This Saturday, Tennessee football is going to wear black pants, jerseys and helmets for its matchup with Oklahoma for the annual ‘Dark Mode’ game. This year, there is a slight alteration to the uniform, though. However, it’s probably one you never would have noticed, certainly from a distance.
As pointed out by X user Chad Fields, the uniforms are now using the Nike Vapor F.U.S.E jersey template instead of the Nike Vapor Untouchable one in previous years. The changes are subtle, but the biggest tell is at the bottom of the collar.
In the new F.U.S.E. version, you can see the mesh on the collar extend upward. On the Untouchable version, it’s a straight line across instead of going up the collar. The F.U.S.E. also has a new seam pattern and other small upgrades.
Tennessee’s orange and white jerseys have been on the F.U.S.E. template since 2023. In 2022, it was the Untouchable edition.
Cut, seams, slight material change. The white, orange, and grey unis have been on the fuse since 2023 for reference. pic.twitter.com/8UY7foP0Qs
— Chad Fields (Vols Uniform Boy) (@CfieldsVFL) October 27, 2025
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The debut of the black uniforms came in 2021 against South Carolina. Behind Hendon Hooker, the Vols jumped out to a dominant start and finished strong to win 45-20. Later that year, Tennessee went back to the black uniforms against Georgia, but didn’t have the same success. Despite striking first, UGA powered past the Vols 41-17.
In 2022, there was an altercation to the uniform. While the black pants and jerseys remained the same, Tennessee was finally able to pair it up with a black helmet. In both games in 2021, the Vols wore their typical white helmet with black accents added to it. That year, Tennessee debuted the new look against Kentucky and won 44-6.
In 2023, the Vols went to the ‘Dark Mode’ look with South Carolina in town. In a revenge game against the Gamecocks after they beat Tennessee on the road the year prior, the Vols won 41-20. This past season, the Vols wore them against Kentucky and won 28-18.
Now, it’ll be against Oklahoma in the top-20 bout inside Neyland Stadium.
Here’s a full breakdown of records under Heupel in different uniform combinations:
- Orange jersey/white pants – 20-2
- Orange jersey/orange pants – 8-1
- White jersey/white pants – 8-8
- White jersey/orange pants – 1-4
- Dark Mode – 4-1
- White helmet – 1-1
- Black helmet – 3-0
- Smokey Grey – 3-0
