Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
2026 wide receiver prospect includes Tennessee in top six schools.
2026 wide receiver prospect Daniel Odom announced his top six schools.
Odom’s top six schools are Tennessee, Oregon, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington and Miami.
The 6-foot-1, 178-pound four-star wide receiver prospect is from St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California.
He ranks No. 192 nationally in the 247Sports Composite for the class of 2026. Odom also ranks as the No. 33 wide receiver and No. 24 prospect in California.
The Vols offered him a scholarship on Dec. 14, 2023.
Former Vol Dalton Knecht’s results in the Lakers’ loss at Minnesota.
Minnesota defeated Los Angeles, 97-87, Friday at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Former Tennessee basketball player Dalton Knecht totaled six points, nine rebounds and one assist in 19 minutes for the Lakers.
He converted 2-of-5 field goal attempts and 2-of-4 free throw attempts.
The former Vol was selected in the first-round of the 2024 NBA draft (No. 17 overall) by Los Angeles.
Knecht was a transfer from Northern Colorado and played for the Vols during the 2023-24 season under coach Rick Barnes. During his one season at Tennessee, Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
He led the Vols to a SEC regular-season championship and an appearance in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history.
Knecht was the 2024 SEC Player and SEC Newcomer of the Year. He was a consensus All-America standout and earned the Julius Erving Award.
Ohio State announces a game day timeline for tailgating and when Ohio Stadium gates open for the College Football Playoff matchup versus Tennessee.
First-round College Football Playoff games will be contested Dec. 20-21.
No. 8 seed Ohio State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) will host No. 9 seed Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC) on Dec. 21. Kickoff between the Vols and Buckeyes is slated for 8 p.m. EST at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio (ABC).
The contest will be the first for Tennessee playing in Ohio. Ohio Stadium will also host its first Buckeyes’ football game in December all time.
Ahead of the first-round matchup, Ohio State announced a game day timeline.
Tailgating and parking lots will open at 5 a.m. EST.
Ohio State’s team shop will open at 4 p.m. EST. Fan fest and ticket offices will open at 5 p.m. EST, while Ohio Stadium gates are scheduled to open at 6 p.m. EST.
READ: Ohio State president Ted Carter gives expectation for amount of Vol fans in Columbus
Tennessee student-athletes earn SEC All-Freshman honors for 2024 regular-season.
Four Tennessee football players were named to the SEC All-Freshman Team by the league’s head coaches.
Boo Carter, Ethan Davis, Jordan Ross and Jalen Smith received SEC All-Freshman honors for their play during the 2024 regular-season.
Carter was recognized as a defensive back and kick return specialist. He appeared in 12 games, making five starts. Carter totaled 35 tackles, three tackles for a loss, three quarterback hurries and one interception.
He is the first Tennessee freshman recognized as a return specialist since Shawn Summers in 1992.
Davis, a redshirt freshman tight end, appeared in 11 games, recording 13 receptions, 100 yards and one touchdown.
Ross, a defensive lineman, appeared in 10 games. He totaled three tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, one blocked punt and one touchdown.
Smith appeared in 12 games as a linebacker. He recorded 34 tackles and one tackle for a loss in 2024. Smith announced his intention to enter the NCAA transfer portal following the regular-season.
A fourth Tennessee wide receiver intends to enter the transfer portal following the regular-season.
Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC) concluded its regular-season on Nov. 30. The Vols will return to action on Dec. 21 in the College Football Playoff at Ohio State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten).
Ahead of the first-round College Football Playoff game, a fourth Tennessee wide receiver will enter the NCAA transfer portal.
“Tennessee wide receiver Nate Spillman plans to enter the transfer portal, he tells On3 Sports,” Hayes Fawcett announced.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound redshirt freshman wide receiver appeared in four games for the Vols in 2024 (Chattanooga, North Carolina State, Kent State, UTEP). He did not record any statistics.
Tennessee wide receivers Kaleb Webb, Chas Nimrod and Nathan Leacock also intend to enter the NCAA transfer portal following the regular-season.
Tennessee announces schedule for the 2025 baseball season.
Tennessee announced its 2025 baseball schedule on Thursday. The Vols enter the 2025 season after winning the national championship, the SEC Tournament and the SEC regular-season title in 2024.
2025 will be the eighth season for the Vols under head coach Tony Vitello.
Tennessee will open its upcoming campaign on Feb. 14, 2025 versus Hofstra at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
The Vols will also host UNC Asheville, Samford, North Alabama, Radford, Xavier, St. Bonaventure, West Georgia, East Tennessee State, Queens, Tennessee Tech, Bellarmine, Lipscomb, Northern Kentucky, Indiana State and Belmont in nonconference play at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
Tennessee will compete in the 25th annual Astros Foundation College Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.
Tennessee, Texas A&M, Arizona, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State and Rice will make up the field. The Astros Foundation College Classic will be contested Feb. 28-March 2, 2025.
The Vols will play Oklahoma State on Feb. 28, while facing Rice on March 1 and Arizona on March 2.
Tennessee’s entire 2025 baseball schedule, including SEC games, can be viewed here.
PHOTOS: Tony Vitello through the years
Ohio State president Ted Carter discusses his expectation for the amount of Tennessee fans to attend the Tennessee-Ohio State game.
No. 9 seed Tennessee (10-2, 6-2 SEC) will play at No. 8 seed Ohio State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) on Dec. 21 in the first-round of the College Football Playoff.
Kickoff between the Vols and Buckeyes is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The contest will be televised by ABC.
Ahead of the game, University of Tennessee president Randy Boyd mentioned Ohio State is expecting 30 percent of Ohio Stadium to be filled with Vol fans.
“Great to run into Ohio State president Ted Carter at the New Era Forum held at Deloitte University,” Boyd said. “He thinks the stadium may be 30% orange – way to go Vol fans! First game ever played at Ohio Stadium in the month of December, and likely the first below freezing game the Vols have played in decades! Going to be a great game!”
PHOTOS: Tennessee-Ohio State football series through the years
A third Tennessee wide receiver to enter NCAA transfer portal following the 2024 regular-season.
A third Tennessee wide receiver will enter the NCAA transfer portal following the regular-season.
Redshirt freshman Nathan Leacock intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.
“Tennessee wide receiver Nathan Leacock plans to enter the transfer portal, he tells On3 Sports,” Hayes Fawcett announced.
The 6-foot-3, 217-pound wide receiver appeared in five games for the Vols in 2024. He totaled one reception for 15 yards. He played in six games at Tennessee from 2023-24. Leacock did not record statistics in the only game he played in against UConn during the 2023 season.
Tennessee wide receivers Kaleb Webb and Chas Nimrod also entered the NCAA transfer portal following the regular-season.
READ: Final 2024 SEC football regular-season power rankings
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava recognized by Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.
Tennessee redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava was named a finalist for the 2024 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, announced by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.
He is one of the eight finalists. Finalists were chosen from a watch list of nearly 100 players for the award. The award is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry, and who epitomizes great ability and integrity.
During his first season as the Vols’ starting quarterback, Iamaleava has totaled 2,512 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. He has also recorded more than 300 rushing yards and one touchdown.
Iamaleava was named SEC Freshman of the Week four times, setting a Tennessee record.
Iamaleava led Tennessee to its first College Football Playoff appearance in program history. The Vols will play Ohio State in a first-round game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on Dec. 21. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. EST (ABC).
Tim Banks becomes second Tennessee assistant coach under Josh Heupel to be named Broyles Award Finalist.
Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks was named one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, announced by The Frank and Barbara Broyles Foundation.
The award was created in 1996, recognizing coach Frank Broyles’ legacy of selecting and developing great assistant coaches during his hall-of-fame career as head coach at Arkansas.
The Broyles Award selection process includes the Football Writers Association of America, broadcasters, a college football hall-of-fame selection committee and current college head coaches.
Banks, who is in his 18th season as an FBS defensive coordinator, and his fourth with the Vols, is one of two SEC assistants announced as semifinalists. Banks joins Texas’ Pete Kwiatkowski on the list. Other candidates are Arizona State’s Marcus Arroyo, Indiana’s Bryant Haines and Notre Dame’s Al Golden.
Banks is the second assistant coach to be named a Broyles Award finalist during Josh Heupel’s tenure as head coach at Tennessee. Former offensive coordinator and current South Florida head coach Alex Golesh was recognized as a semifinalist in 2022.
