Tennessee football has some flexibility with the uniforms they wear in any given road game, donning white helmets and white jerseys with either white or orange pants. But the Vols have the chance to do something they rarely do this season— wear orange uniforms on the road.
The Vols have the opportunity after Mississippi State announced a “White Out” for its Sept. 25 matchup against Tennessee. The Bulldogs are doing a white out and wearing all white jerseys to honor the 25 year anniversary of their 43-41 overtime victory over Texas A&M in the 2000 Independence Bowl.
Known as the “Snow Bowl” because of the rare snowy conditions in Shreveport, Mississippi State scored a late touchdown to force the game to overtime before blocking an extra point and returning it for a touchdown to earn the win in the first overtime. Mississippi State is recreating its uniforms from that game with the interlocking MSU on white helmets.
Tennessee last wore non white jerseys on the road during the 2022 season when they donned the Smokey Grey look in a 40-13 bludgeoning of LSU in Baton Rouge. The Vols last wore orange jerseys on the road in their heartbreaking 16-14 loss at LSU in 2010— better known as the 13-men on the field game.
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Of course, Tennessee could wear Smokey Grey or black uniforms against Mississippi State in Starkville. Black uniforms could make sense to combat the white out. Especially if the game turns out to be a night game. It’s currently flexed in the afternoon or night game slot.
But it presents a rare opportunity for Tennessee to wear orange uniforms on the road— something they rarely get to do. It won’t be the last opportunity to do so, however. Tennessee opens up its 2026 season at Georgia Tech and the Yellow Jackets have begun wearing white uniforms at home in recent years.
Tennessee hosted Mississippi State in Knoxville a season ago, dominating the Bulldogs 33-14 despite quarterback Nico Iamaleava suffering an injury late in the first half and not returning to the game in the second half.
Mississippi State was one of the SEC’s worst teams in 2024, posting a 2-10 record and failing to win a SEC game. Jeff Lebby is looking for his Bulldog squad to take a major step forward in his second season as head coach. While it looks like a game Tennessee should win on paper, the Vols have dropped road games as massive favorites in recent seasons.
