How to Watch Auburn Tigers vs. No. 17 Tennessee, TV, Betting

Auburn football takes its first road trip in SEC play on Saturday, traveling to Tennessee to face the No. 17-ranked Volunteers.

The Tigers are coming off a win over another opponent from the same state, defeating Vanderbilt at home to pick up their first conference win of the season. Now, head coach Alex Golesh will head to a hostile environment with hopes of going above .500 in conference play.

And it’s a place where he made a name for himself.

Golesh was the offensive coordinator at Tennessee from 2021-22, getting national recognition heading into his first head coach job at USF for the last three seasons. However, he now plays his former boss, Josh Heupel, who will be on the opposite side of the field this time.

There’s plenty of respect between the two head coaches in this matchup.

“I have so much respect for Coach Heupel,” Golesh said earlier this week. “He gave me an opportunity in 2020 and brought me with him to Tennessee. It changed, in a lot of ways, how I look at offensive football and how I look at running a program.”

Auburn is looking to kickstart its offense after its first four games, where the Tigers haven’t looked like Golesh’s previous team, USF, on that side of the ball. However, it’s going to be tough to do in a place like Neyland Stadium, especially with the Volunteers averaging only 15.5 points per game this season. That’s fourth in the SEC.

Tennessee is also in a bounce-back spot, similar to the one that Auburn was in last week with the Vanderbilt matchup. In a game that lasted until the final play of the game, the Vols fell to No. 1 Texas at home to pick up their first loss of the season.

The game’s two quarterbacks couldn’t be any different, either. Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown is in his fifth season, while true freshman Faizon Brandon leads the Tennessee offense into this game. We’ve seen growing pains from Brandon throughout his first four games, but Auburn must keep an eye on his ability to extend plays to get off the field early.

Despite plenty of factors that could turn the Tigers away from winning this game, Golesh is taking it as an opportunity to pick up his first ranked win as Auburn’s head coach, and it would be a vital one.

"So, a lot of challenges. We’re excited about it. I'm excited to continue prep here as we go,” Golesh said. “Excited for our first road game. This will be a really good next step for us as a program to go and be able to handle all of the other stuff for us to be able to get to this game.”

Auburn Tigers (3-1, 1-1 SEC) vs. No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers (3-1, 0-1 SEC): What You Need to Know

Where: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville, Tennessee

When: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2:30 p.m. CT

Watch: ESPN

Play-by-Play: Bob Wischusen

Analyst: Louis Riddick

Sideline Reporter: Stormy Buonantony

Stream: ESPN or ESPN App

Weather: As of Friday afternoon, Knoxville has a 95% chance of rain, meaning expect wet conditions, barring changes. Expect temperatures in the high 70s on Saturday afternoon.

Radio: Radio: Auburn Sports Network, Wings 94.3 FM

Play-by-Play: Andy Burcham

Analyst: Jason Campbell

Sideline: Bret Eddins

Odds: Tennessee is a 6.5-point favorite over the Tigers, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The over/under line is set at 54.5 points.

Disclaimer: Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER

Series History: Auburn leads the all-time series over Tennessee, 29-22-3. The Tigers have won 10 of those at Neyland Stadium, but they’ve also won seven of their last eight against the Volunteers.

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