansas from 1964-67.

During Majors’ tenure with Arkansas, the Razorbacks were 33-8-1 (22-5-1 SWC). Arkansas won two Southwest Conference championships (1964-65) and one national championship in 1964.

Majors coached defensive backs under Broyles and was one of several coaches on the staff who had long careers. Jim Mackenzie, who was head coach at Oklahoma in 1966, was defensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

Mackenzie went 6-4 at Oklahoma and was named Big Eight Coach of the Year. His career, however, was cut short after suffering a fatal heart attack in 1967.

Barry Switzer coached Arkansas’ offensive ends. He won three national championships as head coach at Oklahoma and won one Super Bowl title with Dallas Cowboys.

Wilson Matthews, a longtime high school coach, finished his career on Broyles’ staff, serving as defensive ends and linebackers coach from 1958-68.

Bill Pace was offensive backs coach. He would later become head coach at Vanderbilt (1967-72) and also served as Tennessee’s assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach from 1980-81.

Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones was an offensive lineman for Arkansas in 1964.

Jimmy Johnson, who won a national championship as head coach at Miami and won two Super Bowl titles with Dallas, was a defensive lineman. Ken Hatfield, who was head coach at Air Force (1979-83), Arkansas (1984-89), Clemson (1990-93) and Rice (1994-2005), was a defensive back.

The Razorbacks won the 1965 Cotton Bowl, 10-7, against Nebraska.

PHOTOS: Johnny Majors through the years

Johnny Majors. Robert Johnson/USA TODAY Network

Tennessee’s all time results against Arkansas

A look at the all time football series between the Vols and Razorbacks.

No. 4 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) will play Arkansas (3-2, 1-1 SEC) Saturday in Week 6 of the 2024 college football season.

Kickoff between the Vols and the Razorbacks is slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. ABC will televise the Southeastern Conference contest.

Saturday will mark the 20th meeting between the two schools. Tennessee leads the all time series, 13-6, that dates to 1907. The Vols have lost three consecutive games to Arkansas.

The two teams last played on Nov. 7, 2020 with Arkansas winning, 24-13.

Tennessee led, 13-0, before the Razorbacks scored 24 unanswered points in the third quarter.

Tennessee-Arkansas all time football results

1907: Tennessee 14,  Arkansas 2

1971: Tennessee 14, Arkansas 13 (Liberty Bowl)

1990: Tennessee 31, Arkansas 27 (Cotton Bowl)

1992: Arkansas 25, Tennessee 24

1993: Tennessee 28, Arkansas 14

1994: Tennessee 38, Arkansas 21

1995: Tennessee 49, Arkansas 31

1996: Tennessee 55, Arkansas 14

1997: Tennessee 30, Arkansas 22

1998: Tennessee 28, Arkansas 24

1999: Arkansas 28, Tennessee 24

2000: Tennessee 63, Arkansas 20

2001: Tennessee 13, Arkansas 3

2002: Tennessee 41, Arkansas 38 (6 OT)

2006: Arkansas 31, Tennessee 14

2007: Tennessee 34, Arkansas 13

2011: Arkansas 49, Tennessee 7

2015: Arkansas 24, Tennessee 20

2020: Arkansas 24, Tennessee 13

Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Dylan Sampson’s development into an every down running back detailed

Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson’s development into an every down running back detailed by Josh Heupel.

Tennessee junior running back Dylan Sampson has appeared in every game for the Vols this season.

The 5-foot-11, 201-pound Sampson totaled 449 yards and 10 touchdowns on 69 rushing attempts in four games during September. He also recorded seven receptions for 70 yards.

Josh Heupel discussed Sampson’s development into an every down running back ahead of Tennessee playing at Arkansas in Week 6.

“He’s always been an elite competitor,” Heupel said. “Been able to reset and go play the next play. I do think his offseason this year, continuing to add size and strength to his frame has allowed him to handle that situation a little bit different than his freshman year would have played out. He has great trust in the guys in front of him, and we have great trust in him. On that drive, obviously he was a difference maker during the course of that drive.”

Dylan Sampson. Tennessee Volunteers versus Kent State Golden Flashes on Sept. 14, 2024 at Neyland Stadium. Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire

Tennessee, Arkansas football depth charts for Week 6

Tennessee and Arkansas release football depth charts ahead of Week 6 SEC game.

Arkansas (3-2, 1-1 SEC) will host No. 4 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) on Saturday at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Kickoff between the Vols and Razorbacks is slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT. ABC will televise the Southeastern Conference matchup in Week 6. Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe will be on the call.

“The right place to be is right here right now, being in the present,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said. “You can look at the scoreboard from this past weekend, and really every weekend across America. You have to be an elite competitor every single day, and you have to prepare that right way. That is why it is important that you have a routine. You have to practice with great urgency, and you have to finish the week the right way. You have to have the same competitive makeup and the same competitive DNA every single day. You have to show up. When you buckle your chin strap and the ball gets tee’d up, you better have that on game day too. Otherwise, the separation in this game is really tough.

“They’ve got scholarships and really good coaches, too. The separation inside of this league is small margins. You have to win in the margins in this league.”

READ: Updated SEC football power rankings after Week 5

Tennessee and Arkansas released projected depth charts for Saturday’s game.

A look back at Tennessee’s victory at Arkansas in 2001

Tennessee scores 13 fourth-quarter points to defeat Arkansas football in 2001.

No. 4 Tennessee (4-0, 1-0 SEC) will play Arkansas (3-2, 1-1 SEC) on Saturday in Week 6 of the 2024 college football season.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas. ABC will televise the SEC matchup.

Each week, Vols Wire will look back at a memorable game against Tennessee’s upcoming opponent. This week’s installment revisits Tennessee’s, 13-3, victory over the Razorbacks on Sept. 8, 2001.

In a game played on a rainy night before 70,400 fans in Fayetteville, Arkansas led, 3-0, at halftime as Brennan O’Donohoe kicked a 24-yard field goal with 1 minute, 44 seconds remaining in the first quarter. The field goal represented all of the scoring in the game until the fourth quarter.

The Vols tied the game, 3-3, on a 33-yard field goal by Alex Walls with 9:44 remaining in the game. Tennessee would take the lead on a 25-yard field goal by Walls with 3:52 remaining.

Travis Stephens scored the lone touchdown of the game on a 3-yard run with 59 seconds remaining.

Stephens was Tennessee’s leading rusher, totaling 206 yards and one touchdown on 41 attempts.

Quarterback Casey Clausen completed 13-of-17 passing attempts for 136 yards. Kelley Washington recorded nine receptions for 96 yards.