Skip to main content
Tennessee

ESPN’s Rece Davis: Tennessee 'sets the standard' for College GameDay crowds in the SEC

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey4 hours agoGrantRamey
Rece Davis

When it comes to ESPN College GameDay crowds, there’s none quite like Tennessee. At least not in the Southeastern Conference. 

“I would say it’s the best SEC crowd in my three-plus years on GameDay,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel said this week on the College GameDay podcast.

“Every crowd we go to is really good,” GameDay host Rece Davis added later. “I would say Tennessee probably does set the standard in the SEC for GameDay crowds.”

SEC Opener: No. 15 Tennessee vs. No. 6 Georgia

College GameDay will be in Knoxville for the 12th time on Saturday morning, ahead of No. 15 Tennessee (2-0) against No. 6 Georgia (2-0) at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time (TV: ABC) in the SEC opener at Neyland Stadium.

The show will broadcast live from the lawn in front of Ayres Hall on The Hill on Tennessee’s campus. The pit — the fan area behind the ESPN set — opens at 6 a.m. ET while the first portions of the show begins at 8:30. Saturday’s full GameDay schedule can be seen here.

“The setting (at Tennessee) is perfect,” Davis said. “There’s a good backdrop. It’s just confined enough to give it a huge look. Students are really involved in the show. They’ve been awesome.”

“Those crowds there,” Davis added, “every time we’ve been, just fantastic. I think they’ll be great again this time, too.”

GameDay has been to Tennessee twice during the Josh Heupel era, coming to town for both the win over Florida and the win over Alabama during the 2022 season. The Vols beat the Gators 38-33 in September of that season, then beat the Crimson Tide 52-49 on a walk-off field goal on the Third Saturday in October. 

“Do you remember that line when we were driving to the office?” Thamel asked Davis on the podcast. “For the Alabama game, the second time we went there. I mean, at 5:15 in the morning it was a mile long. It was unbelievable. They care. Just look at their Twitter.”

“I hope it’s another epic day,” Thamel added. “I don’t care who wins. That caliber of game.”

‘We’ll see if Georgia can escape the cauldron that is Rocky Top’

While picking the game, Davis took Georgia +3.5 while Thamel went with Tennessee as a 3.5-point underdog.

“I just have too many questions about Georgia — questions about their offense,” Thamel said. “I think their defense is good, but not the elite, elite, elite defense we remember there. 

“And I have visceral memories, Rece, standing on the sideline with you watching those games at Neyland when it’s a cauldron of desperation. They really want to end this snide against Georgia. So I’m taking the fighting Aguilars.”

“We’ll see if Georgia can escape the cauldron that is Rocky Top,” Davis said.

You may also like