Tennessee’s football team on Monday went from the very unique to the very familiar.
The Volunteers were scheduled to open their 2023 season at Brigham Young University, which sits at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains in one of the sport’s most picturesque settings. Instead, Tennessee will begin on the banks of the Cumberland River inside Nashville’s Nissan Stadium against Virginia, according to an announcement from Vols athletic director Danny White.
Tennessee closed last season in Nissan Stadium, falling to Purdue 48-45 in the Music City Bowl.
“Pivoting to play a marquee nonconference opponent in Nashville made sense for multiple reasons,” White said through a statement. “This is a more accessible game for our fan base. I expect that we will have a much larger contingent of fans in Nashville than would have been able to travel to Utah. Our fans also have heard me talk about the importance of finding new revenue to grow our operating budget, and playing Virginia at Nissan Stadium is an opportunity for a net-positive revenue game.
“I appreciate Virginia AD Carla Williams and the Nashville Sports Council for working with us to make this attractive matchup happen.”