KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 5, 2025) – The ETSU football team will face its toughest test of the young 2025 season on Saturday when it visits nationally-ranked Tennessee. Kickoff between the Buccaneers and Volunteers is set for 3:30 p.m. from Neyland Stadium.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, September 6
Time: 3:32 p.m.
Location: Knoxville, Tenn. | Neyland Stadium
Teams: No. 24/RV ETSU (1-0, 0-0 SoCon) at Tennessee (1-0, 0-0 SEC)
Weather: 79 degrees, cloudy
Live Video:
SEC Network Plus/ESPN+
TV Crew: Matt Schumacker (pbp), Dustin Fox (analyst), Stephanie Otey (sideline)
Live Audio:
WXSM-AM 640 | HD radio can listen on 101.5 WQUT HD-2
Radio Crew: Jay "Voice of the Bucs" Sandos (pbp), Matt Wilhjelm (analyst), Robert Harper (sideline)
Live Stats:
ETSUBucs.com (Statbroadcast)
X:
@ETSUFootball
THINGS TO KNOW – Please click
HERE for all the "Things to Know" for Saturday's matchup with the Vols, presented by Citizens Bank.
HOUSTON NAMED SOCON OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Running Back
Devontae Houston played a vital role in ETSU's 45-17 win over Murray State on Saturday. The graduate running back ran for a team-high 128 yards on 14 carries (9.1 per carry) with two touchdowns. The 128 yards were the most in Houston's ETSU career and it is also the fourth time that he has surpassed 100 rushing yards in a Buccaneer uniform. Houston has three straight games he has topped the century mark on the ground dating back to last year. Houston, who had a 51-yard run on one of ETSU's scoring drives, and his 128 yards helped the Blue and Gold rush for 392 yards, which is the team's highest single-game total since 2021 vs. Western Carolina (461 yards).
BUCS BEST SINCE… - The 45 points scored by ETSU against Murray State were the team's most in a season opener since 1987 against William & Mary (49). The Buccaneer offense ran for 392 yards, totaled 572 yards overall and four different players (Houston,
Khalil Eichelberger,
D'Marius Rucker and
Jeremiah Harrison) reached the endzone in the victory.
SPLASH PLAYS ON DEFENSE – The 2024 Buccaneer defense put plenty of pressure on opposing quarterbacks with 35 sacks a season ago. This year's defense kept that trend rolling last Saturday with four sacks. ETSU's defense also intercepted two passes courtesy of
Jason Duclona and
Jivon Oggs after tallying just two picks through 12 games a season ago. Furthermore, ETSU held the Racers to 34 rushing yards on 28 attempts (1.2) on Saturday.
AT HOME ON ROCKY TOP – Several ETSU players will have a homecoming of sorts on Saturday. 10 players on ETSU's roster are originally from Knoxville or from a nearby suburb. Additionally, current Buccaneer tight end
Charlie Browder returns to Tennessee after playing the last three seasons for the Vols.
PREPARING FOR A POWER CONFERENCE TEAM – ETSU does own a pair of wins over power conference teams in its history. The Bucs upended NC State in 1987 (29-14) and then upset Vanderbilt to open the 2021 season (23-3). That win in 2021 over Vanderbilt was the last time that a SoCon team has won a game against a FBS opponent.
ABOUT TENNESSEE – Like the Bucs, the Vols began the 2025 season with a convincing victory. Tennessee flew past Syracuse by a score of 45-26 in a neutral site game in Atlanta last Saturday. The clash with the Bucs will be the Vols' home opener at Neyland Stadium. Tennessee has compiled a home record of 20-1 over the last three seasons and have won nearly 74 percent of their games in the Stadium's history.
SERIES REWIND AGAINST TENNESSEE – Saturday will mark the second-ever matchup between the Bucs and Vols with the first occurring in 2018.
For more information on Buccaneer football, visit
ETSUBucs.com and click on the football tab.
