ABC/ESPN blew it this month when they announced that Tennessee’s game against Texas on September 26 will kick off at noon.

Tennessee was hoping the game would be played in prime time for several reasons: home field advantage, it’s a better scene for recruiting (checker Neyland at night looks great on TV), and it’s great national exposure for the program (which is as important as ever).

ESPN, though, ignored the intrigue of “The battle for the real UT” and Arch Manning facing his uncle Peyton’s alma mater, and stuck this highly anticipated game in the dreaded noon slot.

Why a noon kickoff isn’t a bad thing for Tennessee’s players

While most fans and the school itself preferred a night game, kicking off at noon isn’t necessarily a bad thing for Tennessee’s players.

The Vols practice in the morning under Josh Heupel, so the players’ bodies are conditioned to competing early in the day.

Several Tennessee players over the last couple of years, in fact, have said they prefer playing early games.

“I don’t think it’s a bad look to say that I’d much prefer to play in the morning,” said former Vols tight end Jacob Warren in 2023. “We don’t not like night games… Whenever it’s a night game, the lights come on, the sun goes down, music’s loud, all that stuff. So definitely appreciate a night game and I appreciate all that comes with it. At the same time, I don’t appreciate sitting in a hotel room for four hours and just waiting for a game. And then you’ve just got to think about the game all day long and be able to snap into that mindset of ‘Okay, it’s game time.’ But when you’ve got those 12 o’clock kicks, you pretty much get up, you eat breakfast, and we’re out the door.”

“We practice in the mornings right now, so that’s kind of natural for us,” added Warren. “We’re used to getting up, getting food, and then getting to it. So I would definitely prefer the earlier games.”

Former Vols wide receiver Dont’e Thornton made a similar comment in 2024.

“I’m tired of these night games,” said Thornton. “Every game this season has been a night game — except for the first game of the season.”

“Being in the hotel (all day) is the worst part,” added Thornton. “Because you wake up with a bunch of energy and then it slowly dies down. And then you gotta try to find it again before the game starts.”

It’s understandable why most folks wanted a night game — it’s still crazy to me that the game against Texas won’t be played in prime time — but it could be a good thing for Tennessee’s players. And ultimately, that’s what matters the most — this is a game that could set the tone for the Vols in 2026 and put Tennessee on the path to the College Football Playoff.