“Scooters … are faster and more sustainable. The big question is, how do you do that safely?” The reality of scooter safety on, off campus
As ticket prices around college sports are on the rise, find out what Tennessee’s plans are for the future of the NIL era and how it affects fans’ wallets, more on pg 3
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UT Knoxville Advisory Board highlights record enrollment, stadium expansion, carshare project
OLIVIA LEE & JERRY SAGUIN Contributors
First-year undergraduates might benefit from a rideshare and carshare program as soon as this fall.
The UT Knoxville Advisory Board met Friday morning in the UT Medical Nursing Building. Along with announcing inprogress student transportation projects, the board discussed UT’s record enrollment and retention this fall, the construction of several new educational and residential buildings and improvements to the athletics experience. In addition, the board received updates on research developments and fundraising efforts.
Here are the highlights. You can read the full meeting coverage at www. utdailybeacon.com.
Enrollment, graduation and retention
Plowman highlighted record enrollment numbers at the university. This year’s freshman class brings 7,143 new Vols to campus, up from last year’s class size of around 6,800 students.
The increase in freshman enrollment was accommodated by the construction of Beacon and Poplar halls, two new residence buildings for first-year students. The construction operations aligned with both the projected schedule and budget, offering students flexible, affordable pricing. Torchbearer Hall, projected to be completed in Fall 2026, will continue these efforts to increase housing stock.
UT’s retention rate has risen for the third consecutive year, which helped grow enrollment to an institutional record of 40,421 this fall, according to a UT press release.
Plowman added that UT’s graduation rate is up to 74.5%, which is on track to be comparable to the median rate of the Association of American Universities, a group of 71 leading research universities, which stands at 82%. Plowman predicted that UT will surpass a graduation rate of 80% within the next few years.
Construction
Plowman highlighted the addition of several new buildings on UT’s campus: the UT Medical Nursing Building, a new Haslam College of Business building, chemistry building, student success building and new athletic projects.
Plowman expects the new College of Business building to be open for fall 2027. She added it will be primarily used for undergraduates and executive education. The new chemistry building will provide
more opportunities for the chemistry department to get to the “next level,” according to Plowman.
“Our chemistry department, the polymer part of chemistry, we’re number two in the country,” Plowman said. “This is gonna enable them to really contribute in new ways to this whole goal about moving to the next level because there will be labs in there, some for teaching and also some for research.”
The new chemistry building’s groundbreaking took place Friday afternoon.
Mobility
Senior Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration Byrnes introduced plans for a pilot rideshare program this fall to support first-year, non-commuter undergraduate students without parking permits. The first 1,000 eligible students to register will have the opportunity to receive five vouchers per academic term for use in the Knoxville area and TYS.
“What we’re trying to do is create the need for students not to have a car on campus, and meet that in a more positive way,” Byrnes said.
Byrnes spoke about plans for a carshare program for UT students 18 years and older with driver’s licenses. The program will aim to open this fall, and allow for oncampus access to affordable short-term vehicle rentals, according to Byrnes. It will feature both hourly and daily rentals. Overall vehicle availability will grow with student demand.
Athletics
Director of Athletics Danny White shared the developing successes of UT athletics. The university placed 6th last year in the Learfield Director’s Cup, an award recognizing the overall athletic accomplishments of universities around the country.
White highlighted the expansion of the South Concourse of Neyland Stadium and said the improvements to the concourse will improve the fan experience by mitigating pedestrian traffic. He also described the addition of new VIP suites to Neyland.
“We have the best fanbase in the country,” White said. “We will not take them for granted.”
The advisory board listens to updates from Chancellor Donde Plowman. Sept. 5, 2025. Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon
Price of dedication: Why ticket prices in college sports are rising
ALEX SARKIS Assistant Sports Editor
July 1, 2021, is the day college athletics changed forever.
For its entire existence, the NCAA refused to let its players profit from their name, image and likeness. The mere thought of college athletes benefiting from their popularity and performance had been outlawed for over a century. Fans praised the good-natured and clean-cut persona that separated the amateur ranks from the pros. Those same supporters now find themselves sometimes unable to fully enjoy the very thing they once thought so pure.
Keith Jefferson was raised a lifelong Tennessee fan, a class of 2000 graduate who spent his college days basking in the golden age of Vols’ football. His dreams of suiting up for Tennessee on the gridiron were cut short after a high school injury derailed his career. Now, the Memphis native finds himself dissatisfied with the backbone of the sport that was once his life.
“I just didn’t like how it was implemented by the NCAA,” Jefferson said. “Now, we’re just left with a mess to fix. I didn’t know that we were going to outright just pay athletes.”
The arrival of NIL, born in courtrooms across the nation during the summer of 2021, sparked much debate. On a smaller scale, college sports now mirrored the pros with programs able to dish out millions of dollars to whichever athletes their budget could afford. Bidding wars flared up for the top high school recruits, Lamborghinis and Ferraris lining the backdrop of their official visits.
It became a money game.
The large sum of investment now required to compete at an elite level couldn’t just come from a school’s donors. It needed to come from the ones who make the atmosphere of college sports so unique. It had to come from the fans.
“For the average fan, that may be a little much,” Jefferson said. “In order to get your family there, it’s gonna be a financial burden, and also with that, it takes the people who’ve been loyal fans in the area, since birth. It was the working class who helped build the brand.”
In 2024, the University of Tennessee generated $46,411,884 in ticket sales across each of its 15 athletic programs. Over $9 million was gained on things ranging from parking to concession sales. Vols’ football boasted the fourthhighest average ticket price in the SEC,
according to Sportscasting.com.
The athletic department spent over $8 million on recruiting new talent.
As expected, the numbers continue to rise.
The latest stage of college athletics’ NIL saga introduced revenue sharing, a settlement reached in the House v. NCAA case in July of 2025. This decision allows schools to directly share revenue with athletes, an opportunity that Tennessee has taken advantage of, at least in its eyes.
“I would like to see more of the money go back towards academics,”
Jefferson said. “Truthfully, I love UT football, don’t get me wrong, but one of the reasons that I chose it was for the academics, especially on the agricultural side. I graduated from the forestry department over there. I would like to also see our academics rise along with gathering those new revenues.”
In September of 2024, athletic director Danny White announced a 10% talent fee would be placed on all football season ticket invoices for the 2025 season. A 4.5% price increase also graces each ticket this season to support the ongoing
construction that surrounds Neyland Stadium.
“Over the past four years, our athletics department has worked tirelessly to become one of the best in the country,” White said in an email to fans when announcing new fees. “With the most passionate fans in all of sports, we have grown our self-generated revenues and aggressively reinvested those funds directly into our sports programs. Those investments have led to unprecedented success.”
Fortunately for the Vols’ faithful fans, each of Tennessee’s three major sports programs made the postseason a year ago. Football reached its firstever College Football Playoff, and men’s basketball made a run to its secondstraight Elite Eight. Baseball’s 2024 national title stands as the headliner of these feats. These successes don’t leave as bad a sour taste for the fans who make the heavy investments through their ticket purchases.
For the 2025 football season, fans will pay an average of $170.63 to watch Tennessee play in any of its home games. That’s nearly a $40 increase
from a season ago, and the Vols are nowhere near the top of the SEC list.
Georgia and Texas each share average prices of over $270, with the Bulldogs’ matchup with Alabama in late September running close to $730 to simply walk through the turnstiles.
Tennessee’s matchup with Georgia ranks as the fifth-most expensive game in the conference, delivering a $379 blow to fans’ wallets.
“Now, you’re seeing where it’s becoming like pro sports,” Jefferson said. “Those that have the extra means are the sole ones who can enjoy an afternoon at Neyland Stadium.”
The financial landscape of college sports will continue to evolve, and with it, the overall fan cost and experience. Despite the price hikes, Tennessee easily managed to sell all 70,500 allocated football season tickets for the 2025 season. It is the third-straight year every ticket has been sold.
“Right now, that’s just the name of the game,” Jefferson said. “I guess we’ll just have to pay in the meantime.”
Tennessee takes on ETSU at Neyland Stadium, Sept. 6, 2025. Jackson Clavier / The Daily Beacon
Scooter safety on, off campus
ELIANA MEYERSON Staff Writer
For many UT students, scooters are the easiest way to get around. They’ve become a regular part of life in Knoxville, and as more of them hit the streets and sidewalks, safety is getting more attention.
Knoxville Police Department
Spokesperson Scott Erland said the department has recorded 16 scooterrelated collisions citywide since August 2023, 13 resulting in injury. No fatalities have been recorded over the last two years. The majority of the incidents occurred downtown, including accidents on Broadway, Clinch Avenue and North Central Street. Chris Cherry, a UT professor of civil and environmental engineering who studies micromobility, believes scooters can be a safe and sustainable mode of transportation when the right environment is in place, but can also expose riders to risks when the infrastructure is inadequate.
“I’ve been really interested in electric micromobility because it has a lot of opportunities to draw people into a low impact mode of transportation that wouldn’t otherwise do that,” Cherry said. “Campus is a good example. It’s really hard to get from the agriculture campus to the engineering side quickly. Running buses is an option, but empty buses aren’t very sustainable. Scooters, walking and biking, are faster and more sustainable. The big question is, how do you do that safely?”
Caroline Caldwell, a senior at UT, witnessed a scooter accident this semester at the corner of 16th Street and Highland Avenue, right in front of the Renaissance II apartments.
“At first, I just thought someone had fallen over on a scooter and that nothing serious had happened,” said Caldwell. The rider, who was wearing a helmet and a neon safety vest but no other protective gear, worked for a local restaurant that provides delivery and was on his way back to work.
“I’m almost certain that the cause of the accident was due to the uneven paving of the road on this street,” said Caldwell. “I’ve been told that construction has been working in that area all summer, and is continuing through the semester. The area where he fell looks like a giant speed bump, and is so dangerous. I’ve seen multiple cars, including my own, absolutely mess up their undercarriage because of this ‘speed bump.’”
Caldwell and her friend called an ambulance, while another bystander ran
to the fire station to get help.
“The aide showed up and checked the guy out, who was seemingly dazed and just wanted to get back to work,” Caldwell said. “Once he was medically cleared, which I did not agree with due to him slurring his words and swerving when (he) was riding back on his scooter, he went back to work.”
The incident left Caldwell feeling anxious, questioning whether she could have done more to help in the moment.
The experience underscored for her how unprepared bystanders can feel in emergencies. She said the biggest relief was knowing the rider had avoided serious injury, something she believes would not have been the case if he hadn’t been wearing a helmet.
Many day-to-day scooter crashes stem from issues like the one Caldwell witnessed, according to Cherry.
“Most of the time, people hit something. They hit a curb, they hit a pothole, they hit some piece of broken infrastructure,” Cherry said.
Cherry added that the most severe scooter injuries happen when cars are involved.
“When you look at the safety data, all of the severe injuries are from cars. Scooter riders get hit by cars. The safest campuses in the country are those without much car traffic,” Cherry said. “That’s the major risk factor. When car traffic is reduced, conflicts are reduced and everything else becomes safer.”
Cherry believes part of solving those risks requires rethinking street design.
“You don’t need just a stick of low stress bike lanes here and there,” said Cherry. “It has to be a network of low stress infrastructure, because you need to be able to go your entire trip without being dumped into a dangerous intersection. Andy Holt Avenue and Volunteer Boulevard is a good example, that giant intersection is a safety disaster for micromobility. That’s not low stress.”
He added that policies should adapt to everyday problems riders face.
“If there’s a pothole in a scooter zone, have a policy to fix it within 24 hours. That’s the kind of response that directly improves safety,” Cherry said.
Knoxville adopted a Vision Zero plan in 2022, committing to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2040. The strategy includes improving street design, expanding low stress bike and scooter infrastructure and reducing car related conflicts.
Students ride scooters on campus by Circle Park. Sept. 8, 2025. Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon
New POD Market cash equivalency policy partially reversed after student pushback
OLIVIA LEE Contributer
Braden Bonney, a third-year political science major, has been underwhelmed with the his meal plan experiennce during his time at UT.
“It’s really frustrating,” Bonney. said. “I feel like ever since I came here, the value of what I’m getting out of my meal plan has just been going down overtime.”
For the past few years, University of Tennessee students have enjoyed the flexibility of using cash equivalency at Provisions on Demand Markets around campus. From frozen meals, to protein bars, to medicine, to notebooks, the goods offered in POD Markets are quickly accessible and conveniently located.
This year, however, Vol Dining threw students a curveball, drastically decreasing the number and variety of items in the markets available to be purchased via meal swipe. In previous years, all items in POD Markets were purchasable by or with the help of a meal swipe, which is valued at $5.50. The change made this year limited the meal swipe-eligible items to only certain food products, specifically food products resembling a meal rather than snacks or drinks.
“The main focus was to make sure to
encourage students to get a traditional ‘meal’ within a dining location and not necessarily go for a bar, or a protein drink or a coffee,” Rebecca McKnight, associate director of marketing for Vol Dining, said.
The adjustment follows a series of updates and renovations made to the university’s dining options and systems within the past year, including revamps to the student union restaurants and the introduction of more food options in residence halls.
“Going into this school year, there are a couple changes that happened,” McKnight said. “We’ve opened a lot of new concepts, which has obviously expanded our footprint.”
While students were excited about these upgrades, some were less enthusiastic when learning that their once unrestrained access to cash equivalency in the markets had been scaled back.
“Honestly, I think they were trying to profit off the students more,” Kendall Beard, a second-year agricultural leadership, education and communications major said. “By reducing their way of how they can use their meal swipes, they’re forcing students to buy more dining dollars and VolCard money.”
Vol Dining leadership also received these complaints from students.
“We had students contact us directly,”
McKnight said. “But we also monitor what people are saying, so whether that be on social media, or Reddit, we try to be earsto-the-ground so we can make sure we’re providing a good service to the students.”
Because of the volume of feedback received from students directly and through social media, Vol Dining decided to partially reverse the decision, opening the options available for meal swipes to all food items but still removing meal swipes as a payment option for non-food goods.
“We value the input and feedback from students, faculty and staff,” McKnight said. “Our team was working really hard to make sure that this is a program that students enjoy and appreciate, and we want to be good partners.”
Although Vol Dining leadership curtailed the decision, McKnight supported the logic behind the change and said that the cost of a UT meal plan is justified by what students can get out of it. The decision to change the POD market policy, she said, came partly from a place of ensuring students are using their meal swipes to the fullest extent by purchasing a full meal, not just a snack or drink.
“The intent was to provide a ‘meal’ with a meal swipe,” McKnight said.
The Student Government Association attempted to work toward this same goal last year by passing legislation raising
Review: VMAs expand reach, honor trailblazers
ANDI JONES Staff Writer
The MTV Video Music Awards brings together stars across genres in a celebration of music, cinematography and entertainment. Here are the highlights of the stage from the 41st VMAs, which built upon traditional awards, added new honors and paid respect to the legends of the music industry.
Artist of the Year
The first award of the night was Artist of the Year, and it was highly anticipated after a competitive year with Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen, Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé all in the running.
Lady Gaga took home Artist of the Year, dedicating her award to the audience and speaking to the importance of art, passion and creativity.
“Being an artist is a discipline, a craft meant for reaching into someone’s heart, where it grows its roots and reminds them to dream. Being an artist is a responsibility to make the audience smile, dance, cry and release at any turn. It is a method of building understanding and celebrating community,” Lady Gaga told the audience.
She also dedicated the award to her partner, Michael Polansky, who helped her create her most recent album, “May-
hem,” which achieved the largest firstweek sales of the year for a female album in 2025.
Debut: Lola Young
The first VMA debut artist of the night, Lola Young, sang her viral single “Messy.” The performer stayed true to her authentic and minimalistic style, focusing on the vocals and music.
Latin Icon Award
The VMAs recognized a legend of Latin music, awarding Ricky Martin with the first-ever Latin Icon Award, honoring how he brought Latin music mainstream. With enthusiasm and gratitude, Martin accepted the award after an invigorating performance of hits such as “Livin’ La Vida Loca.” His return to the VMAs stage marks 25 years since he was the first male Latin artist to win Best Pop Video.
Song of the Year
The 2025 song of the year was ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” Song of the Year was highly contested after a whirlwind year of top songs, including Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” Gracie Abram’s “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” and Billie Eilish’s “BIRDS OF A FEATHER.” ROSÉ is previously known for singing with the K-pop group BLACKPINK. The New Zealand native accepted the award, thanking Bruno for his mentorship along with family
cash equivalency values from $5.50 to $8 because few campus restaurants offer a full meal at a $5.50 value, especially in the wake of increasing meal costs. Vol Dining has since rejected the legislation, keeping cash equivalency at its current value.
“Prices have also been going up on the on-campus restaurants,” Bonney said. “They got rid of the Subway that was in Brown, and it got replaced with something more expensive, and then that got replaced with something even more expensive.”
Additionally, some students would rather put their meal swipe toward a nonfood item for the purpose of convenience. While the markets stock a host of everyday needs — batteries, school supplies, medicine and even birth control — none of these goods can be purchased using a meal swipe.
“I bought cough medicine one time when I needed it, and like Advil. I don’t think that covers it anymore,” Bonney said. “So that’s really frustrating, and I don’t think they're keeping the interests of students in mind.”
McKnight said that Vol Dining does not plan on revisiting the change in the future, meaning students may go back to using cash equivalency in POD Markets across campus with nearly as much freedom as in the past.
members, friends, fans and herself for not giving up on her dream.
Sabrina Carpenter
Emerging from a sewer drain in a dazzling dress, Sabrina Carpenter performed her new song “Tears” for the first time live, channeling Britney Spears with a dance break in the rain. The set, filled with an ensemble of drag performers and trans women, featured a clear call to action to “Protect the Dolls,” a phrase associated with protecting the rights and lives of trans women.
Carpenter’s performance was the perfect blend of drama, dancing, comedy and activism. She combined her lighthearted lyrics with a powerful message and Broadway-worthy costumes and choreography. Later, Carpenter was back on stage to accept Best Album for “Short n’ Sweet.”
Best New Artist
After winning Best New Artist, Alex Warren took to the stage to sing “Ordinary” and “Eternity” among an ethereal set and dozens of backup singers and dancers. The songs put Warren on the map with “Ordinary” ranking number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 for 10 weeks.
Osbourne tribute
Continuing to honor music legends, the VMAs paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away in July. In a video, Os-
bourne’s son and four of his grandchildren welcomed Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, YUNGBLUD and Nuno Bettencourt onto the stage. They rocked the house with a medley of hits from the “Prince of Darkness.” Fans of heavy metal and first time listeners were jamming out in the audience, and it was a true head-banging performance.
Best Alternative
Receiving the Best Alternative award earlier in the night, Sombr performed the award-winning track “Back to Friends” followed by “12 to 12” from his recently released debut album. It feels like Sombr is just entering the spotlight, and I foresee his popularity only increasing after tonight.
New awards
The VMAs introduced two new awards this year, Best Country and Best Pop Artist. Megan Moroney won the former and also performed her newest single, “6 Months Later.” As a listener of Moroney since her “Hair Salon” days, I loved seeing her with her sparkly guitar and bubbly dress on the VMAs stage.
Opinion: Cheugy: A look at our ever-evolving fashion trends
Sydney Cummins Contributor
Cheugy is an adjective coined by Gen Z to describe something — usually fashion — as outdated, uncool or trying too hard. The word is rather abstract and difficult to pinpoint verbally, but it is easy to identify in examples. Jeggings, chevron, gaudy statement necklaces, ballet slippers, skater skirts ... the list goes on and on. These fashion trends all gained momentum circa 2010, when millennials ran the internet and Tumblr was the reigning champion of social media platforms. In most cases, members of Gen Z avoid these looks like the plague today. Some exceptions exist, though, such as the revival of the ballet flat and statement jewelry.
Our evolving styles are a product of our environments and a symptom of nostalgia. Gen Z has made this clear through the revival of Y2K fashion, vintage styling and thrifting. Despite frequent nods to previous fashion trends, we have been the guinea pig cohort for the new age of micro trends and booming fast fashion. The Gen Z experience is not unique in the pressure we feel to fit into beauty standards and keep up with trendy styles, but it is unique in its impossibility to do so ethically.
The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and a lengthy period of quarantine led to levels of boredom that could seemingly only be quelled by rampant consumerism. Websites like Shein, AliExpress and Cider grew considerably in 2020, ushering in a new era for fast fashion. With the addition of thousands of new styles every week, these brands take advantage of the rapidly evolving microtrends promoted by social media.
Interestingly, fast fashion brands have recognized the growing popularity of shopping secondhand among Gen Z and have begun replicating vintage pieces to appeal to this aesthetic. There is no subtle irony in mass-producing lowquality clothing that will see a landfill before a thrift store; it is nothing less than a mockery of sustainable shopping. Fast fashion is the only business model that is capable of keeping up with micro trends, but it is imperative to note its detrimental effects on the environment and ethical concerns. Shein alone produces 6.3 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide every year, and has had a number of workers’ rights violations. Given the seemingly loftier issues around the world, fashion is often
written off as an unserious topic unless discussing the effects of fast fashion or its use for some sort of controversial messaging. A notable example of the latter is House representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’ look at the Met Gala in 2021, a bold call to action. She wore a white button-down dress, reflecting from the front the business-casual feel of her typical wardrobe as a politician. The controversial feature, however, was the phrase “Tax the Rich” scrawled on the back of the dress in red. Questions were raised regarding ethics and professionalism, with the situation still receiving attention today as AOC was ordered to pay nearly another $3000 for mistakenly breaking congressional rules on accepting free gifts. Her choice of clothing was bold, controversial and, most importantly, sensational.
cheugy, and we will suffer the same fate as our millennial predecessors. We are all destined to become unfashionable, archaic and obsolete members of society, and I think there is comfort in that fact. In a decade, our micro trends will be on the receiving end of jokes made by members of Gen Alpha wearing “live, laugh, love” t-shirts in their teal and white chevron bedrooms. In another decade, they will be emulating Gen Z’s preferred aesthetics, cottage core, coquette, clean girl, Shein-chic, etc. Fashion is continuously evolving, but not without taking notes from the past.
Sydney Cummins is a junior at UT this year studying English on the Pre-Law track. She can be reached at scummin7@vols. utk.edu
Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
“Despite frequent nods to previous fashion trends, we have been the guinea pig cohort for the new age of micro trends and booming fast fashion. The Gen Z experience is not unique in the pressure we feel to fit into beauty standards and keep up with trendy styles, but it is unique in its impossibility to do so ethically.”
SYDNEY CUMMINS CONTRIBUTOR
The representative’s presence at the event was a shock, and the scandalous wardrobe choice made for a story that was a headline on every news outlet. There is no question of fashion’s inherent power, especially in the twenty-first century. Clothing influences our environment, how we perceive each other, and our opinions on social issues, all while painting a portrait of our cultural landscape. The adjective “cheugy” is one of many ways we classify people and styles relative to our ever-evolving societal values. One day, our going-out outfits and athleisure will be another generation’s
Graphic by Lindsay Favre
The Weekly Crossword by Margie
E. Burke
34 Shaver's bane
37 Snowman in "Frozen"
38 Muse of love
42 Do lacework
43 Tear gas target slangily
45 Splits in two
48 Like some
53 Attacking, as for one
of a 4 Having
Venn diagram significance
59 Some 5 Trumpet and
downloads trombone government
60 Uncomfortable 6 Highest point
62 Group of eight 7 DiCaprio, to fans 32 Keep in custody
Ryan Osborn / Cartoonist
Peyton Lewis (2) and Mike Matthews (4) celebrate during a game against ETSU at Neyland Stadium, Sept. 6, 2025. Cole Moore / The Daily Beacon
Tennessee takes on ETSU at Neyland Stadium, Sept. 6, 2025. Jackson Clavier / The Daily Beacon
ESPN’s College GameDay returns to Knoxville for first time in 3 years
RYAN HANNA Staff Writer
College GameDay is coming back to Knoxville.
The classic college football show will make its return to Tennessee for the first time since the Vols knocked off Alabama 52-49 three years ago in an iconic game. With Tennessee set to host Georgia on Saturday, the top-25 matchup was one of the most likely candidates for GameDay alongside Florida vs LSU.
With the show’s announcement also came immediate speculation as to who the guest picker for the toptier matchup will be. During the show ahead of the Alabama win, school legend Peyton Manning and WWE star Brianca Belair were brought onto the show to make the pick.
This time around, however, the GameDay crew will have a host of potential options for a guest picker.
On campus, head baseball coach Tony Vitello would be a possibility, as his open support of the athletic department and teams is widely known around campus, and with a national championship under his belt, Vitello would be a marquee guest for the GameDay cast.
Head basketball coach Rick Barnes would also be an option after securing a lifetime contract from the program. Like Vitello, Barnes has become beloved on campus for his success and is known for his storytelling.
Off campus, GameDay could turn to top music stars Dolly Parton or Morgan Wallen for Saturday morning.
“The classic college football show will make its return to Tennessee for the first time since the Vols knocked off Alabama 52-49 three years ago in an iconic game.”
RYAN HANNA STAFF WRITER
The two have become synonymous with the university and its athletics programs, in particular the football team. Wallen’s “The Way I Talk” took over as Tennessee’s fourth quarter song, while Parton even performed at Neyland Stadium briefly in 2023.
Of course, the hosts could always invite Manning back to the show as well, as the fan favorite quarterback alumnus has returned to his alma mater as a professor of practice and
even recently donated $4 million to the university’s College of Communications and Information.
Another viable guest picker option would be Lady Vols basketball legend and three-time national champion Candace Parker as well. Parker helped the Lady Vols to their last two championships in 2007 and 2008, and has also gotten more involved with the university as of late.
On the field, the Week 3 clash will be the first true test of strength for both the Vols and Bulldogs, with both teams coming in undefeated through the first two games of the season.
Coming off a 72-17 win over ETSU and setting the school record for points in a
game, Tennessee has several question marks heading into the GameDay matchup, highlighted by its defensive line and the status of true freshman right tackle David Sanders Jr.
On the other hand, Georgia also has question marks entering the matchup, with the Bulldogs’ Roderick Robinson II and Malachi Toliver questionable coming off a 28-6 win in Athens over Austin Peay last week. Saturday’s game will also mark the first true road test for quarterback Gunnar Stockton. College GameDay begins at 9 a.m. ET, running until noon, from the set outside Ayres Hall. Tennessee and Georgia follow with a 3:30 p.m. kickoff in Neyland Stadium.
Tennessee golf sweeps individual, team championship at Visit Knoxville Collegiate
TREVOR MCGEE
Sports Editor
LOUDON — The “W” in Brennan Webb stands for win.
Tennessee golf kicked off the 2025 fall season by welcoming a 16-team field to Tennessee National Golf Club for the Visit Knoxville Collegiate. After three rounds of play, it was the Vols coming away victorious as a team — while claiming a co-champion in the individual field.
The Vols’ revolving lineup finished the weekend at 19-under-par on the
par-70 course, claiming a seven-shot win over second-place Ole Miss. It is the 12th tournament win under the direction of head coach Webb, the third-most in Tennessee history.
“I think it’s probably been the most complete team effort in any of the wins that we’ve had,” Webb said. Meanwhile, after failing to qualify for the lineup, Auburn transfer Reed Lotter walked away as co-champion with a seven-under-par finish. He tied at the top of the leaderboard with Charlotte’s Chase Cline.
Lotter shot 71-66-66 to claw to the
top of the charts after entering the final round trailing by four strokes to teammate Bruce Murphy. His finalround 66 was tied for the best round of the day.
“That’s one of the biggest advantages now is everyone’s just grinding, and there’s no complacency,” Webb said. “There’s no well, ‘I’m going to play anyways.’ And so that’s great for everybody. It makes everybody better.”
Lance Simpson and Jackson Herrington steadied the waters for the remainder of the team, recording fourth and fifth-place finishes, respectively.
Simpson shot 66-71-68 across the weekend, while Herrington added a consistent three rounds under-par, shooting 69-68-69.
The senior-sophomore tandem spent the summer earning major invitations, but returned to the college scene to lead the way as Webb’s one-two punch.
“Lance and Jackson did what they’re supposed to do, but being the one and two guys and set the tone,” Webb said. “And then a little cherry on top to have Reed win individually when he wasn’t even in the lineup. So really cool week all around.”
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ESPN’s College GameDay sets up in Knoxville, Tennessee. Oct. 14, 2022. File / The Daily Beacon
SPORTS
Simpson spent two of the three days atop Tennessee’s individual scoring. A rough day two pushed him down the card, but the redshirt-senior flipped it around early on Sunday.
The Knoxville native laid the groundwork in Round 3 with a par-four eagle on hole four to bring him from one-over to oneunder. He rode under par the remainder of the day to secure his seventh career top-10 finish.
“Definitely a special week for me, just growing up in Knoxville and having all my friends and family out here, and playing a golf course I’ve grown up at,” Simpson said. “So it’s pretty cool to start the last couple of years out here and just look forward to the rest of the fall with these guys.”
Herrington’s weekend was a model of consistency. After starting his collegiate journey a season ago in the Visit Knoxville Collegiate with a top-10 finish, Herrington put together another strong weekend on the home links.
The sophomore, nicknamed “Fridge,” tallied three under-par rounds, including a red number day in Round 2 with two birdies. The fifth-place finish was the best of his young career.
“Knowing that if you make a bogey, you got plenty of downwind and birdie holes ahead,” Herrington said. “So just not
getting too in your head about that, and just staying patient and staying in the shots, so I think did that pretty well today.”
True freshman Chase Kyes also made his debut over the three-day tournament. The nation’s No. 1 prep golfer in the class of 2025 shot four-over for the weekend with 66-74-72 rounds.
His final round featured a range of emotions. On hole 14 with a short par putt to remain three-over, Kyes’ ball lipped out before he tapped it in for bogey. In turn, he wrapped up two of the final three holes with birdies to escape with a two-over day.
“I think that’s kind of who he is, he’s just a competitor and a grinder,” Webb said. “First college round, comes out, shoots the easiest 66 you’ve ever seen.
“Struggled a little bit here the last couple days, but no give up in him. He’s somebody you can count on when it matters. And to be able to say about a freshman speaks volumes for what his potential is and who he’s going to become in this program.”
Josh Hill and Murphy were the other two golfers who cracked the openingtournament lineup under Webb.
Hill put forth a strong 67 in Round 1 and followed with a bogey-free Round 2 to four-under through two days. He finished with a 72 on the final day, putting him tied for 10th place. Murphy also collapsed on the day after leading the entire field
through two rounds with a seven-underpar showing. A 66-67 had him in prime positioning for an individual win before a last-round 75 pushed him down the leaderboard.
Murphy still claimed a 10th-place finish, making it four Vols inside the top-10.
“It’s definitely a lot of fun,” Simpson said. “I mean, all eight guys on this team
Tennessee soccer defeats Georgia Southern on Senior Day
TYLER EDMANDS Contributer
Tennessee women’s soccer capped off its nonconference slate with a 1-0 win over Georgia Southern, sending its seniors off
on the right note at Regal Stadium. The No. 2 Lady Vols extended their undefeated streak to start the season, moving to a near-perfect 6-0-1 as they start conference play later this week. Meanwhile, the Eagles dropped to 2-5 after the loss.
Senior Day featured a record turnout for the Lady Vols with 4,040 fans attending the game, a new program record.
“I think the energy from the crowd totally brings energy for us on the field,” Jenna Stayart said. “We love when Vol Nation shows up.”
Though the win is important, the day is about something bigger. It is about recognizing the impactful senior class, who make a difference on and off the pitch.
“They’ve been a part of so much,” head coach Joe Kirt said. “What we’ve continued to build here, they’ve been at the heart of it. Our team’s incredibly close. It starts with them and their relationships and allowing others to be a part of it. I’m proud of their individual growth, their collective growth, what they’ve accomplished on and off the field. It’s a tremendous group in the classroom, on the field, and in the community, and I’m just proud of them and how they represented themselves, our program and this university.”
Stayart, the redshirt senior midfielder, stole the show. She scored the gamewinning goal in the 50th minute, burying the ball after a perfect through ball from redshirt junior Leah Klurman.
“Honestly I was just glad to put one in so we could get a win,” Stayart said. “We have a strong senior class and just an awesome team. It’s great to finish the
compete day in and day out, and for all of us to get better. Each and every day at practice is pretty cool.”
Christian Pardue and Luke Smith also competed as individuals after missing the lineup during qualifying. Pardue shot 6868-78, while Smith went 75-69-82.
nonconference undefeated and then get a win for all of us seniors.”
At the other end of the pitch, redshirt senior goalkeeper Ally Zazzara anchored the defense. She tallied two saves en route to a clean sheet, preserving Tennessee’s shutout streak.
“That was pretty awesome,” Zazzara said. “It’s a surreal moment to sit here after all this time, and you look up and see all the people. It’s nice to look back after five years and be like, job well done.”
Tennessee’s win caps off its nonconference slate for the year. Kirt emphasized that the Lady Vols are staying focused on growing as they head into their SEC schedule.
“It’s about us, our continued growth and development and the standard we set for ourselves,” Kirt said. “It doesn’t change anything we’re doing. Our mentality and approach don’t change. It’s keep doing it and do it a little bit better each day.”
Tennessee will be back in action on Sept. 12, taking on Mississippi State in Starkville. The Bulldogs have been a solid team in recent years, but they currently sit outside of the top-25 with a 5-1 record. The two teams are familiar foes, as the Bulldogs knocked the Lady Vols out of the SEC Tournament last season, 2-1, in double overtime.
Tennessee’s Lance Simpson at the Visit Knoxville Collegiate in Loudon, TN. Sept. 7, 2025. Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon
Lady Vols soccer players cheer as Smokey pretends to propose to Keaton Mitchell (13) after a win over Georgia Southern in Regal Soccer Stadium. Sept. 7, 2025. Jayden Randolph / The Daily Beacon
Games to watch in Tennessee athletics this week
TREVOR MCGEE Sports Editor
9/14
Soccer at Mississippi State, 7 p.m. ET
Men’s tennis at Louisville Invitational, All day
Men’s tennis at Louisville Invitational, All day
Volleyball vs. Delaware State in Queens, New York, 12 p.m. ET
Football vs. Georgia, 3:30 p.m. ET
Men’s tennis at Louisville Invitational, All day
Volleyball vs. St. John’s in Queens, New York, 1 p.m. ET
2025 Football PICK ‘EM
Men’s golf at Invitational at The Honors Course, Ooltewah, Tennessee, all day
Men’s golf at Invitational at The Honors Course, Ooltewah, Tennessee, all day
