President Donald Trump plans to attend Saturday’s game between No. 1 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, the White House confirmed.
Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. Central on ABC. Both teams enter 3-0 and will open Southeastern Conference play. The Athletic reported the White House Press Office confirmed the visit and said ESPN’s “College GameDay” will also be in Knoxville, with the final hour of the show coming from inside the stadium.
Saturday will be the first regular-season meeting between the two programs that share the “UT” nickname. They have played three times before, all in the Cotton Bowl, most recently in 1969. Texas leads the series 2-1. It will also be the Longhorns’ first game at Neyland Stadium.
CBS Sports said a source confirmed Trump’s attendance and noted the game comes weeks before the November midterms, as Trump continues to push the Protect College Sports Act. ESPN declined to say whether the president would appear on “College GameDay.”
The Houston Chronicle reported Knoxville police have already told fans to arrive earlier than usual because of added security. WATE said stadium gates will open at 9 a.m. Eastern, Secret Service officers will screen fans at every gate, and the university is warning of extra checkpoints, possible street closures, and longer waits.
Texas is coming off wins over Texas State, then-No. 1 Ohio State, and UTSA. Tennessee has beaten Furman, Georgia Tech, and Kennesaw State. The Volunteers have designated the game as “Checker Neyland,” asking fans to fill the 101,915-seat stadium in an orange-and-white pattern.
For Texas fans watching from home, the early kickoff means a late-morning start. Officials in Knoxville are asking ticket holders to build in extra time and follow updates from university police, Tennessee Athletics, and the city.
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