Tennessee
What Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said about Arkansas, Florida on Monday
What head coach Josh Heupel said during his weekly press conference on Monday, looking back at the 19-14 loss at Arkansas and previewing No. 8 Tennessee’s game against Florida on Saturday night (7 Eastern Time, ESPN) at Neyland Stadium:
Opening Statement
“Hope everybody’s doing great. The morning got a good start with the guys. Obviously it’s an opportunity and time of the week where you look back at the football game and how we get better. Whether you win or lose, it’s important by the time you go out on the field with the guys that you flush it, you move on. And as competitors you’re only as good as your next one. Everybody in the building disappointed with the outcome on Saturday night. You can’t do anything about that at this point other than take the lessons and push forward and continue to, to grow as a football team. And you know, so in that way, no matter what happened the previous week, you got to move on. Guys we’re good. Took the information and had a good demeanor out on the practice field. So it’s important for us that we get off to a good start and prepare the right way, just like it is every single week for us.
“This week, coming back home. Excited to be back in Neyland Stadium and it’s been been a month since we got a chance to be in there, play in there and see our fans. So looking forward to seeing them. We need to create a great environment. I know we will, like always. We need to have the Neyland effect in effect on Saturday night. And it’s our responsibility as football team to prepare and practice the right way to go play. But our fans can be a huge part of the environment and the football game as well.
“So looking forward to it. Florida is playing its best ball right now. They continue to get better throughout the course of the season. That’s really in all three phases. Defensively, long, athletic, have speed Offensively, both the quarterbacks are playing really good football right now. And the offensive line is really solid.”
Tennessee’s offense not establishing tempo the last two games
“This past week, offensively, you look at the football game, so many self-inflicted wounds. Pre-snap penalties, playing penalties, miscommunication. So at times you’re not playing on tempo. In the course of drives when we’ve wanted to play with tempo, we’ve been able to do it and play it efficiently. D-Samp’s big run, there’s multiple instances of it. At the end of the day you got to play smart, effective football. The prior week (at Oklahoma) I certainly slowed things down in the second half and played a different style just because of the flow of the football game. And I tried to play all three phases together. For us, we got to do the ordinary things at a really high level. Last week we didn’t do that very well. The week before that we did a lot of things really well.”
Pass protection issues, if they were pre or post snap and Arkansas’ odd front
“Structurally, that is what the last couple opponents have decided to play against us. Certainly capable last week of attacking and performing better than we did in the run game and in the pass game. Again, some of the things that we control, not taking anything away from Arkansas, but some of the things that we control, we did not handle very well. You heard me say it already, but communication was a big part of it and then the penalties just changes the way the game is played. Too many third-and-longs so you got to be ready to go attack what we see on game day.”
If defenses are disguising things to make it harder on Nico Iamaleava
“Nico played really well a week ago (Oklahoma). Clean in his decision making, decisive, accurate with the football. This past week, first play of the ball game, rips a nice ball. Sum of all parts. As the game went on, we didn’t play as clean. Some of that’s Nico. Some of that’s the guys around him. At the quarterback position, takes 10 guys around you playing at a high level too. So sum of all parts, all 11 operating, doing— I’m going to say ordinary things that are really high level, consistently is the difference in the ball game.”
If he thinks teams will continue to do that
“Yeah. The last couple of years we’ve seen four down (fronts), five down, three down, seeing those structures. We got to go attack it and play well.:
The play of Lance Heard and John Campbell, where they need to be better
“We love those guys, believe in those guys. Those two, like pretty much everybody offensively, can perform at a higher level as we go. And have performed at a higher level than they did the other night and some of that’s just ordinary things— fundamentals, technique, alignment, assignment and technique.”
If offensive line issues were communication or losing one-on-one
“Some of it’s just one-on-one battles.”
If he should have taken a timeout after the deep pass to Dont’e Thornton on two-minute drive
“In hindsight, yep, for sure. As I recognized that we weren’t immediately ready thought about going to timeout then I thought we were ready to get the ball off in the next couple seconds and every time out at the end of the game creates a different scenario where you’re not pushing the ball into the end zone, forced to push the ball into the end zone. So yeah, absolutely.”
The challenges of preparing for two Florida quarterbacks in Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway
“Yeah, I think both of ’em have played smart football, they’ve been accurate with the football in particular the last couple of weeks. They both operate within the system extremely well. Both have the ability to run the football and move and extend and make plays. You know, young kid (Lagway) is dynamic with the ball in his hands.
Florida’s defensive front
“Yeah, they’re multiple in what they do. That’s their front. Suits their coverages on the back end. It’s the pressures that they apply and they can get to the quarterback with just a four-down front, too. So, you know, for us, communication, understanding where we’re working to, recognizing the pressure. That can be the front five guys, it’s your back, it’s your tight end at times as well. All gotta be in sync and then you gotta play good football. You gotta play the fundamentals and in technique and win your one on one. But another part of that is going and winning on the outside. Doing it quickly and quarterback being decisive. All 11 guys gotta play together.”
How he thought the team’s preparation was going into the Arkansas game
“I thought Tuesday’s practice during the bye week was really good. Wednesday’s was a different type of practice. I thought our preparation was solid last week. End of the day we didn’t go perform the way we needed to and so that’s personal accountability and team accountability.”
If there’s an update on Squirrel White, Bru McCoy or Bryson Eason
“None of the injuries are long-term, season-ending injuries. As we go through the week, we’ll find out exactly where everybody’s at. You guys can look forward to the injury report on Wednesday.”
BELL BUCKLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The poet laureate of Tennessee has just died. Margaret Britton Vaughn was 87-years-old. Friends knew Vaughn as hilarious, talented, and deeply unique.
Visiting Bell Buckle, Tennessee over the years, I’ve just found this little place has so many artists. A proud addition to that is Vaughn.
“When Maggi was your friend, you knew you had a friend,” said longtime friend Annie Rooney. “It wasn’t if you’re rich or poor or have four matching tires on your car, she was your friend.”
Going way back, Vaughn was a songwriter for some country greats.
“Loretta Lynn, yes!” said friend Carla Webb.
To understand the uniqueness of Vaughn, listen to this story.
“Maggi says, ‘honey, you wanna go to the movies with me?’” friend Billy Phillips remembered.
Phillips was nine when he and Vaughn became friends and took a trip to the Carpi Theatre in Shelbyville.
“When I get into the car, there were 200 empty boxes of chocolate bunny rabbits!” Phillips laughed.
“She loved chocolate,” Rooney agreed.
“It couldn’t be hollow milk chocolate,” Phillips continued. “It had to be solid milk chocolate.”
That was just one of many loves. One of the times I got to talk to Vaughn was in 2023. She was selling eclectic things she’d collected. They included a typewriter built out of clothes hangers and a lamp made of forks and spoons.
“Maggi had a lot of stuff!” Phillips said.
She’d call around to antique shops.
“Got anything that looks like me, honey?” Rooney laughed, remembering Vaughn’s calls.
Talking to Vaughn, you came to understand something. She had a deep appreciation for the art and the artist who made it. That’s something that sprang from Vaughn being an artist herself.
“My mother looked down and said, ‘are you sure you don’t want to be a nurse?’” Vaughn told me in 2023. “I said, ‘no, momma. I wanna be a songwriter and a poet.’ People say, ‘Maggi, these books. You’ve written my life.’”
“Maggi had front porch books, not coffee table books,” Webb said.
“She was a poet of the people,” Rooney continued.
Vaughn took on prejudice in her work. She also wrote about all things she loved.
“She covered rural life, southern things,” Phillips said.
That writing carried her to become the poet laureate of Tennessee in 1995. The next year, she wrote Tennessee’s bicentennial poem.
“I gave her her last kiss the other day,” Webb said.
“I’m on the verge of tears,” Phillips added. “This will be a real gut punch.”
Asking around town, people seemed to agree on their favorite of Vaughn’s works.
“Is That You Mama?” Phillips said, naming one of Vaughn’s poems.
Webb read me an excerpt of the poem. It ended with these lines;
“Well, mama, I’m okay now. You tell the Lord I said hi. Was that you, mama, that just kissed me bye?”
“Maggi was a true original, and Bell Buckle was proud to call her our own,” Phillips said.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
Tenn. seniors make a splash on a giant slip-and-slide
A slip-and-slide for seniors?! Who knew it could stir laughter and tears. Photojournalist Angie Dones captures a story filled with so much joy and one that will tug at your heartstrings.
– Carrie Sharp
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — As millions of people are expected to travel through Tennessee to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, the Tennessee Department of Transportation is suspending all construction-related lane closures on interstates and state routes.
The suspension will begin at noon on Thursday, July 2, through 6:00 a.m. on Monday, July 6. Workers may still be on-site during the suspension, and reduced speed limits in work zones will remain in effect. TDOT added that drivers could still be impacted by some long-term lane closures for ongoing construction projects. Drivers are still urged to use caution.
“With so many people driving on and around the Fourth of July, we want to do all we can to ensure they reach their destinations safely and without delays,” said TDOT Commissioner Will Reid, P.E. “We are suspending lane closures during this busy holiday travel time. Be mindful that our HELP Trucks will be on patrol in urban and rural areas and drivers must obey the law by moving over and slowing down for all emergency vehicles on the side of the road.”
AAA predicts more than 1.6 million Tennesseans will travel at least 50 miles from home for the Independence Day between Saturday, June 27, and Sunday, July 5. The company added that this will set a record for Fourth of July travel in Tennessee.
“For many families, traveling for Independence Day isn’t just a trip; it’s a tradition,” said Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Vacations are one category where consumers are still willing to spend, even if that means cutting back on something else. With an extended holiday travel period, we expect busy roads, steady demand for flights, and continued interest in cruises across many parts of the country.”
For those looking to travel over the weekend, join 6 News anchor Bo Williams for our Upcoming Road Work stream on WATE6+ at 2:30 p.m. on Fridays. He will break down traffic conditions, construction projects and events that are expected to impact drivers in East Tennessee over the weekend.
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 28, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 28 drawing
Evening: 5-3-8, Wild: 7
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 28 drawing
Evening: 5-6-1-2, Wild: 1
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from June 28 drawing
05-08-17-19-31
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 28 drawing
04-11-31-54-58, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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