Virginia college football team is ready to kick off their 134th season as they travel to Nissan Stadium to face Tennessee Volunteers in the season-opener. Everything you know from this article Where and how can you stream Tennessee vs. Virginia college football live stream from anywhere, without cable including series history, preview, and more.
How to watch Tennessee vs. Virginia live: Venue, Time and TV Channel
Date: Saturday, September 2
Time: 12:00 pm ET
Venue: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
Capacity: 69,143
TV: ABC
Live Online: Watch Live from anywhere
Radio: Virginia Sports Radio Network, ESPN Radio, TuneIn App / SiriusXM Channel 113 or 194 / SiriusXM App 80
Series History:
Tennessee Volunteers leads with a 3-1 record against Virginia Cavaliers in four all-time h2h games they’ve played. These two teams first met back in 1927, followed by a game in 1940 and 1980
Virginia Cavaliers team update
For the first time since 1989, the Cavaliers will be playing their opening fixture at a neutral venue when they take on No. 2 Notre Dame at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Overall, it’s the fourth time in their history (2023, 1989, 1960, 1890) that they’ll start the season at such a site.
Talking more about their upcoming game, the Cavaliers are visiting Nashville for the first time since the 2017 season. It’s worth mentioning that the Cavaliers cut their season shortlist time as they canceled their last two games of the year after the tragic deaths of Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr., and D’Sean Perry, and will return to the field for the first time in 294 days.
Since 2017, UVA has won their previous six-consecutive season opening fixture and possesses an 85-39-9 record in these games. Moreover, Tennessee will be facing its first SEC opponent since the 2019 Orange Bowl and their last win against an SEC opponent came in the 2018 Belk Bowl (28-0) in Charlotte.
This year, the Virginia side returns with eight starters on the defensive side of the ball, including the whole defensive line. They averaged 3.0 sacks per game, the 12th-highest average in the country. The Cavaliers’ defense was the strong point of last year’s squad, as they improved scoring defense by over a total touchdown (7.8 points) from the season before (2021).
Cavaliers are coming to the season after finishing 103rd in total offense (344 yards per game) and 45th in total defense (357.5 yards allowed per game) last season. Moreover, they were the side with the 13th-worst turnover margin (-9), forcing 13 turnovers (111th in the FBS) while turning it over 22 times (107th in the FBS).
However, UVA must replace nearly 80% of its offense from last season, including the program’s all-time leading passer, Brennan Armstrong. That said, the Cavaliers return with three starters on offense and have strengthened the offensive side of the ball with transfers, such as QB Tony Muskett (Monmouth), WR Malik Washington (Northwestern), and OL Brian Stevens (Dayton).
Tennessee Volunteers team update
Volunteers will enter the season as 12th ranked in the AP poll and 10th in the AFCA Coaches Poll. They finished the last season as the No. 6 team in the country and will be looking for their first win against a ranked opponent since 2020 when they defeated then-No. 15 North Carolina.
Game vs. Cavaliers will mark the third time in Tennessee’s program history that they’ll play the season opener at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, with winning both prior such games: 59-30 vs. Bowling Green and 47-7 vs. Wyoming.
Overall, UT boasts a 5-2 record in games they’ve played at Nissan Stadium, losing the last contest here against Purdue (48-45).
This season marks the first since 2016, when Vols will enter the year at No. 10 in the AFCA Coaches Poll, currently ranked 12th in the AP Top 25.
It’s worth mentioning that for the first time since 2001, Volunteers won 11 games last season, in the second year under Josh Heupel. Tennessee Vols are 3-0 in season openers after defeating Ball State (59-10) in 2022 and Bowling Green (38-6) in 2021 and will be looking to extend their streak.
Coming to the game, the Volunteers averaged 525.5 yards of total offense last year, first in the nation’s ranking. Defensively, Tennessee ranked 93rd in total defense (405.4 yards allowed per game) and forced 22 tutorial turnovers (22nd in the FBS).
Looking at the Volunteers’ roster, we see some highly experienced returners in the backline with running backs trio Jabari Small, Jaylen Wright, and Dylan Sampson.
The trio combined for over 2000 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns last fall, breaking the school record for most rushing touchdowns (40) in a single season. Moreover, 62 letter-winners and 12 starters (six on offense and six on defense) also return from last year.
