Tennessee fans drown out Kirk Herbstreit on ESPN College GameDay set with 'Nico Sucks' chant

Tennessee fans are feeling themselves ahead of College GameDay in Knoxville. With Georgia coming to town for a massive SEC showdown, the Volunteers faithful are already loud, proud, and ready to make their presence felt.

The party started early. During a live appearance on SportsCenter, Kirk Herbstreit could barely be heard — Tennessee fans drowned him out with chants of “Nico sucks!”

We’ve already had “NICO SUCKS” and “OVERRATED” chants on live television today😂😂

We’re in for a fun one.

— Tri-Star Network (@TriStar_Network) September 13, 2025

Of course, the reference is to Nico Iamaleava, the Volunteers’ former quarterback who transferred to UCLA this offseason. Things haven’t gone well for him in Los Angeles. After another shaky performance on Friday night, the Bruins are 0-3 in the Iamaleava era. Meanwhile, Tennessee seems more than content with Joey Aguilar running the show in Knoxville.

Through two weeks, Aguilar has been the better quarterback. He’s completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 535 yards and five touchdowns, while adding 34 rushing yards in a pair of comfortable wins. It’s not hard to see why fans are calling this a win in the de facto quarterback trade.

Even Aguilar’s family is embracing the moment. Speaking with On3’s Pete Nakos, his father, Jose, put it into perspective.

“We don’t have any problems with Nico,” Jose Aguilar said, reflecting on the events of the last four months. “If anything, it’s thank you. Joey is in a great spot. That’s what I would say, thank you. He did what he decided to do. Everything that happened, happened. I think it’s clear who won the trade.

“Look at the fans and the stats. Everything happens for a reason. We’re not at Tennessee without Nico making the decisions he made.”

Saturday, Aguilar faces his biggest test yet with Georgia in town. A win would be a program-defining moment, and plenty of people are taking notice. Among them are SEC legend Steve Spurrier, who agrees that Tennessee ended up in the better spot.

“I think it’ll be a good game,” Spurrier said on the Another Dooley Noted Podcast. “I think Tennessee is much better off with this new quarterback than the one they had. It’s funny how that happens sometimes. You think this guy’s the best in the world. Then, all of a sudden, another guy jumps in there and plays better.”

The contrast between Aguilar and Iamaleava couldn’t be sharper. Iamaleava was a five-star recruit in the Class of 2023, a highly touted quarterback who secured major NIL deals. Aguilar, on the other hand, was a three-star prospect out of JUCO in the Class of 2019. At one point, he nearly walked away from football to become a firefighter before continuing his career at App State, then UCLA, and now Tennessee.

That underdog story resonates with Volunteers fans — and so does the winning. With Aguilar at the helm, Tennessee looks like the clear victor in this quarterback shuffle. Now, with Georgia coming to Knoxville, Aguilar has the chance to take the narrative one step further — and deliver the statement win that could define his season.