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College GameDay Predictions for Texas vs. Tennessee Matchup

ESPN's College GameDay was on hand ahead of the SEC opener between the Texas Longhorns and Tennessee Volunteers.
Johnny Knoxville, right, shakes hands with Nick Saban, left, during ESPN’s College GameDay before a college football game between Tennessee and Texas at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Sept. 26, 2026.
Johnny Knoxville, right, shakes hands with Nick Saban, left, during ESPN’s College GameDay before a college football game between Tennessee and Texas at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn. on Sept. 26, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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The No. 1 Texas Longhorns are visiting the No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville on Saturday in the SEC opener for both teams.

Texas leads the all-time series 2-1, though the last matchup took place in 1968.

It's safe to say Saturday's game is a long time coming, which is one of the reasons why ESPN's College GameDay decided to take the trip to Knoxville. This marks the second time so far this season that GameDay has covered a Texas game after doing so in Week 2 for the Ohio State matchup.

Kirk Herbstreit is calling the game for ABC, so he didn't make a prediction, but here's a look at the rest of the picks from the College GameDay crew at Neyland Stadium.

Desmond Howard

Desmond Howard
Desmond Howard on the ESPN College Gameday set during the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pick: Texas

Desmond Howard picked Texas ahead of the Ohio State game, and he's doing the same against Tennessee.

It's a tough one for me. This is another flip the point. I think the teams are evenly matched. I think both defenses are going to play well. I have to lean towards a team with the veteran quarterback. So hook them. Give me Arch Manning and a long horn

Johnny Knoxville (celebrity guest picker)

Pick: Tennessee

Wearing full Tennesee football gear with pads and a helmet, it's no surprise who Knoxville ended up picking.

After all, it's in the name.

"They have some questions about their offense. But after the game today, Tennessee will remain the real UT, and Texas will remain the real UTI."

Nick Saban

Nick Saban
Former head coach Nick Saban and his wife Terry Saban were at the Florida State game to honor teachers through their Nick’s Kids Foundation at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Pick: Texas

Nick Saban knows what it's like to play in the hostile environment at Neyland Stadium, but he's still picking Texas.

"This is a great environment to play in," Saban said. "This was always a rivalry game for us at Alabama, so this was a great competitive venue to play in. And the last time I played here, this goalpost right here ended up in the river. I'm telling you, that goalpost is safe today. I'm taking Texas."

Pat McAfee

McAfee once again had a lot to say before picking Tennessee.

He threw up the "Horns Down" sign as he made his selection.

"I had all intents and purposes of picking Arch Manning running wild on this field just like his uncle used to do," McAfee said. "I thought Sark was going to bring in a bunch of dogs that were going to disrupt everything that Josh Heupel and his freshman quarterback had. Heupel spins it, hits the crossbar. ... Feels like the football gods are talking. Give me the Tennessee Volunteers to give a huge win over the No. 1 team in the country."

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Zach Dimmitt
ZACH DIMMITT

Zach Dimmitt is the Deputy Editor for Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI. He also contributes as a writer for the On SI channels of the Oregon Ducks, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. He was previously the editor-in-chief of Buffalo Bills on SI, Philadelphia Eagles on SI and Seattle Seahawks on SI. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Dimmitt received his Bachelor’s Degree in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin in 2022. He originally started with SI’s Fan Nation network in 2021, providing extensive coverage of the NFL and NBA along with college football and basketball. In that time, Dimmitt has published thousands of stories and has reached millions of people across multiple fan bases. You can follow him on X at @ZachDimmitt7

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