Tennessee
Rocky Top Insider’s Ryan Schumpert Previews Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee
Vanderbilt football heads to Knoxville this weekend as 2.5-point underdogs as it looks to take down Tennessee on the way to its first 10-win season in program history. Taking down Josh Heupel’s 8-3 team will be a tall task of sorts, though.
Vandy on SI caught up with Rocky Top Insider’s Ryan Schumpert to discuss the matchup and what the Commodores are up against over the weekend. Here’s what Schumpert says in regard to this weekend’s matchup.
1. How much does Tennessee still have to play for?
As far as this season and its postseason implications, very little. A nine-win regular season with a chance to earn a 10-win season in a bowl game is certainly nice but hard to believe that is much of a motivating factor for players. We wondered what Tennessee’s interest level and motivation would look like last week at Florida and the Vols came out and played inspired football and turned in their best performance of the season. The rivalry aspect and chance to end Vanderbilt’s College Football Playoff hopes should be enough to motivate this team. If not, Diego Pavia’s offseason comments should help.
2. Tennessee has yet to win against a ranked opponent, is that indicative of its talent level? What else do you attribute that to?
I don’t think I’d attribute it to the talent level. Tennessee’s schedule has played a part. The Vols have only played three ranked teams and they’re all ranked in the top 10 and projected to make the playoffs if they take care of business this weekend. But Tennessee had chances to win all three of those games, especially home matchups against Georgia and Oklahoma. The Vols have struggled to play complimentary football this season. The Vols failed to put the Georgia game away with a touchdown off of a fourth quarter fumble that set them up in plus-territory. The defense didn’t get the stop to seal the game and Max Gilbert misfired on the potential game-winning kick. Against Oklahoma, Tennessee turned it over three times in the first half and trailed 16-10 at halftime despite allowing only 99 yards of offense. This Tennessee team certainly isn’t extremely talented but they’ve also hurt themselves consistently in their three losses.
3. Has Joey Aguilar met expectations, exceeded them or fallen short?
Overall, Aguilar has exceeded expectations. Most didn’t know what to expect from the Appalachian State transfer after a rocky 2024 season in Boone and his summer arrival in Knoxville. But he looked comfortable in Josh Heupel’s offense from the jump. Aguilar has thrown the ball well down the field and in the intermediate. He also possesses a much better internal clock than Tennessee’s last two starting quarterbacks. Where Aguilar has met expectations and struggled is with turnovers. He came to Tennessee with the reputation as a turnover prone quarterback and that has reared its ugly head at times. Aguilar’s thrown 10 interceptions this season which doubles the previous Heupel-era season-high. He’s also fumbled it a handful of times.
4. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Tennessee’s defense?
The most obvious area is in the secondary where Tennessee’s top two returning corners have played just 19 snaps this season due to injury. Colorado transfer Colton Hood and true freshman Ty Redmond have done a solid job stepping it but it’s definitely been a step back. Tennessee’s safety play has often been woeful this season. Tennessee’s run defense struggled badly early in the season and gap integrity was a key deficiency, something Vanderbilt will be able to exploit. But the run defense has been much better the last month. The Commodores will test it more than most have the back half of the season though. Over the course of the season, Tennessee’s pass rush has probably been its biggest strength. They’ve had a knack for making big plays in big moments.
5. What do you view as the main keys for Tennessee in this game?
Winning on early downs on defense is a big one because of the success of the pass rush and the way Vanderbilt seems to excel in third-and-intermediate and third-and-short. Another big one is for the offense to just play clean football. I think they’re going to be able to move the ball on Vanderbilt’s defense. Can they avoid turnovers, drive killing penalties and finish drives with touchdowns?
6. Score prediction?
Tennessee 31, Vanderbilt 27
POLK COUNTY, Tenn. — More Tennesseans could soon be able to request library books be removed under a bill making its way through the General Assembly.
The new piece of legislation aims to expand an existing law that lets libraries choose who can submit requests for review of a book.
Friday we spoke with the chairman of the Polk County Library Board, who says he worries this legislation infringes upon First Amendment rights.
“There are groups that I feel that can take advantage of this process,” Timothy Woody says.
Chairman of the Polk County Library Board Timothy Woody says while this bill wouldn’t drastically change how Polk County operates, he’s concerned about how it could be used in other parts of Tennessee.
“Libraries all across the state of Tennessee, for lack of better terms, are being attacked in some areas. Groups are coming into libraries, and they’re trying to get books banned. They’re pushing these reconsideration forms over and over and over and trying to get books taken out of libraries.”
According to the American Library Association, book challenges reached record highs nationwide in 2022 and 2023 with Tennessee among the states reporting some of the highest numbers in recent years.
Teen reads book on floor of library. Getty Images.
In 2025, the University of Maryland says the top reasons for banning books had to do with content that was sexually explicit or inappropriate for certain age groups.
But a bill making it’s way through the Tennessee General Assembly would let any resident in any county to ask a library to “withdraw, move, or reclassify an item.”
That request would go before the library board, which then has 90 days to respond.
In Polk County, Woody says they currently operate under a collection development policy that lays out exactly how materials are selected and how they’re challenged.
Anyone requesting a review must fill out a reconsideration form detailing their concerns.
Woody says strong policies like Polk County’s are what protect libraries from outside pressure.
“Your library boards have to be open minded and non biased when it comes to any type of views…”
This issue is sparking concern on social media.
One user commenting on our Facebook post wrote, “If you don’t like a book, don’t read it.” Another called the proposal “a slippery slope.”
Woody says he understands those concerns.
“It is an infringement on our First Amendment rights.”
Although censorship is considered a First Amendment violation, some limitations are constitutionally permissible. According to Middle Tennessee State University, a court of law may take community standards into account when deciding whether materials are obscene and thus subject to censorship.
Gas prices are much higher than Trump claimed in Tennessee.
Analysis of President Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address
USA TODAY’s Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page takes a closer look at President Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address.
President Donald Trump bragged about low gas prices during his State of the Union address Feb. 24, but prices are considerably higher than he claimed — even in Tennessee, where gas usually costs less than the national average.
AAA.com’s national average gas price stands at $2.98, almost an entire dollar-per-gallon higher than Trump’s claims of gas costing “$1.99 in some states” based on CNN fact checking. Here’s how Tennessee’s actual gas prices compare to Trump’s claims.
How much does gas cost in Tennessee compared to Trump’s claims?
Tennessee’s current gas price is $2.56 a gallon, according to AAA. That is about 57 cents higher than the prices Trump said gas cost in some states during his State of the Union address. It is also 26 cents higher than the $2.30-per-gallon price Trump claimed was common in most states, according to CNN.
Tennessee is one of the few states selling gas for under $2.60 a gallon. In fact, the Volunteer State has some of the lowest gas prices in the nation as of late February. TN average gas prices are down 24 cents a gallon year-over-year from $2.80 a gallon.
State gas prices have been on the decline in recent weeks. In contrast, some American drivers are paying over $4 a gallon for gas in 2026.
States with the highest gas prices in 2026
| State | Gas Price according to AAA |
| California | $4.63 |
| Hawaii | $4.40 |
| Washington | $4.35 |
| Oregon | $3.92 |
| Nevada | $3.71 |
States like Oklahoma ($2.43), Kansas ($2.54) and Mississippi ($2.52) boast low gas prices, but the national average remains high.
While Trump touts gas prices under $2, national average is closer to $3
Petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan, released a statement titled, “The Real State of Fuel Prices,” before — and after — Trump’s address, which pointed out that the average price nationally for gas is closer to $3 a gallon.
In his State of the Union speech, Trump said gas “reached a peak of over $6 a gallon in some states under my predecessor,” calling it “a disaster,” and added “it is now below $2.30 a gallon in most states. And in some places, $1.99 a gallon.”
A few weeks ago in Iowa, he claimed he even “saw $1.85 a gallon for gasoline.”
Gas prices, De Hann said, are lower on average than they were a year ago, but sub-$2 gas is “extremely rare.” Moreover, he pointed out that a president — whether to blame or credit — has limited control over the price of gasoline.
What a petroleum analyst says about Trump’s gas price claims
Gas prices did reach $1.85 a gallon in early January in Iowa De Haan said, but prices there “have since risen” and “at this moment, only 8 out of roughly 150,000 gas stations nationwide are selling gasoline below $2 a gallon.”
Of those, four stations are in Texas, one is in Oklahoma and three are in Kansas.
De Haan also said that the lowest statewide average is $2.33 a gallon in Oklahoma, and that for about a month, prices at certain stations in Colorado “fell well below $2 per gallon, with some dropping into the $1.60s.”
But they were “highly localized competitive events.”
Mostly, De Haan pointed out, gas prices are determined by the global oil market, and partly by weather. Lower oil prices now, in contrast to when Biden was in office, means lower gas prices.
In addition, a surge of oil production by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, a cartel of oil-producing countries, has put downward pressure on prices. The freezing weather this winter has, too.
Frank Witsil of The Detroit Free Press contributed to this story.
Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com
Tennessee shifted over toward Mikaylah Williams. So the LSU women’s basketball team’s star junior peered across the lane and roped a pass over the defense and down to Flau’jae Johnson, who buried a 3-pointer from the corner.
That bucket was an important one. It didn’t just give the No. 6 Tigers (25-4, 11-4 SEC) a 12-point lead late in the third quarter. It also marked the point at which they took control of their 89-73 win over the Lady Vols on Thursday — a victory orchestrated by their three-star guards.
Williams tallied 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. MiLaysia Fulwiley scored 18 points, grabbed six boards, blocked four shots and assisted three others. Johnson, on her senior night, shot only 3 of 10 from the field and 3 of 9 at the free-throw line but still finished with 10 points, becoming one of four LSU contributors to score in double figures.
The Tigers have now clinched a double bye in the SEC Tournament for the fifth year in a row.
“Today it was,” coach Kim Mulkey said, “don’t settle for anything outside the paint until they take charges or they stop you. You just go right to the paint, and you score, and I thought we did that.”
Tennessee runs a unique system. Second-year coach Kim Caldwell makes hockey-style line changes, engages a full-court press for the whole game and encourages the Lady Vols (16-11, 8-7) to let their 3-pointers fly. They’re certainly dangerous. But they did enter Thursday’s matchup with losses in seven of their past nine games.
LSU was in much better shape. It just needed to collect Tennessee’s misses and minimize its turnovers to get the win, which it did, for the most part, in the second half. The Tigers may have allowed the Lady Vols to shoot 11 of 29 from beyond the arc, but they also gave up only seven offensive rebounds and coughed up just four possessions across the third and fourth quarters.
Freshman forward ZaKiyah Johnson added 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds, while Grace Knox — another freshman forward — chipped in 13 points and nine boards. Sophomore point guard Jada Richard added nine points.
Tennessee had three players in double figures. Its leading scorer was Jaida Civil, a freshman guard who finished with 17 points.
“We were moving the ball as a team,” Caldwell said. “ I think we were doing a really good job on the offensive glass. They obviously made the adjustment. That was harder for us coming out (of halftime), and they really picked up their effort at the rim, and we gave up a lot of second-chance points.”
The two teams traded hot shooting stretches in the first half. Tennessee struck first, using a trio of 3-pointers to string together a 9-0 run halfway through the first quarter. LSU then responded in the second by collecting misses and using them to build a 14-0 blitz, but it just couldn’t shake the turnover issues that the Lady Vols both forced and turned into points.
The Tigers led just 43-42 at halftime, but they began the fourth quarter with a much more commanding 70-59 advantage, in large part because they turned the ball over only once in the third. Williams — who became the 17th player in LSU history to eclipse 1,500 career points on Thursday — either scored or assisted seven of the 12 field goals LSU converted in that frame.
“I thought Mikaylah Williams really, really had a good game,” Mulkey said.
According to ESPN, Mulkey is now the first coach in SEC history to lead a team to at least 25 wins in each of the first five seasons of their tenure. Mulkey has eclipsed that number of victories in 23 of the 26 seasons of her head coaching career.
LSU also honored seniors Izzy Besselman and Amiya Joyner on Thursday. Besselman is a former walk-on guard who’s missed the last two seasons while battling a heart condition. She checked in to the game to a loud ovation in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter, making her first appearance in a game since March 24, 2024.
Joyner is a 6-foot-2 forward who joined the Tigers ahead of this season as a transfer from East Carolina. She’s started each of the past four games, and on Thursday, she played eight minutes.
The Tigers will now finish in the top four of the SEC’s regular-season standings for the fifth consecutive year. They won’t start their conference tournament run until the quarterfinal round tips off next Friday in Greenville, South Carolina.
Before then, though, LSU will play one more regular-season game: a road matchup with Mississippi State that will tip off at 3 p.m. Sunday.
MLB pitcher Merrill Kelly says California tax rate swayed decision to reject Padres’ free agency offer
Google dismantles 9M-device Android hijack network
A new delivery bot is coming to L.A., built stronger to survive in these streets
Soho House sued after bartender alleges she was ‘drugged and raped’ by her supervisor
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Andy Richter
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Israel strikes two schools in Iran, killing more than 50 people
Anthropic CEO says he’s sticking to AI “red lines” despite clash with Pentagon
ICE blasts Washington mayor over directive restricting immigration enforcement
Did the EU bypass Hungary’s veto on Ukraine’s €90 billion loan?
How the federal government is painting immigrants as criminals on social media
-
World2 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts3 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Louisiana5 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Denver, CO3 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Technology1 week agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Technology1 week agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making
-
Politics1 week agoOpenAI didn’t contact police despite employees flagging mass shooter’s concerning chatbot interactions: REPORT