It’s going to be tough to find a better atmosphere across college football on any given year than what Tennessee football’s Neyland Stadium will likely be this afternoon. With Georgia coming to town for a top-15 matchup, it has the makings of a rowdy crowd that could threaten any decibel record you believe in.
Vols head coach Josh Heupel is very aware of the impact a crowd can have on a game. In an appearance on ESPN’s College GameDay this morning, he acknowledged the level Neyland Stadium is at.
“Neyland is always lit,” Heupel said. “Checker Neyland is a little bit more special. Today is going to be college football as good as it gets inside of that stadium.”
“Today’s going to be college football as good as it gets inside that stadium.”
🎥 @coachjoshheupel on @CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/wiaWyqJiHF
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) September 13, 2025
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On the other sideline, Kirby Smart and his Georgia squad are going to have to deal with an oppressive wave of noise every time his offense takes the field. He knows that that means his playbook might get a little smaller, and there are some things you just can’t do on the road.
He doesn’t want his team worrying about the literal outside factor, though. Smart just wants them dialed in on their performance.
“We’re going to a tough place to play,” Smart said. “First game on the road in the SEC. When you open up on the road in the SEC, it’s always challenging. It’ll be important that our players understand that, that the environment is something that you don’t have to worry about. You got to worry about how you play, and sometimes that’s easier said than done, especially with young players. But we’ll prepare for it, and we’re excited to go play. These are the games you come to Georgia to play in. So I’m excited for these guys.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET and will air on ABC. The crowd will be ‘checkered’ with the annual ‘Checker Neyland’ event going into effect.
