Rivalry Week Storyline Adds Even More Fuel to Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt

This game has even more fuel to the fire now. Here is why that is the case in this edition of rivalry week.

Tennessee defensive lineman Jaxson Moi (51) celebrates after a tackle during a college football game between Tennessee and Arkansas at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Oct. 11, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tennessee Volunteers are one of the teams that truly exceeded expectations this season, as they lost a lot of key pieces in their offseason, which seemed to be horrific in the moment, but things ultimately worked out better than they were anticipated to and better than they really should have as a whole.

The Vols have one of the better young teams in the nation, as the roster consists of nearly 50% freshmen, but nearly all of the players on their roster have the chance to come back, and a good bit of the roster will return to Tennessee (unless something hits like it did last offseason out of the blue).

They have done a good job this season in terms of their expectations, as they are currently 8-3 in the season, but they have a chance to pickup their ninth win of the college season, but in order to do that they will need to defeat another top team in the nation, and one of their biggest rivalries in college sports as a whole, as they will be taking on the Vanderbilt Commodores inside Neyland Stadium. This will be Senior Day for the Tennessee Volunteers, as they are set to honor all of the players who will be on their way out the door and on to the pros.

Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt Has More Fuel to The Fire

Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar (6) warms up before a college football game between Tennessee and Florida at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida., on Nov. 22, 2025. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Vols have a little bit of added fuel in this game, which is great, as it is hard for a team that hopes to make the playoffs to find something to play for when it comes to the later part in the season, as they are no longer in the playoff picture, and they already have clinched a bowl game.

The Vols will be tasked with playing against a good team, but not only that, but they will have the chance to play spoiler in the Vanderbilt season, as Vanderbilt is still on the edge of making a playoff game. In fact, the Vanderbilt Commodores will make the playoffs if they defeat the Tennessee Vols in my opinion.

This is the final game of the regular season, and these two hate each other. This rivalry has seen some of the nastiest of what college football has to offer, and they will be looking to gain bragging rights inside one of the nation's best college football stadiums, Neyland Stadium, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

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