Tech to open vs Vols now official

[GTJT622]

Labor Day night in 2017 at Falcons Stadium. Can't wait.

Story: http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/college/tech-tennessee-in-chick-fil-a-kickoff-game/nm3bC/

 

[GTJT622]

Enjoy a highlight reel of Tech's upset win over the Vols in 1982...

 

[BornAJacket]

GT playing UCF, Tennessee and Georgia ooc in 2017.

should be one of the toughest schedules in the country.

 

[GTJT622]

Yep. Hopefully the defense will be stout by then. It should be the first game without JT5 at QB.

I was secretly hoping the delay in official announcement was a deal between Tech and UT to play 3 games - one at Falcons Stadium and then one at Neyland and one at BDS in the future. This one will be special as my son (UTK alum) and I will cherish this one forever.

 

[BornAJacket]

Robert Lavette had a great game against Tennessee that day. He was a great back. I'd love to see him in Paul Johnson's offense.

 

[GTJT622]

Will always remember Jack Westbrook's punt return for TD. I recall that one was the ABC deep south regional game of the week. Back then as you know it was rare for a Tech game to be televised live.

 

[GTJT622]

Tennessee has some interesting neutral site games coming up. Not necessarily "interesting" but the Vols open 2015 against Bowling Green in Nashville at Titans Stadium. BGSU was brought in several months ago after originally scheduled UAB announced their FB program was dead (at the time).

In 2016, the Vols will play Va Tech in Week 2 at Bristol Speedway where 150 thousand rednecks (including my son and I ) will be a part of history. Now, we know the Vols will open with our Jackets in 2017. In 2018, they will face off with West Virginia in Charlotte. UT has always played a tough OOC schedule, but that is in part because their top rivals (Vandy, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama) are in-conference games played annually.

UT plays Pitt at home in '21 and heads to Heinz Field in '22. They also have 2 games against Nebraska in '26 & '27. I won't be surprised to see them continue this trend of playing neutral site games. With the ability to pack 100K+ into Neyland Stadium, their payday though has to be competitive to make sense. The SEC mandate of having to play at least 1 Power 5 team annually outside the conference schedule has an effect. UT hosts Oklahoma in Week 3 this year.