FOOTBALL 6 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS » 13 SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS » 52 BOWL GAMES » 95 ALL- AMERICANS » 46 NFL 1ST-ROUND PICKS GAME 1 | #PoweredByTheT ON THE AIR TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS VS TV: ESPNU 0-0 | 0-0 SEC 0-0 | 0-0 SUN BELT Play-by-Play: Clay Matvick Head Coach: Jeremy Pruitt Head Coach: Shawn Elliott Analyst: Ryan Leaf Record at Tennessee: 5-7 (.417) / 2nd year Record at Georgia State: 9-15 (.375) / 3rd year Sideline: Stormy Buonantony Career Record: Same Career Record: 10-20 (.333) / 4th year Last Game: L, 38-13 at Vanderbilt (2018) Last Game: L, 35-14 vs. Georgia Southern (2018) RADIO: VOL NETWORK Local: WIVK-FM 107.7 | WNML-FM 99.1 TENNESSEE VS GEORGIA STATE - AUGUST 31, 2019 | 3:30 P.M. ET | ESPNU | NEYLAND STADIUM (102,455) | KNOXVILLE, TENN. Sirius: Ch. 137 | XM: Ch. 192 | Internet: Ch. 963 QUICK COMPARISON (2018 Stats) Web: UTSports.com 22.8 (108/13) Points/Game (103/9) 23.9 Play-by-Play: Bob Kesling 27.9 (77/12) Points Allowed/Game (121/9) 37.4 Analyst: Tim Priest 129.1 (113/14) Rush Yards/Game (62/7) 171.4 Analyst: Brent Hubbs 154.5 (52/9) Rush Yards Allowed/Game (123/10) 251.0 196.4 (96/11) Pass Yards/Game (91/4) 206.8 222.9 (60/8) Pass Yards Allowed/Game (80/8) 238.5 SOCIAL MEDIA 325.5 (121/14) Total Offense/Game (89/7) 378.2 Twitter/Instagram: @Vol_Football UTSPORTS.COM 377.4 (49/9) Total Defense/Game (124/10) 489.5 GEORGIASTATESPORTS.COM Facebook: Tennessee Football (National Ranking/Conference Ranking) KEY STORYLINES BY THE NUMBERS VOLS OPEN 2019 SEASON AT NEYLAND UT COACHING STAFF AMONG NATION’S BEST Marquez Callaway • TENNESSEE WELCOMES GEORGIA STATE: Tennessee • YEAR 2 OF JEREMY PRUITT ERA: The Vols will look to build enters the 2019 season opens its 2019 campaign by welcoming Georgia State to on the foundation set by head coach Jeremy Pruitt last as the FBS active career Neyland Stadium. It will be the first season opener played season. Pruitt led Tennessee to a pair of signature wins over leader in punt return 1 average (13.4 yards per at home on a Saturday since 2013 and the first played in ranked opponents with victories against No. 21 Auburn and return). the month of August since 2014. No. 11 Kentucky. Pruitt was named National Coach of the • VOLS IN SEASON OPENERS: UT has come away victorious Week by the Dodd Trophy for the Week 7 win over the Tigers. OL Wanya Morris, OL in nine of its last 10 season openers with the lone loss • FAMILIAR FACES: Tennessee added some familiar Darnell Wright & LB coming in last season’s Belk College Kickoff in Charlotte faces to its coaching staff this offseason in offensive Henry To’o To’o were all against West Virginia. coordinator Jim Chaney, passing game coordinator/wide 3 named to ESPN’s True • SEASON OPENERS AT HOME: The Vols have been receivers coach Tee Martin and defensive coordinator Freshman All-America dominant when opening the year at home. The Big Derrick Ansley. Chaney (2009-12) and Ansley (2012) Team. Orange have won 20 straight season openers played at have both coached at UT before while Martin was the Neyland Stadium and are unbeaten in their last 22 home starting quarterback for the Vols’ 1998 BCS National With two TD runs of season openers. Tennessee’s last setback in a home Championship team. 75-plus yards last year, season opener was a 13-3 loss to Pittsburgh in 1983. The • UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS: UT’s coaching staff has RB Ty Chandler became Vols and UCLA played to a 26-26 tie back in 1985. been part of 16 national championships as players or the first Vol since 2006 staff members, coached more than 200 NFL draft picks, 75+ (LaMarcus Coker) to record multiple runs won 29 conference championships and mentored 66 All- of 75-plus yards in the RETURNING TALENT BACK ON ROCKY TOP Americans. The 16 national championships are the most same season. • VOLS RETURN 10 STARTERS ON OFFENSE: Tennessee of any staff in the SEC. returns nearly its entire offense from a season ago with 10 starters back for 2019, led by redshirt junior quarterback Jarrett Guarantano’s PFF Jarrett Guarantano and senior wide receivers Marquez O-LINE GETS ‘BIG’ BOOST College grade of 85.9 Callaway and Jauan Jennings. • SMITH CLEARED TO PLAY: Junior OL Trey Smith has been 85.9 is the second-highest • RETURNING PRODUCTION: UT returns 98.5 percent of its cleared to play in Saturday’s season opener. “My family among returning SEC QBs. receiving yards and 86.5 percent of its rushing yards from and I consulted with several of the best doctors in the the last season’s team. country, and a plan has been developed that allows me to Jeremy Pruitt announced • DEFENSIVE PLAYMAKERS: The Big Orange bring back a compete with my teammates on gameday. My family and on Wednesday that No. handful of key playmakers of defense. Senior linebacker I are confident in that plan. The coaches and staff here at 98 Aubrey Solomon - a Michigan transfer - Daniel Bituli has led the team in tackles the past two Tennessee have always had my best interests at heart and 98 was ruled immediately seasons while fellow senior Darrell Taylor is the SEC’s I can’t thank them enough. Thanks to all of the fans and eligible and will be able returning sack leader with eight last year. my teammates for all of their support.” to play on Saturday. 2019 SCHEDULE & RESULTS GEORGIA STATE BYU CHATTANOOGA at FLORIDA GEORGIA MISSISSIPPI ST. at ALABAMA SOUTH CAROLINA UAB at KENTUCKY at MISSOURI VANDERBILT AUG. 31 / ESPNU SEPT. 7 / ESPN SEPT. 14 / SECN SEPT. 21 / TBA OCT. 5 / TBA OCT. 12 / TBA OCT. 19 / TBA OCT. 26 / TBA NOV. 2 / TBA NOV. 9 / TBA NOV. 23 / TBA NOV. 30 / TBA 3:30 P.M. ET 7 P.M. ET 12 P.M. ET TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA 2019 TENNESSEE FOOTBALL / UTSPORTS.COM / @VOL_FOOTBALL 1 TENNESSEE FOOTBALL THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT NOTING THE GEORGIA STATE PANTHERS GEORGIA STATE STAT LEADERS 2019 SCHEDULE Date Opponent Time/Result RUSHING G Att. Yds. Avg. TD Yds/G Dan Ellington 11 159 625 3.9 5 56.8 Aug. 31 at Tennessee (ESPNU) 3:30 p.m. Tra Barnett 11 109 551 5.1 7 50.1 Sept. 7 Furman 7 p.m. Seth Paige 10 62 341 5.5 4 34.1 Sept. 14 at Western Michigan 7 p.m. Sept. 21 at Texas State* TBA PASSING G Cmp-Att. Pct. Yds. TD/INT Oct. 5 Arkansas State* 3:30 p.m. Dan Elington 11 174-292 59.6 2,119 12/5 Oct. 12 at Coastal Carolina* TBA Oct. 19 Army 7 p.m. RECEIVING G No. Yds. Avg. TD Yds./G Oct. 26 Troy* 7 p.m. Penny Hart 12 49 669 13.7 2 55.8 Cornelius McCoy 12 35 495 14.1 1 41.2 Nov. 9 at ULM * TBA Devin Gentry 12 22 286 13.0 3 23.8 Nov. 16 Appalachian State* 2 p.m. Nov. 23 South Alabama* 2 p.m. DEFENSE G Solo Asst Total TFL Other Nov. 30 at Georgia Southern* TBA Ed Curney 12 34 47 81 4.5 1.0 sack * - Sun Belt Conference game Remy Lazarus 11 42 33 75 1.5 2 BU Joejuan Williams 12 34 36 70 2.0 4 BU SERIES HISTORY vs. GEORGIA STATE • Georgia State returns senior SERIES INFO running back Tra Barnett, 2ND MEETING • Tennessee won the only 2018 STATS COMPARISON who was second on the TENNESSEE LEADS 1-0 previous meeting between team in rushing. His stat line at Knoxville: 1-0 the two programs with a 51-13 CATEGORY UT GSU at Atlanta: N/A included 551 yards and seven Record 5-7 2-10 victory at Neyland Stadium on Biggest Win: 38 (51-13, 2012) touchdowns. Conf. Record 2-6 1-7 Biggest Loss: N/A Sept. 8, 2012. • In 2018, the Panthers averaged Scoring Offense 22.8 23.9 Longest Winning Streak: 1 game • UT quarterback Tyler Bray (2012-Present) 171.4 rushing yards per game, Total Offense 325.5 378.2 recorded his eighth career Rushing Offense 129.1 171.4 Longest Losing Streak: N/A the best average in program Current Streak: Tennessee 1 game game of 300-plus yards Passing Offense 196.4 206.8 history. 2012 Knoxville W 51-13 passing, finishing 18-for- Scoring Defense 27.9 37.4 • The Panther’s leading Total Defense 377.4 489.5 20 for 310 yards and four receiver for 2019 will be Rushing Defense 154.5 251.0 touchdowns. NOTING THE PANTHERS Cornelius McCoy. In 2018, he Passing Defense 222.9 238.5 • A Georgia State field goal in was second on the roster in Kickoff Ret. Avg. 20.78 20.35 • Tennessee will take on the the first quarter marked the Punt Ret. Avg. 12.80 17.56 receiving yards with 495 yards panthers to open the 2019 first three offensive points Net Punting 38.92 42.76 on 35 catches. His longest season. This will be the second the Panthers had ever scored Time of Possession 29:10 30:35 was a 45-yard catch against meeting in Knoxville for the against an FBS opponent. 3rd Down Conversions 38% 40% pair, with the Vols taking the Louisiana. Opp. 3rd Down Conv. 39% 49% first game in 2012 by a score • Highlighting the defensive Fumbles Recovered 6 4 of 51-13.