It doesn't matter if Tennessee is on top of the college football world or scraping together a bid for a bowl game, Vol fans have consistently shown their support for the football program.
This hasn't changed in Josh Heupel's tenure with the fanbase creating a home-field advantage as good as any in the country.
Currently, Tennessee owns a 12-game win streak in Neyland Stadium dating back to the 2021 season.
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On the other hand, the Vols' opposition hasn't fared well in away games. Jimbo Fisher's Texas A&M squads have lost seven consecutive road matches with the last win coming over Missouri in 2021.
The Aggies are now walking into a ramped up Tennessee crowd for a 'Checker Neyland' game.
Off of a bye week, Heupel expects the fan base to be rested and ready to make a difference.
"In this one, anticipate it being a great environment here in Neyland Stadium and we need our fans to show up," said Heupel. "I hope they enjoyed their bye week but they better be ready, rested, recovered and ready to roll in this one. Need them to be a factor in the football game so looking forward to seeing them in Checker Neyland here on Saturday afternoon.”
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Tennessee's players aren't afraid to admit the crowd helps, as well.
For safety Wesley Walker, he says the atmosphere in Neyland Stadium is why he chose the university out of the transfer portal.
"I love it, honestly," said Walker. "It's really one of the main reasons I wanted to come here. Just to like play in environments like this, big games. And just feel that pressure. Pressure is either going to make you or break you. I tend to like embrace the challenge and embrace the environment. I'm definitely going to feed off the crowd. It just gives me more of a motive to want to play, honestly."
Despite this home winning record and statements by Heupel and players, CBS announcer Gary Danielson said he doesn't think it is any better than other SEC schools.
He said it isn't a knock on Neyland, but there's a level of loud that has a cap on its effect.
“This is not a criticism, just an observation," said Danielson in an interview with Knox News. "It has nothing to do with Neyland, per se, or any other stadium. (Home-field advantage) is about the same every week. Whether you’re playing at Ole Miss or LSU or Florida in The Swamp or Georgia, for a football player, loud is loud. I don’t know if it makes any difference if there’s 80,000 loud people or 100,000 loud people.”
The matchup with the Aggies is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS with Danielson calling the game.
A win would push Tennessee to 2-1 in conference play with a loss dropping the team below the .500 mark.
"This is a big football game that is coming up, really good football team that we are playing," said Heupel. "Checker Neyland, excited to see all of our fans and the atmosphere Saturday afternoon. I know our guys and our staff are ready to get back on the field.”
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