Tennessee
We simulated Tennessee football vs. NC State. Who won the game, MVP honors in EA Sports?
What Nico Iamaleava’s performance means for Tennessee football’s playoff quest
What Nico Iamaleava’s performance means for Tennessee football’s playoff quest
It’s Week 2 of the college football season, which means it’s time for our video game simulation of No. 14 Tennessee vs. No. 24 NC State on EA Sports College Football 25.
We still need another week before we can deliver a true simulation, as this week’s game will take place at the neutral site of Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, which is not available in the video game. For last week’s simulation, Tennessee took on Chattanooga, which was only available by downloading a user-created team with inaccurate player names and attributes.
But for this week’s matchup, rosters are updated, even if rankings are not. We set the time for 8 p.m. (the closest you can get to a 7:30 p.m. kickoff) and set the environment to partly cloudy to simulate the projected weather in Charlotte.
We ran 100 simulations to get a wide range of averages for both teams. Here’s what the video game predicts for the real-life matchup between the Volunteers and the Wolfpack, happening at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 7.
Results of the virtual Tennessee Volunteers vs. NC State Wolfpack games
Out of 100 simulations, NC State won the majority of the games with 53.
Many games were decided by just a field goal or a touchdown, and only a few games featured a blowout by either team. Seven games went to overtime, which favored NC State with four victories.
The Vols scored an average of 24.3 points per game, with the Wolfpack scoring an average of 25.95.
Tennessee average yards: 174.54 rushing, 183.75 passing and 465.5 total
NC State average yards: 150.9 rushing, 234.93 passing yards and 488.38 total
Columnist John Adams doesn’t think the real-life game will be close, predicting a UT victory of 41-23. Here’s more about what EA Sports College Football 25 thinks will happen based on our simulations:
- Biggest UT win: 34-13
- Biggest NC State win: 45-14
- Highest scoring game: 52-40, Tennessee
- Lowest scoring game: 13-3, NC State
- Closest game: 24-23, NC State
- Biggest surprise: In three games, the losing team had the most valuable player. The Vols lost in overtime in Game 53, but Nico Iamaleava was named MVP. Grayson McCall of NC State was named MVP in Games 69 and 76, despite the Vols winning both matchups.
- Most impressive plays: Squirrel White returned a kick for a 101-yard touchdown in Game 69, which the Vols won 31-27. James Pierce Jr. picked up 77 yards on a fumble in Game 3. In Game 46, Nico Iamaleava passed to Dont’e Thornton Jr. for a 91-yard touchdown, followed by a 90-yard touchdown from Grayson McCall to Kevin Concepcion.
- Most Valuable Players: Quarterbacks Grayson McCall and Nico Iamaleava took home the most MVP awards. NC State wide receiver Kevin Concepcion, running back Jordan Waters, running back Kendrick Raphael and wide receiver Noah Rogers all were named MVP at least once. UT linebacker Keenan Pili, running back Dylan Sampson, running back Khalifa Keith, running back Cameron Seldon, wide receiver Squirrel White, running back Peyton Lewis, wide receiver Chris Brazzell II and wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. all were named MVP at least once.
Smokey grey uniforms are now in EA Sports College Football 25
Fans of the smokey grey uniforms can rejoice, as the uniform style has been added to the game.
The game still features Smokey XI partaking in mascot activities on the sidelines, which the real Smokey XI won’t be doing this season as he keeps developing.
Check back next week to see what EA Sports College Football 25 has in store for Tennessee vs. Kent State!
Keenan Thomas is a higher education reporter. Email keenan.thomas@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter @specialk2real.
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Tennessee
Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell Among Top Projected Fantasy Football Options in 2026 NFL Draft | Rocky Top Insider

Tennessee football is set to send a handful of players from its 2025 roster to the NFL during this upcoming draft. However, one stands out as a potential breakout star for fantasy football players.
Wide receiver Chris Brazzell proved to be one of the top pass catchers in the SEC this past season, leading the conference in yards per game. Now, he’s widely projected as a second-round pick with the potential to even climb into the first round after a strong combine showing.
With the combine in the books and the draft coming up next month, ESPN ranked incoming rookies on their projected fantasy football output. He clocked in at No. 13 and the seventh-highest ranked receiver.
“Brazzell is a tall, perimeter receiver with a big wingspan who will do most of his damage down field (career 14.2 aDOT at Tennessee) and doesn’t offer much after the catch (class-worst 3.6 RAC),” ESPN’s Mike Clay wrote. “He has good speed (4.37 40-yard dash) and may settle in as a boom/bust low-volume, splash-play fantasy option.”
More From RTI: Three Tennessee Football Players Mocked in the First Two Rounds of NFL Draft by ESPN
Brazzell wrapped up his second season with Tennessee in 2025. In 12 games, he produced 1,017 yards and nine touchdowns on 62 receptions. He proved to be an elite deep-ball threat with Joey Aguilar at quarterback and Josh Heupel retooling the offensive scheme.
His best game came against Georgia at home. Brazzell recorded six receptions for 177 yards and three touchdowns in the game. He went over the 100-yard mark four times and over 90 yards five times.
Prior to that, Brazzell played two seasons at Tulane before transferring to join the Vols for their 2024 College Football Playoff campaign.
The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled to begin on April 23 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. If Brazzell does fall outside the first round, he’d likely go the following day when rounds two and three are held. The remaining four rounds are the next day.
Tennessee
Tennessee State beats Morehead State 93-67, wins first OVC Tournament title since ’94
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Antoine Lorick III scored 18 points, and top-seeded Tennessee State beat No. 2 seed Morehead State 93-67 on Saturday night for the Tigers’ first win in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship game since 1994.
Travis Harper II made five 3-pointers and finished with 17 points for Tennessee State (23-9), which shot 16 of 26 from long range. Dante Harris and Carlous Williams added 16 points apiece. Aaron Nkrumah chipped in with 14 points and six assists. Harris grabbed 11 of the Tigers’ 44 rebounds.
George Marshall scored 17 points and shot 4 of 9 from beyond the arc to lead Morehead State (20-13). Anouar Mellouk and Davion Cunningham added 12 points each.
The Tigers scored a Division-I program-record 55 points in the first half for a 21-point lead. Harris scored 16 points and shot 4 of 7 from deep. Harper added 15 points on five 3s. Marshall scored 12 first-half points for Morehead State.
TSU entered having won a program-best 15 conference games. The Tigers won back-to-back tournament titles in 1993 and 1994.
The teams split the regular-season series, each winning at home. Tennessee State won the first meeting 105-100 in overtime. Morehead State won the second 94-86.
___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Tennessee
Tracking severe weather for Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky
FOX 17 News is in a Code Red weather alert for potential severe weather on Saturday.
Severe thunderstorms impacted Southern Kentucky late this morning and additional storms are possible throughout the day.
The storms should reach the Nashville area between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and continue moving east, reaching the Plateau by near dinner time.
The worst of the weather is expected to clear the Plateau by 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Severe weather outlook for Saturday March 7, 2026. (WZTV)
Portions of Middle Tennessee are under a slight risk (level 2/5). Eastern Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky are under a marginal risk (level 1/5).
Damaging with and potential flooding are the primary concerns with this line of thunderstorms.
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While the tornado threat is very low, it cannot be completely ruled out.
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