STEVE MEGARGEE
Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings (15) runs for yardage as he is chased by Georgia State safety Cedric Stone (9) and linebacker Ed Curney (2) in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee, BYU trying to bounce back from miserable openers

By Steve Megargee Sep. 06, 2019 10:24 AM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Either Tennessee or BYU is about to encounter an unfamiliar

Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt yells at side judge Eduardo Balbis in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia State, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Tennessee aiming to continue BYU's turnover troubles

By Steve Megargee Sep. 05, 2019 01:22 PM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee's Jeremy Pruitt built defenses that feasted on

LSU safety JaCoby Stevens (3) tackles Georgia Southern quarterback Shai Werts (1) for a loss in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Democker)
No. 12 Aggies, No. 6 LSU have huge nonconference road tests

By Steve Megargee Sep. 05, 2019 04:01 AM EDT
Here are some things to watch during the second week of the Southeastern Conference

Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt watches from the sideline in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Georgia State, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Pruitt: Vols need to 'look in the mirror' to get better

By Steve Megargee Sep. 02, 2019 04:03 PM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt says he still has faith in his

Georgia State rallies in 4th quarter to stun Tennessee 38-30

By Steve Megargee Aug. 31, 2019 08:50 PM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dan Ellington threw two touchdown passes and ran for a third

Georgia State cornerback Bryquice Brown (5) celebrates with fans after a win over Tennessee in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Georgia State rallies in 4th quarter to stun Tennessee 38-30

By Steve Megargee Aug. 31, 2019 07:13 PM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Georgia State was the unlikeliest of candidates to produce

FILE - In this March 7, 2019, file photo, Tennessee offensive coordinator Jim Chaney walks on the field during practice in Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee is about to get an early indication of whether its offense has improved as much as the Volunteers believe it has under new coordinator Jim Chaney. The Vols are paying the former Georgia offensive coordinator $1.5 million this season to boost an attack that ranked last in the Southeastern Conference in yards per game each of the last two years. That offense will try to show more firepower Saturday when Tennessee opens the season by hosting Georgia State. (Caitie McMekin/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP, File)
Chaney's offense gets early test as Vols host Georgia State

By Steve Megargee Aug. 30, 2019 12:15 PM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee is about to get an early indication of whether its

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2018, file photo, Memphis quarterback Brady White warms up before an NCAA college football game against Central Florida, in Memphis, Tenn. Brady White has two seasons of eligibility remaining, yet he already has earned his master's degree. White now is working toward his doctorate while leading Memphis into its season opener Saturday against Mississippi. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski, File)
Memphis' White working toward doctorate while playing QB

By Steve Megargee Aug. 29, 2019 11:43 AM EDT
Memphis quarterback Brady White has two seasons of eligibility remaining, yet he

FILE - In this July 15, 2019, file photo, LSU defensive back Grant Delpit speaks during the NCAA college football Southeastern Conference Media Days in Hoover, Ala. Delpit arguably is the nation’s top returning defensive player after collecting 74 tackles, five sacks and five interceptions last season. LSU will need Delpit this week to help contain a Georgia Southern offense that ranked seventh among all Football Bowl Subdivision teams in rushing last season. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)
Nix has demanding debut as No. 16 Auburn faces No. 11 Oregon

By Steve Megargee Aug. 29, 2019 09:15 AM EDT
Here are some things to watch during the opening week of the Southeastern Conference

FILE - In this Aug. 24, 2019, file photo, Florida head coach Dan Mullen watches from the sideline during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Miami in Orlando, Fla. This is the time of year when the Southeastern Conference usually validates its claim as the best league in college football by dominating neutral-site nonconference matchups. The SEC is 21-6 in regular-season nonconference games against Power Five opponents at neutral sites since 2012. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
SEC's early season neutral-sites games might be on the clock

By Steve Megargee Aug. 28, 2019 12:11 PM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — This is the time of year when the Southeastern Conference

In this Aug. 10, 2019, photo, Tennessee defensive lineman Aubrey Solomon (98) runs a drill during the NCAA college football team's practice in Knoxville, Tenn. Solomon has received an NCAA waiver enabling the Michigan transfer to play for the Volunteers immediately rather than sitting out the 2019 season. Solomon's availability provides a giant boost to a Tennessee defensive line that has no returning starters. (Calvin Mattheis/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP)
OL Smith, DL Solomon will play this season for Tennessee

By Steve Megargee Aug. 28, 2019 12:10 PM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee got a major boost on each side of the line of

In this Aug. 2, 2019 photo, Tennessee freshman offensive lineman Wanya Morris (64) runs a drill during NCAA college football practice in Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt knows the perils of playing freshmen. But as much as Pruitt wants to remain patient, Tennessee's roster situation demands that he gives some opportunities to his youngest players. (Calvin Mattheis//Knoxville News Sentinel via AP)
Tennessee likely to play several freshmen in season opener

By Steve Megargee Aug. 27, 2019 03:08 PM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt hopes a theory his father has

FILE -In this Sept. 22, 2018, file photo, Tennessee's Bryce Thompson (20) returns a kick in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Florida in Knoxville, Tenn. Thompson has been arrested on a domestic assault charge stemming from an argument with his girlfriend. A woman told police the argument began Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, after she found another woman's fake eyelashes in Thompson's room. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)
Tennessee suspends cornerback after domestic assault charge

By Steve Megargee Aug. 26, 2019 09:39 AM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt suspended Bryce Thompson

In this Aug. 2, 2019, photo, Tennessee offensive line coach Will Friend instructs players during NCAA college football practice in Knoxville, Tenn. Tennessee's offensive linemen have taken plenty of lumps over the last two years from opposing pass rushers, the media and even their own fans. Now they're eager to take out their frustrations and change the narrative surrounding their recent results. (Calvin Mattheis/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP)
Criticism a motivating factor for Vols' offensive line

By Steve Megargee Aug. 22, 2019 03:36 PM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee's offensive linemen have taken their lumps over the

FILE - In this Nov. 10, 2018, file photo, Kentucky quarterback Terry Wilson (3) is pressured by Tennessee linebacker Darrell Taylor (19) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Knoxville, Tenn. Darrell Taylor is coming off a breakthrough season but believes he’s capable of doing even better. Taylor recorded eight sacks last year, the most of any Southeastern Conference player who’s back this fall. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)
Tennessee pass rush relying heavily on Darrell Taylor

By Steve Megargee Aug. 21, 2019 02:56 PM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee outside linebacker Darrell Taylor is coming off a

This Aug. 8, 2019, photo provided by Sun Devil Athletics shows Arizona State University freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels at practice in Payson, Ariz. Daniels will become the first Arizona State true freshman quarterback to start a season opener for the Sun Devils, as he won a four-man competition for the job. (Radmen Niven/Sun Devil Athletics via AP)
Analysis: Arizona State, Auburn, UNC to rely on frosh QBs

By Steve Megargee Aug. 21, 2019 09:38 AM EDT
There is a trickle-down effect from having true freshman quarterbacks star in the

FILE - In this April 6,2019, file photo, LSU coach Ed Orgeron, left, gives freshman cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (24) a pat on the head after talking with him briefly after Stingley fielded a punt during the NCAA college football team's spring scrimmage n Baton Rouge, La. Stingley was the nation’s No. 1 prospect in his class according to Rivals and was rated third according to the 247Sports Composite. Travis Spradling/The Advocate via AP, File)
Analysis: Arizona State, North Carolina to rely on frosh QBs

By Steve Megargee Aug. 21, 2019 02:05 AM EDT
There is a trickle-down effect from having true freshman quarterbacks star in the

FILE - In this Oct. 27, 2018, file photo, Texas A&M head coach Jimbo Fisher watches a replay on the videoboard during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss. As Fisher prepares for his second season at Texas A&M he believes his the Aggies are closer to being an elite team than they were a year ago. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle, File)
Analysis: Toughest schedule? So. Carolina can make the claim

By Steve Megargee Aug. 17, 2019 02:53 AM EDT
South Carolina has the type of brutal schedule that could help the Gamecocks be a

FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2018, file photo, Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt yells to his players during an NCAA college football game against Georgia in Athens, Ga. Pruitt believes his team can benefit from the lessons he learned in his debut season as a head coach. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
Tennessee dealing with uncertainty on both sides of line

By Steve Megargee Aug. 15, 2019 04:12 PM EDT
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee's outlook on each side of the line of scrimmage

FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2018, file photo, Marshall's Channing Hames (94) sacks UTSA quarterback Bryce Rivers during an NCAA college football game in Huntington, W.Va. Channing Hames and Omari Cobb lead a defense that didn’t allow any individual to rush for 100 yards last season. (Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch via AP, File)
UCF again heads list of Group of Five standouts

By Steve Megargee Aug. 15, 2019 02:48 AM EDT
Central Florida again shapes up as the nation's top Group of Five program heading