TENNESSEE GAME NOTES
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 15/15 Tennessee opens Southeastern Conference play with the marquee matchup of Week 3 when it hosts No. 6/3 Georgia for a top-15 battle at Neyland Stadium on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
NEYLAND STADIUM, PRESERVED BY PILOT
Neyland Stadium has been home of the Vols for more than 100 years and that legacy will live on thanks to a transformative partnership with Tennessee Athletics and Knoxville-based Pilot, the largest network of travel centers in North America. In August 2024, Tennessee and Pilot announced the partnership that preserves the iconic venue’s name and enhances the stadium experience for future generations. Under the terms of the agreement, which is slated for up to 20 years and could extend further, the names of Neyland Stadium and Shields-Watkins Field will remain unchanged.
Neyland Stadium. Home of the Vols. Proudly preserved by Pilot.
BROADCAST INFO
TV Info
Chris Fowler (PxP), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) will have the call for Saturday’s nationally televised showdown on ABC. Coverage is set to begin at 3:30 p.m. with kickoff slated for 3:45 p.m. ET.
Radio Info
UT fans can listen to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast via the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) on 70 stations across the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 84) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 84). A live audio stream of the broadcast will also be available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics App.
New Voice of the Vols Mike Keith will be joined in the booth by VFL Ramon Foster (analyst) while Brent Hubbs will handle sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast.
The Big Orange Countdown pregame show, hosted by Hubbs, begins two and a half hours prior to kickoff at 1 p.m. VFL Jayson Swain also returns as part of the official gameday radio team this season and will be a part of the network’s pregame, halftime and postgame programming.
Tennessee’s official Spanish radio broadcast is available locally on WNML-AM 990 with Carlos Lopez (play-by-play) and J.P. Vasquez (analyst) on the call. That version is also available on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics app.
Volunteer Gameday, a live, one-hour television preview show, will originate love from Neyland Stadium beginning at 1:30 p.m. The show will be hosted by Keith, VFL Heath Shuler and WVLT-Knoxville’s Brittany Tarwater. Volunteer Gameday will be available on Knoxville flagship TV station WVLT and across the state on the new Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN).
Westwood One national radio will also be on hand to broadcast Saturday’s game and can be listened to HERE.
GAMEDAY INFO / TIMELINE
For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee’s 2025 gameday policies, please visit the Tennessee Football Gameday Information page on UTSports.com.
The gameday timeline as well as other important information is listed below.
ESPN College GameDay Pit Opens – 6:30 a.m.
ESPN College GameDay Live – 9 a.m.-Noon (Ayres Hall)
Will Call Opens at Gate 21 – 11:30 a.m.
Truly’s Tailgate Opens – 11:30 a.m.
Vol Village Opens – 12 p.m.
Vol Walk – 1:25 p.m.
Gates Open – 1:30 p.m.
Pride of the Southland Band March – 2 p.m. (Map of Band March Route)
Pride of the Southland Band Pregame Performance Begins – 3:31 p.m.
National Anthem – 3:33 p.m.
Flyover – 3:35 p.m. (Two E/18 Growlers from Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, Wash.)
Vols Run Through the T – 3:42 p.m.
Kickoff – 3:45 p.m.
NEYLAND STADIUM FAN ENHANCEMENTS, UPDATES & INITIATIVES FOR 2025
Fans will notice a number of new features and amenities that have been completed for the 2025 season. Most notably, major updates have been completed in the South End Zone. Entry into Gate 9 has doubled in size while the southwest plaza has expanded to ease congestion. A new elevator has been added to the southeast corner of Neyland Stadium, allowing patrons to access all three levels on the south end of the stadium.
Fans will also notice new restrooms, a new UT Medical first aid station and a significantly wider concourse to help ease navigation around the south end of the stadium. A Vintage Volunteer trailer has been behind section M on the new south concourse of Neyland Stadium. The shop will offer vintage gear and unique items.
Beginning this fall, Neyland Stadium is now a cashless venue. Fans should be prepared as they approach concession stands, Vol Shop or any retail locations inside the stadium. All Tennessee venues will be cashless during the 2025-26 athletic year.
For more information on all updates and new initiatives in place at Neyland Stadium this season, click HERE.
TICKETS AND PARKING
Tickets for Saturday’s game are officially sold out. Tickets and parking passes to all Tennessee Athletics events, including football, are now digital and can be accessed through a mobile device to improve security and reduce the risk of ticket fraud as well as make the process more convenient for fans.
Fans will gain admission into Neyland Stadium via a unique QR code which will be scanned directly from a mobile device. For quick and easy entry into Tennessee Athletics venues, fans are encouraged to download the Tennessee Athletics app from the App Store (iPhone) and Google Play (Android). Your mobile device is the ticket on gameday. All valid digital tickets will display a moving barcode or a hold near reader (tap-and-go) icon. PLEASE NOTE: SCREENSHOTS OF TICKETS WILL NOT SCAN AT THE GATE AND WILL NOT ALLOW ENTRY!
Printed PDF tickets will no longer be issued or accepted for entry at any Tennessee Athletics venue. The only authorized sources for tickets to Tennessee Athletics events are the Tennessee Athletics Ticket Office, AllVols.com, the venue box office where the athletic event is taking place and Ticketmaster.
A complete step-by-step guide on how to best access and use your digital tickets and parking passes, including diagrams and FAQ is available here.
TENNESSEE ATHLETICS APP
Fans are encouraged to download the new and improved Tennessee Athletics App, which houses the GBO Zone, allowing fans to play trivia, take part in stadium light shows and much more.
Search Tennessee Athletics in the Apple or Google Play Store or use this LINK to download.
GAMEDAY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
ESPN College GameDay: For the 12th time total and first since 2022, ESPN College GameDay will be in Knoxville to preview Saturday’s slate of games.
College football’s most celebrated pregame show once again originates from the lawn at Ayres Hall from 9 a.m. to noon ET Saturday. This is College GameDay’s fifth time coinciding with a Tennessee-Georgia matchup and the second time with the two sides facing off in Knoxville with 1995 being the other.
Vol Village Presented by Toyota: Vol Village presented by Toyota, serves as the ideal spot to view the Vol Walk and the Pride of Southland Band march. Admission is free to all fans with or without a game ticket. Located across from Circle Park, Vol Village features live music, food trucks and beverage stations, interactive displays and fun activities for all ages.
Vol Village will highlight a new artist or band each home game with a pregame concert series, providing Vol fans with the ultimate pregame atmosphere. This week’s featured artist is the country duo Ferryn & Brinkley. Vol Village opens at noon for Saturday’s game.
Truly’s Tailgate: Located outside Gate 9, fans are encouraged to visit the new and improved Truly’s area for food, drinks and more! Truly’s Tailgate has expanded with Texas Roadhouse and a number of other new food and beverage options for fans to enjoy before and during the game.
Fans may enter Truly’s prior to gates opening without having a ticket scanned. When gates open, fans will need to scan their ticket to enter Truly’s.
For any game starting later than noon ET, Truly’s will open four hours prior to kickoff. For a noon kickoff, the tailgate will open at 9 a.m. Truly’s will stay open throughout the game, giving fans in the south concourse a variety of food, drinks and additional restroom options. Truly’s will close at the end of the third quarter.
For complete gameday information, visit UTsports.com/gameday.
NEED TO KNOW
The Neyland Effect
Neyland Stadium has been a true difference maker and is once again one of the most intimidating environments in all of college football. The Vols have been one of the nation’s best at home under head coach Josh Heupel with a 26-4 record at Neyland Stadium during his tenure. UT is 21-1 on Rocky Top since 2022 and has won nine straight at home entering Saturday’s showdown with the Dawgs. Last Saturday’s victory over ETSU was the 500th on-field victory in the history of Shields-Watkins Field (1921-pres.).
Joey Football Off to Hot Start
Despite arriving after spring ball and having a very condensed timeframe to learn the offense, Joey Aguilar has looked like a multi-year vet in Heupel’s system through two weeks this season. Tennessee’s new QB1 has completed 39 of 59 pass attempts for 535 yards and five touchdowns and has not thrown an interception. Aguilar has spread the ball around to a plethora of weapons as all five of his passing touchdowns have gone to different players.
The California native will be making his 27th career FBS start on Saturday after a record-setting two-year stint at Appalachian State. Aguilar enters the contest as the FBS career leader in total offense per game (288.2) and passing yards per game (270.2).
PB “U”
Tennessee’s defense has made things difficult for opposing quarterbacks and wide receivers so far this season, leading the SEC and ranking tied for second nationally with 14 pass breakups. The Vols recorded an SEC-best 10 pass breakups in Week 1 against Syracuse, which were their most in a game since recording 10 at Georgia on Oct. 9, 2004.
In the absence of preseason All-American corner Jermod McCoy, Colorado transfer Colton Hood has made an immediate impact, ranking tied for second in the FBS and leading the SEC in pass breakups with five.
Fast Starts the Norm in Knoxville
The Big Orange have outscored opponents 584-202 in the first quarter under Heupel: 190-51 in 2021, 141-72 in 2022, 110-46 in 2023, 102-54 in 2024 and 41-0 in 2025. The Vols have scored at least one touchdown in the first quarter in 42 of 54 games under Heupel. In 90 games as a head coach, Heupel’s squads have outscored opponents 1,031-437 in the first quarter (584-202 at UT, 447-214 at UCF).
Since 2018, no active Power 4 head coach scores more points per first quarter in a career than Heupel (11.46). From 2021-present under Heupel, the Vols are first in the nation in first-quarter scoring at 10.81 points per game. Heupel’s teams have scored at least one touchdown in the first quarter in 75 of the 90 games he has coached.
SERIES HISTORY
Georgia leads, 29-23-2
This year marks the 34th consecutive season that Tennessee and Georgia will have faced off on the gridiron dating back to 1992. This Saturday will be the earliest meeting on the calendar (Sept. 13) between the two teams in 30 years since UT won 30-27 in Knoxville on Sept. 9, 1995. The last four games between the two programs have been played in November.
This is the 19th contest between the Vols and Bulldogs where both teams are ranked in the AP Poll with the Vols holding a slight 10-8 advantage in those previous games. It’s the fourth straight year that both teams are ranked at the time of the meeting as UT will be looking to snap an eight-game skid to the Bulldogs.
ABOUT GEORGIA
Georgia enters Saturday’s ranked showdown at 2-0 following home wins over Marshall (45-7) and Austin Peay (28-6). The Bulldogs are led by head coach Kirby Smart, who is in his 10th season in charge and owns a 107-19 career record.
After waiting his turn, redshirt junior Gunner Stockton has assumed the role of starting quarterback for UGA and will provide a stiff challenge for Tennessee’s defense as a passer and a runner. Stockton comes into Saturday having completed 40-of-58 passes for 417 yards and two touchdowns while also having rushed for 86 yards and two scores. The Bulldogs boast a deep and talented group of pass catchers for Stockton to throw to, led by wideouts Colbie Young (9 rec., 106 yds) and Zachariah Branch (6 rec., 112 yds, 1 TD). Veteran tight ends Oscar Delp and Lawson Luckie also pose a threat in the passing game.
Nate Frazier leads the running back group for Georgia with 25 attempts for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Dwight Phillips Jr. has added 115 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries while Chauncey Bowers has also found the end zone twice this season.
The Dawgs once again feature one of the country’s top defensive units, having allowed an SEC-low 6.5 points per game while holding opponents to just 201.5 total yards per game. Junior linebacker Raylen Wilson leads the unit with 14 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack to go along with four quarterback pressures. Sophomore safety KJ Bolden leads the secondary with 10 tackles and a pass breakup.
GEORGIA NOTES:
#6 Georgia (2-0, 0-0 SEC) vs. #15 Tennessee (2-0, 0-0 SEC) Neyland Stadium (101,915), Knoxville, Tenn. Sept. 13, 2025, 3:30 PM ET – ABC (Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit & Holly Rowe) UGA Coach: Kirby Smart (107-19, 10th year); UT: Josh Heupel (67-23, 8th year/5th at UT) Local Radio: Georgia Bulldog Sports Network (Learfield): Scott Howard (PxP), Josh Brock (Analyst), D.J. Shockley (Sideline); Satellite Radio: SiriusXM TBA, and on the SiriusXM App National Radio: Westwood One SEC Network Re-Air: TBA; Series History: UGA leads 29-23-2 Serious Streak In The Series As SEC Play Opens On The Road *Georgia and Tennessee first met on the gridiron in 1899, and the Bulldogs own a 29-23-2 advantage in the history of the series. Both teams enter the contest 2-0 and ranked in the top 15. *The Bulldogs have won the last eight meetings, which is the longest stretch of success against the Vols in school history. Georgia can match UT’s best streak in the series, which was nine straight that started in 1989 and then continued from 1992-1999. *The Bulldogs are 8-1 against the Vols under Kirby Smart. The lone defeat came in his first season (2016) and featured a Hail Mary for a 34-31 triumph in Athens. It marked the first home loss for Coach Smart who is 52-4 at home in his tenure. *In 2024, No. 12 Georgia erased an early 10-0 deficit to post a 31-17 victory over the No. 7 Vols. At halftime, the game was tied at 17 as the Bulldog defense would post a second half shutout. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs would tally two more score as the Vols yielded more than 18 points in a game for the first time that year. Georgia’s TD drives covered 75, 84, 87 and a season-long 92 yards. UT finished with 313 yards of offense after coming in averaging 472 and 37.6 points per game. Playing With FPE (Fire, Passion & Energy) *One of Georgia’s main themes during the preseason and now in 2025 will be to play with “FPE.” Fifty-four percent of Georgia’s roster is made of players in their first or second seasons in Athens, and they have displayed youthful exuberance throughout spring, fall camp and now in season. *In the opener, the Bulldogs tallied 488 yards of total offense and led 45-0 until the Thundering Herd scored with 10:27 remaining in the contest. Against Austin Peay, Georgia leaned on its ground game for 190 yards on 40 carries with four scores in a 28-6 victory. *Redshirt junior quarterback Gunner Stockton provided four scores, two through the air and two on the ground in the season-opening win over Marshall. Against Austin Peay, he posted career-highs in completions and attempts (26-for-34) but did not have a passing or rushing TD in a 28-6 win. *In the opener, Georgia went 3-for-3 on 4th Down conversion attempts and scored two touchdowns. On Georgia’s first possession of the season, the Bulldogs had a 4th-and-2 from the Marshall 31 when Stockton rushed for 14 yards. Georgia would score one play later for a 7-0 lead. Then on their second possession, the Bulldogs had a 4th-and-1 at the Marshall 13. Stockton scampered in from 13 yards out for a 14-0 lead. The third conversion came with the Bulldogs up 31-0 in the 3rd quarter. On 4th-and-Goal, Stockton completed a two-yard TD strike to London Humphreys. *A total of 22 true freshmen Bulldogs (most in the Smart era) made their debut and two drew a starting assignment, Ethan Barbour (Bar-bore), one of two tight ends, and Juan Gaston Jr., at right guard. Under Smart, only 13 true freshmen have started a season opener. Unfortunately, Gaston injured his ankle late in the first quarter of the opener and did not return and then missed the Austin Peay game while Barbour missed the second half against Austin Peay with an ankle injury. *Against Marshall, the Branch brothers, Zachariah and Zion, made an immediate impact in their Bulldog debut after transferring from USC. Zachariah, a junior wideout/return specialist, had a team-high 95 yards on three catches including a 47-yard touchdown plus had three punt returns for 24 yards. Zion, a junior safety, was the co-leader in tackles with a career-high seven, all solo stops.
SMART Football *Kirby Smart is in his 10th season at the helm of his alma mater with a 107-19 mark. He is one of only two active coaches (Dabo Swinney, Clemson) with multiple national championships. *Georgia is the only team in the CFP-era to win back-to-back national titles, doing it in 2021-2022. *The Bulldogs are 9-0 in their first SEC road game each year of the Smart era, winning at Missouri, Tennessee, South Carolina (twice), Vanderbilt (twice), Arkansas, Auburn and Kentucky. *Georgia is 33-2 in its last 35 SEC regular season games. The 2024 Bulldogs finished 6-2 in the SEC including making road trips to #1 Texas, #4 Alabama and #16 Ole Miss plus a home game against #7 Tennessee. Georgia saw its school and SEC record streak of 28 consecutive regular season wins in league play end last year. *In 2024, the Bulldogs made their fourth straight appearance in the SEC Championship Game (SECCG) and seventh overall trip under Smart. After a 22-19 overtime win over then No. 2 Texas, the Bulldogs claimed their 15th SEC title in school history and the No. 2 seed in the CFP.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK:
TEXAS A&M AT NOTRE DAME
NOTRE DAME NOTES:
GAME DAY AT A GLANCE
• Saturday night will mark the seventh meeting between Notre Dame and Texas A&M. The series stands with a
4-2-0 Notre Dame advantage all-time.
• It is the third consecutive year head coaches Marcus Freeman and Mike Elko have met as head coaches as
Elko enters his second season with the Aggies after two seasons at Duke. Coach Freeman holds a 2-0 record
over Coach Elko’s programs (Duke, 2023; Texas A&M, 2024) in the previous meetings.
• The Irish prevailed 23-13 at Kyle Field in the matchup between the two teams last season.
• Notre Dame is 1-0-0 at home against Texas A&M – a 24-10 final on September 2, 2000 in the season opener.
• The two sides have entered the contest both ranked in the Top 25 on four previous occasions as this year’s
meeting will mark the fifth such instance.
• This meeting will be just the fourth time the two teams have faced off on either program’s respective
campus. The first three contests between the Irish and the Aggies took place at the Cotton Bowl (1987, 1992,
1993).
• The Irish are 14-5 in home games after a bye week since 2000.
• Notre Dame is 50-26-0 against SEC teams and has gone 19-10-0 in home games against SEC opponents.
NOTRE DAME STADIUM
• Notre Dame Stadium has been the home of Irish football since 1930.
• The Irish open their 97th season at Notre Dame Stadium in 2025. The facility opened in 1930.
• Notre Dame holds a 530-130-13 record at home all time.
• The Irish are 110-20-4 (.836) in home openers (the team did not have a home opener in 1889 or 1929) with a
mark of 76-17-2 (.811) at Notre Dame Stadium.
• Seating capacity is listed as 77,622 while the playing surface is artificial field turf.
IRISH BY THE NUMBERS
Notre Dame’s 2024 defense was dominant and one of the most complete defenses in the country, ranking among the FBS’ top teams. At the end of the season, Notre Dame was first in pass efficiency defense (104.4), first in turnovers gained (33), first in defensive touchdowns (6), first in blocked kicks (6), second in fumbles recovered (14), second in blocked punts (3), fourth in passing yards allowed (169.4), fourth in scoring defense (15.5), fifth in passes intercepted (19) and 11th in total defense (307.4). 1 With his performance at Miami, CJ Carr became the first Irish QB to have at least one passing TD and one rushing TD in his first start since Brandon Wimbush in 2017. 3 Donovan Hinish was named as a captain for the 2025 season to join his brother Kurt (2021) as a captain. The Hinish brothers are the third pairing of brothers to earn the captain title in the history of Notre Dame football, joining Bob Golic (1978) and Mike Golic (1984) and Zack Martin (2012 & 2013) and Nick Martin (2014 & 2015). 4 Notre Dame is one of just four programs in the Power 4 with eight or more wins over each of the last five seasons (2020-24), joined by Alabama, Clemson and Georgia. 6 Notre Dame is the first team ever to beat an AP-ranked opponent in 6 different months in the same season: No. 20 Texas A&M in August, No. 15 Louisville in September, No. 24 Navy in October, No. 18 Army in November, No. 9 Indiana in December, No. 2 Georgia and No. 5 Penn State in January. 7 The seven victories over ranked teams in the 2024 season was the most in a single season since 1989 (six) and the most ever in a seasn in program history. 11 RB Jeremiyah Love and Riley Leonard each had a rushing TD in the same game 11 times in the 2024 season, becoming the most by any FBS duo in any season in the last 25 years (surpassing Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick and Vai Taua with 10 in 2010). 13 Jeremiyah Love scored a rushing touchdown in 13-straight games in the 2024 season, a Notre Dame record for most-consecutive games with a rushing TD, and a Notre Dame record for most-consecutive games with a rushing TD to start a season. He was the only FBS running back to have scored a rushing touchdown in each regular season game in 2024. 14 The victory over Penn State was the 14th ranked win of the Marcus Freeman era at Notre Dame, more than any other Irish head coach in the first three years of his tenure, and tied for the most of any FBS program over the past three seasons (Georgia, 14). In 2023, the 40-8 Sun Bowl victory over No. 21 Oregon State not only earned Freeman his first campaign with 10 victories, it also was his team’s seventh victory over an Associated Press-ranked team in his first two years leading the program – breaking Terry Brennan’s previous program record of six in 1954 and 55. 14 Notre Dame ended the season with a 14-2 record, marking the most wins in a season in program history. Playing in its 16th game in the National Championship, Notre Dame extended the record for the most games it has played in a season ever. 33 The 33 career wins under Marcus Freeman through his first three seasons as the head coach for the Irish mark the most wins by any head coach in his first three seasons in Notre Dame football history. 1000 RB Jeremiyah Love posted 1,125 rushing yards in 2024, the 21st time an Irish player has broken the 1,000-yard rushing mark in a season. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry, which ranks tied for second among all single-season 1,000-yard rushers in ND records (Reggie Brooks, 1992, 8.0 – 1,343; Josh Adams, 2017, 6.9 – 1,430).
TWO-DEEP TIDBITS – OFFENSE • Malachi Fields was named as 2025 Phil Steele Preseason All-America Fourth Team selection and entered the 2024 season 129 career receptions for 1,849 yards and 11 touchdowns after joining the Irish from Virginia. Fields is on the 2025 Biletnikoff Award Watch List and averages 14.3 yards per catch over his career. • Jaden Greathouse became the first Irish player since Javon McKinley in 2020 to have consecutive games with 100+ receiving yards as he posted back-toback 100+ yard efforts in the 2025 Orange Bowl and CFP Championship games. • Will Pauling joins the Irish with 129 receptions and 1,372 yards over his career after competing at both Cincinnati and Wisconsin. A team captain for the Irish in 2025, he averages 10.6 yards per catch for his career. • Jordan Faison had 30 catches for 356 yards a year ago and averages 13.8 yards per catch over two seasons with the Irish. He collected 132 all purpose yards in CFP First Round win over the Hoosiers. • The Notre Dame offensive line brings a wealth of experience from last season to the trenches in 2025. Billy Schrauth, Aamil Wagner and Anthonie Knapp were all key to the Irish run in the 2024 season. Ashton Craig held the starting center job before an injury ended his season. Guerby Lambert played in six games on the offensive line and on special teams last fall. • Craig, Wagner and Schrauth have all drawn attention from national award committees ahead of the 2025 campaign. Craig was named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List while Wagner and Schrauth were both named to the Outland Trophy Watch List. • Eli Raridon competed in all 16 games of the 2024 season for the Irish and pulled in a pair of TD receptions on the season (Stanford, USC). He proved to be a surehanded target on third downs for the Irish a season ago, including a catch to sustain a scoring drive in the CFP First Round win over Indiana. • CJ Carr was named as the starting quarterback for the Irish on August 19. A consensus four star recruit, Carr was named an All-American following his senior year of high school and was an All-American Bowl participant. He became the first Irish QB to have at least one passing TD and one rushing TD in his first start since Brandon Wimbush in 2017. • Jeremiyah Love entered the season as a preseason All-America First Team selection by Walter Camp, Sporting News, the Associated Press, The Athletic, ESPN, CBS Sports, Athlon Sports and Phil Steele. He set a Notre Dame record for most consecutive games with a touchdown to start a season with 13 last fall. • Jadarian Price came into the 2025 season as a Doak Walker Award Preseason candidate after an impactful 2024 season. He had 746 yards on 120 carries to average 6.2 yards per rush with seven TDs. • Love and Price are both experienced on the kick return unit. Love has a careerlong return of 21 yards, which he posted in the 2023 at Duke, while Price rattled off a 99-yard return at home against USC in the 2023 season. • Faison and Pauling are the top two options for the Irish in week one for punt returns. Faison had a career-long 43-yard kick return in the CFP First Round win at home over Indiana. • James Rendell placed 24 punts inside the 20-yard line and posted eight punts of 50+ yards with eight games with zero touchbacks in his first season with the Irish. • Marcello Diomede has made four appearances in an Irish uniform and has a pair of PATs to his name. He added a kickoff a season ago for 55 yards. • Noah Burnette was on the 2024 Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List while at North Carolina and has connected on 49 field goals and 138 PATs over his career. • Erik Schmidt was ranked as the No. 1 kicker in the nation by 247Sports Composite and was the No. 1 ranked punter in the country by Kohl’s Kicking.
TWO-DEEP TIDBITS – DEFENSE • Battle-tested and ready to dig deep in the trenches, the Irish defensive line boasts nine players with experience up front. Seniors Jordan Botelho, Junior Tuihalamaka, Jason Onye, Jared Dawson and Gabriel Rubio along with juniors Joshua Burnham and Donovan Hinish have all competed in at least 19 games over their careers. Sophomores Boubacar Traore and Bryce Young, meanwhile, both made an immediate impact in the 2024 season. • Jordan Botelho ranks in the top 20 all-time in career games played in an Irish uniform with 51 appearances. He leads all active Notre Dame players with 11.5 career sacks and 15.0 TFL. • Junior Tuihalamaka leads the active defensive unit with two fumble recoveries – the second of which set up a late second-quarter touchdown for the Irish in a 23-10 Sugar Bowl win over No. 2 Georgia. The 2024 season saw Tuihalamaka set new single-season highs for tackles (33), TFLs (5.5) and sacks (three). • Jason Onye has competed in 19 games for the Irish ahead of the 2025 season and has 26 career tackles with three blocked kicks and a pair of sacks. • Jared Dawson joins the Irish from Louisville, where he played in 38 games with 51 tackles and 13.5 TFL. Of his nine career sacks, four came in the 2024 season. • Boubacar Traore led all FBS freshman players in sacks prior to a season ending injury in 2024. Traore posted five TFLs in five games with three sacks and a forced fumble last fall. • Donovan Hinish was named as a captain for the 2025 season. Last fall, Hinish tallied 35 tackles with 4.5 TFL, all of which were sacks. • Bryce Young totaled 23 tackles (14 solo) with 3.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks and two QB hurries in his first season with the Irish while also contributing to special teams. He ranked second in the nation (tied) in blocked kicks with three on the year (two blocked field goals and a blocked punt) in 2024. • Jaylen Sneed posted a career-best 51 tackles a season ago with 6.0 TFL and 2.5 sacks. He is fourth among active Irish players in career tackles after his breakout season a year ago. • Drayk Bowen is on the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List and the Butkus Award Watch List heading into the 2025 season. He was third on the team in tackles in 2024 and added 4.0 TFL, a sack and three forced fumbles. • DeVonta Smith joined the Irish after four seasons at Alabama. Smith registered 30 tackles a season ago with a forced fumble and five pass breakups. • Leonard Moore exploded onto the scene a season ago. He was named the 2024 FWAA Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and the College Football Network Freshman Cornerback of the Year. Named to the Preseason All-America First Team lists by Walter Camp, Sporting News, the Associated Press, The Athletic, ESPN, CBS Sports, Athlon Sports and Phil Steele for 2025, he is on the watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award. • Jalen Stroman joined the Irish after four seasons at Virginia Tech. Stroman had 111 career tackles ahead of the 2025 season with 2.0 TFL and four pass breakups. He set a single-game high with 14 tackles in the 2023 season against Purdue. • Adon Shuler started every game for the Irish this season at safety in 2024 and posted three interceptions with 94 yards in returns. He was the only member of the 2024 Irish defense to record an interception, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble during the season. Shuler was also tied for second among Irish players a season ago for interceptions. • Christian Gray started 15 games in 2024, totaling 35 tackles, three interceptions (including a pick-six returned 99 yards), nine pass breakups, 2.5 TFL and a forced fumble.
TEXAS A&M NOTES:
(#16) Texas A&M at (#8) Notre Dame
Saturday, September 13, 2025 • 6:30 PM CT • Notre Dame Stadium
Weather: partly cloudy, upper 60s, slight chance of rain
TV: NBC (Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, Kathryn Tappen)
AGGIES VS. FIGHTING IRISH
Saturday’s clash between Texas A&M and Notre Dame is the second game of a two-game, home-and-home series between the schools. The Fighting Irish handed the Aggies a 23-13 defeat in last year’s season-opener for both teams at Kyle Field.
The two schools have faced off six times overall with Notre Dame holding a 4-2 advantage. The Aggies and Irish split a home-and-home in 2000 and 2001 with both teams posting home victories. The two programs have also met three times in the Cotton Bowl with the Aggies tallying a 35-10 conquest in the 1988 bowl and the Irish taking 28-3 and 24-21 decisions in 1993 and 1994.
In Texas A&M’s lone visit to South Bend in 2000, the Aggies held a 10-7 lead midway through the third quarter, but the Irish scored the final 17 points of the game for a 24-10 triumph.
NEED-TO-KNOWS
Texas A&M has compiled 23 plays of 20+ yards in two games in 2025 (11.5/G) after averaging just 5.5 “explosives” per game in 2024.
The Aggies under Mike Elko have limited opponents to 125 or fewer rushing yards in nine of 15 contests, including last week when Utah State generated just 78 yards on 35 carries (2.1 average).
After two games, Texas A&M is averaging 305.0 passing yards after throwing for only 148.0 yards per game through week 2 in 2024. The 157.0 yards/G improvement ranks fifth-most among FBS teams.
Mike Elko served as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator in 2017, helping guide the Irish to a 10-3 record with a win over LSU in the Citrus Bowl.
TRENDS & NOTABLES
The Aggies are one of three teams nationally this season that rank in the top 15 in both punt and kick returns. They are joined by Louisville and Pittsburgh.
Similarly, Texas A&M, Louisville and Pittsburgh are the only teams averaging more than 30.0 yards on kick returns (32.2) and 20.0 on punt returns (22.9). Last year the Aggies ranked No. 60 (20.5) in kickoff returns and No. 124 in punt returns (3.9).
Texas A&M ranks in the top 15 nationally in tackles for loss (No. 12) and QB sacks (No. 13). The Aggies have posted 9.0 TFL in both games this season and average 3.5 sacks/G.
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Texas A&M is the only FBS team with two wide receivers with receiving grades above 80.0 among players with at least 10 targets — transfers Mario Craver and KC Concepcion.
Via PFF, Craver ranks No. 4 with a 88.2 grade on 16 targets among WRs with 10+ targets, while Concepcion comes at No. 21 on 13 targets, via PFF.
Craver became the first player to open his Texas A&M career with back-to-back 100-yard receiving games after logging 122 vs. UTSA and 114 vs. Utah State, while Concepcion is the first to open his A&M career with a pair of multiple touchdown games since RB Tra Carson did it in 2013 against Rice and Sam Houston.
Senior RB Le’Veon Moss has just seven carries for negative yardage among his 257 career carries. The hard-running Moss has lost just 16 rushing yards throughout his career.
NCAA RANKINGS DEEP DIVE
Texas A&M is the only school with players ranked in the top 10 in punt and kickoff return average. KC Concepcion ranks No. 5 in punt returns at 28.0, while Terry Bussey comes in at No. 9 in kick returns at 32.8.
Texas A&M and Pittsburgh are the only teams with two players in the top 25 in punt return average. Joining Concepcion in the top 25 is Bussey, who stands at No. 21 at 16.0. Bussey also ranks No. 7 with 179 combined kick return yards (131 KOR/48 PR).
Marcel Reed ranks No. 4 in points responsibility average with 24.0 points per game and No. 7 in passing touchdowns with seven. His pass efficiency stands No. 24 (172.3 rating) and his total offense per outing ranks No. 18 (307.0).
Mario Craver and Concepcion are tied for No. 2 with three receiving touchdowns, while Craver ranks No. 8 in receiving yards average (118.0) and No. 23 in receptions per game (6.5). With two receiving scores and a punt return TD, Concepcion ranks No. 7 in scoring (12.0) among all players and No. 4 in total touchdowns.
On the strength of a three-sacks-on-three-straight-plays effort vs. Utah State, Cashius Howell ranks No. 6 in QB sacks (1.5).
ALSO OF NOTE…
Concepcion’s 80-yard punt return TD vs. UTSA was the first of the Elko era. In fact, it was just the first punt return (without a punt block) of more than 10 yards by the Aggies since the start of 2024.
With a pair of strong passing efforts to start 2025, Reed has now completed over 60% of his attempts in eight-straight games dating back to 2024. Prior to the streak, Reed had competed 54.4% in his first four games of 2024. Reed has completed 65.0% of his passes with a 16-to-6 TD-to-INT ratio while averaging 8.0 yards/attempt in his last eight games.
Craver’s career yards per catch average of 20.1 ranks No. 5 among active FBS players with at least 30 catches.
Tyler White has had 28 punts downed inside the 20 in 15 career games and just four of his 55 career punts have been returned for positive yardage.
PFF NOTABLES VS. UTAH STATE
According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), the Aggies’ highest-graded offensive player vs. Utah State was redshirt sophomore C Mark Nabou, who graded at 77.0 while playing 57 snaps. He was the lone Aggie to grade above 70.0 in both run and pass blocking.
On the defensive side, senior LB Scooby Williams led the way among players with 40+ snaps with a 92.3 defensive grade. In just 10 plays, sophomore transfer DE Sam M’Pemba graded at 94.4 while logging his first career sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery.
PFF NOTABLES (SEASON)
Graduate OT Trey Zuhn III has posted a 89.7 pass blocking grade via PFF after two games, which ranks No. 9 among all offensive linemen and No. 3 among tackles. In 53 pass block snaps, Zuhn hasn’t allowed a sack or hurry and hasn’t been flagged for a penalty.
Senior DE Cashius Howell ranks No. 12 among FBS players with 35+ pass rush opportunities with a 87.4 pass rush grade.
True freshman RB Jamarion Morrow ranks No. 27 among all running backs with a 7.3 yards after contact average.
Texas A&M’s offensive line ranks No. 14 (tie) in pass blocking efficiency with a 95.9 grade. The “Maroon Goons” rank No. 1 among teams with more than 80 pass snaps.
HOWELL’S “SACK TRICK”
Senior DE Cashius Howell etched his name into college football lore by posting a “hat-trick” of sorts with three consecutive sacks during a single drive last week against Utah State. Research indicates that Howell is the first FBS player to record three-straight sacks in a single drive since Wisconsin’s Jack Cichy in the 2015 Holiday Bowl.
For his efforts, Howell was named SEC Defensive Line Player of the Week, as well as the East-West Shrine Bowl Breakout Defensive Player of the Week.
GETTING TO THE QB
Texas A&M is one of two FBS schools with two defenders with at least 14 career quarterback sacks on their resumes.
Howell has 18.5 sacks over his career at Texas A&M (7.0) and Bowling Green (11.5), while graduate DE Dayon Hayes has 14.0 after previous stops at Pittsburgh (12.0) and Colorado (2.0).
QUICK HITS
Dual-threat QB Marcel Reed is in his first season as the solidified starter after he tallied 1,864 yards on 147-of-240 pass attempts and 15 touchdowns, while adding 547 rushing yards on 116 carries and seven scores a year ago.
Reed was one of five SEC quarterbacks and one of 16 QBs in the nation to pass for over 1,850 yards and rush for more than 500 yards in 2024.
Le’Veon Moss returns for his senior season after earning All-SEC Second Team honors in 2024 … Moss totaled 121 carries for 765 yards and 10 TDs, while adding 10 catches for 141 yards in the first nine games before suffering a season-ending injury.
Moss ranked second in the SEC and 17th nationally last season with 6.3 yards per carry and his 85.0 rushing yards per game ranked third-best in the league.
The Maroon & White return their entire starting offensive line that cleared the way for the second-best rushing attack in the SEC as their 195.5 ypg were also good for 26th nationally … guards Chase Bisontis and Ar’maj Reed-Adams and tackle Trey Zuhn III each were recognized by league coaches earning spots on the Preseason All-SEC Second Team.
Junior LB Taurean York and Zuhn were named season-long captains for the second straight year, joined by Reed-Adams in his first season as a captain.
York and senior CB Will Lee III anchor an experienced defense that returns eight starters combined with 140 career starts (entering 2025) … in 2024, York led the Aggies with 82 tackles and Lee paced the secondary with 10 pass breakups.
DE Cashius Howell, Lee, S Marcus Ratcliffe and LB Scooby Williams each returned for their senior seasons after making a strong first impression in Aggieland last season … the quartet combined for 28 passes defended a year ago, while the defense ranked fifth nationally with 76 passes defended.
A&M’s offensive line ranked 10th nationally allowing only 51.0 tackles for loss and was fourth in the SEC with 23.0 sacks allowed in 2024 … the Maroon Goons have combined to play 235 career games, the eighth most among an o-line group entering this season.
Texas A&M was one of just three teams in the SEC and one of 18 in the nation to produce over 2,500 rushing and passing yards in 2024.
Last season, the Maroon & White allowed an average of 15.1 points per game in seven matchups at Kyle Field.
REED ALL ABOUT IT
After winning the starting quarterback job mid-way through last season, Marcel Reed is firmly establshed as QB1 in his redshirt sophomore season.
Reed made eight starts under center in 2024, including wins in his first three starts at Florida, against Bowling Green and vs. Arkansas at AT&T Stadium … he was the first freshman QB to win his first three career starts since Kellen Mond in 2017.
The dual-threat QB accounted for 22 touchdowns on the year, the second most in the SEC among freshmen last season and the sixth most in the league among returning players.
In his first career start at Florida, he commanded Texas A&M to its first true SEC road win since 2021 … Reed completed 11-of-17 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 83 yards rushing and one score.
The Nashville, Tennessee, native continued to showcase his dual-threat capabilities in wins over Arkansas and New Mexico State, throwing for a pair of touchdowns and rushing for one in each game … it marked the first time an Aggie quarterback achieved the feat three times in a season since Mond in 2019.
Reed became the undisputed starter after he came off the bench midway through the third quarter to lead the Aggies to a second half comeback win over No. 8 LSU in Week 9 … he sparked the offense by scoring three unanswered rushing touchdowns and putting a dagger in the Tigers with a 54-yard strike to open a fourth quarter scoring drive making it a two possession game with 8:09 left.
He finished the 2024 season with 1,864 passing yards, the second most by an Aggie freshman QB trailing only Johnny Manziel’s 3,706 yards in his Heisman winning campaign in 2012 … Reed led all SEC quarterbacks with 4.7 yards per carry while his 49.4 rushing yards per game and seven rushing scores ranked No. 4 among league signal-callers.
STABLE STALLIONS
Texas A&M returns 87% of its run production from last season, including All-SEC Second Team running back Le’Veon Moss who ranked second in the league and 17th nationally with 6.3 yards per carry … Marcel Reed is one-of-three Aggies returning who rushed over 500 yards, while his 4.7 yards per carry was eighth best in the nation among returning quarterbacks.
Moss’ ability to excel in short-yardage situations and gain yards after contact contributed to his reputation of being a physical downhill runner … the Walker, Louisiana, native lost just 3 yards last season, which led the league and was No. 2 among all FBS players.
Seniors Moss and Amari Daniels are back after the duo combined for 1,426 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns last season … Moss ranked sixth in the SEC with 10 rushing touchdowns and eighth in the league rushing for 765 yards, despite an injury prematurely ended his season at nine games … Daniels was ninth in the SEC in rushing scores (8) and finished 18th in rushing yards (661) after appearing in each regular season game and making three starts.
Daniels came on strong at the end of the season filling in for the injured Moss averaging 5.3 yards per carry in the last five games of the regular season … during the span, he totaled 369 yards on 70 carries and three rushing touchdowns, including a pair of 50-plus yard scores against South Carolina (56 yards) and New Mexico State (71 yards).
Rueben Owens II is back in full swing after a fall camp injury sidelined him for the majority of last season … the redshirt sophomore earned 2023 SEC All-Freshman Team honors after leading the league’s true freshmen in all-purpose yards (743), rushing yards (385) and kick return yards (249).
Reed has supplemented the Aggies’ solid rushing attack ranking third among all SEC QBs with six touchdowns on the season, while his 4.7 yards per carry led league signal callers and his 49.0 yards per game was good for top-20 in the league … Reed came in midway through the third quarter against LSU and sparked the Aggies scoring three unanswered rushing TDs.
Texas A&M rushed for 200-plus yards in six games last season and eclipsed the 300-yard mark in consecutive games at Florida and against McNeese … it marked the first time the Aggies have tallied 300-plus rushing yards in back-to-back games since the 2012 season.
The Aggies’ 90.6% red zone conversion rate was No. 17 in the nation last season … the run game accounted for 62% (23-of-37) of the touchdowns scored in the red zone for the Maroon & White.
YORK AND ORDER
Junior LB Taurean York is in his third season as the starting middle linebacker and was selected as a team captain by his teammates for a second straight year ahead of the 2025 season … since the day the Temple, Texas, native stepped foot on campus in 2023, York has been a student of the game and has set the standard in playing Aggie defense.
York led the Aggies with 82 tackles last season and was top-12 in the SEC in tackles and seventh in the league among linebackers in tackles for loss … the steady linebacker has been recognized on numerous preseason watch lists, including the Butkus Award, Chuck Bednarik Award and he was named to the Walter Camp Preseason All-America First Team and Preseason All-SEC Third Team.
York led the defense in tackles in seven games last season and notched double-digit tackles at Mississippi State (12), at Auburn (10) and against Texas (10) … he led the Aggies with an 85.7 tackling grade according to PFF and missed just six tackles in nearly 700 defensive snaps in 2024 for an impressive 7.4 missed tackle rate.
MAROON GOONS
After ranking second in the SEC averaging 195.5 rushing yards per game, the Aggies return each member of their starting offensive line … the group is one of the most experienced with a combined 161 career starts ranking fifth most in the nation entering 2025.
The line is anchored by season-long team captains Trey Zuhn III and right guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams … Zuhn played a team-high 882 offensive snaps last year and allowed just two sacks in 417 pass plays, while being flagged just twice in 13 games. Reed-Adams posted an 85.9 run block grade by PFF, second-best among returning guards nationally, while he allowed just one sack in more than 200 pass blocks.
Graduate student Dametrious Crownover and junior Chase Bisontis, along with senior Koli Faaiu and redshirt sophomore Mark Nabou Jr. provide necessary support in the trenches … Crownover was one of four Aggies to start each game last season, while Faaiu made 11 starts and Bisontis logged nine starts … Nabou started Week One before suffering an injury that sidelined him the rest of the year.
The Maroon Goons controlled the trenches paving the way for an Aggie offense that ranked 17th in the nation with a 90.6% red zone conversion rate and 23rd in third down conversions at 45.1 percent.
VETERAN SECONDARY
The Maroon & White return an experienced secondary combined with 115 career starts entering 2025, including seven players that made multiple starts in 2024 … senior CB Will Lee III and junior S Marcus Ratcliffe command the secondary after the pair started each game last regular season.
Ratcliffe recorded an interception in three straight games last season to become the first Aggie to accomplish the feat since Jason Glenn in 2000 … Lee picked off two passes, one of which he returned 93 yards for his first career touchdown in the regular season finale against Texas … his pick six marked the longest by an Aggie since Aaron Glenn returned one for 95 yards against Texas in 1992.
Lee garnered 2024 All-SEC Second Team honors after he ranked fifth in the league with 10 pass breakups and finished top-five on the team with 42 tackles … he posted at least one breakup in six games, highlighted by a career-best four against Arkansas and was only one of two SEC players last year to record four-or-more breakups in a single game.
Redshirt senior CB Tyreek Chappell returns after starting the first two games in 2024 before he suffered a season-ending injury.
WHO’S THAT DUDE
Between the returning players in new jersey numbers and the numerous transfers fresh to Aggieland, the 12th Man will have every good reason to wonder, ‘who’s that dude?’
Notable defensive returners that switched numbers include, CB Dezz Ricks (2), CB Will Lee III (4), DT DJ Hicks (5) and DE Cashius Howell (9), while WR Ashton Bethel-Roman (3) was one of the few offensive returners to make a number change this season.
Transfer WRs Mario Craver (1) from Mississippi State and KC Concepcion (7) from NC State are expected to have an immediate impact on the Aggie offense … Craver was second in the SEC with 21.6 yards per catch among players with at least 15 catches in 2024, while Concepcion totaled 124 catches for 1,299 yards, 16 touchdowns and added 356 rushing yards on 60 carries for two scores in two seasons in the ACC.
The Aggie tight ends beefed their room up physically and in maturity with Texas transfer Amari Niblack (84), Nebraska transfer Nate Boerkircher (87) and Auburn transfer Micah Riley (88) … the trio has combined to play in 101 games, while Boerkircher reunites with tight ends coach Christian Ellsworth and Niblack is back with co-offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins when the pair were at Alabama in 2022 and 2023.
On the defensive front, DT Tyler Onyedim (11) from Iowa State, DE T.J. Searcy (18) from Florida, Colorado transfer DT Dayon Hayes (50) and Georgia transfer DE Sam M’Pemba (92) bring experience and add depth to join key returners DT Albert Regis and DE Cashius Howell.
Georgia transfer CB Julio Humphrey (6) and Washington transfer CB Jordan Shaw (8) join a veteran defensive secondary.
SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS
Texas A&M returns each specialist starter from a season ago, including Lou Groza Award Preseason Watch List kicker Randy Bond and Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List punter Tyler White.
Graduate K Randy Bond ranked 15th in the nation and fifth in the SEC with 20 made field goals, while his 83.3 field goal percentage was fourth-best in the SEC with 20-or-more attempts … he enters the season four points shy of 300 for his career … Bond has posted double-digit points in a game 12 times in his career, including five times in 2024.
Redshirt sophomore P Tyler White led the nation last season among freshmen averaging 44.9 yards per punt, while his average ranked fifth in the SEC among punters with at least 45 boots … he boasted a season-long 69-yard boom, which ranked as the second-longest in the nation among freshmen and second-best in the SEC for all punters.
SETTING THE STANDARD
In his first season at the helm in Aggieland, head coach Mike Elko established a culture of grit, relentless effort, integrity and dependability.
Elko led the Maroon & White to their best start in SEC play, going 5-0 against their first league opponents and had the Aggies battling for a spot in the SEC Championship game entering the final week of the regular season … the 5-0 start marked the program’s best record in conference play since the Aggies started their Big 12 slate 7-0 in 1998.
The players embraced the culture on and off the field beating two top-10 opponents at Kyle Field, while posting the program’s best cumulative grade point average and the squad had 100-percent participation in The Big Event, a student-run community service project.
In 2024, Texas A&M ranked 34th in the nation in scoring defense holding opponents to an average of 22.2 points per game … At Kyle Field, the defense was even more stifling allowing only 15.1 points per game
Known as one of the top defensive minds in the country, Elko has consistently produced highly disruptive and productive defenses throughout his career, most recently putting the Texas A&M defense on the map during his time as defensive coordinator and carrying the same standard as the head coach at Duke.
In 2023, Duke led the ACC and ranked 16th nationally in scoring defense (19.0 ppg) while registering a top-five rush defense among league teams and standing in 17th in the country with 67 passes defended … in Elko’s first season as a head coach, the Blue Devils ranked in the top-35 in the nation in scoring defense, rush defense, rushing touchdowns allowed and passes defended.
After not finishing in the top-50 nationally in total defense for more than a decade, Elko’s first stint in Aggieland as defensive coordinator from 2018-21 coincided with consistent top-35 finishes, including a top-10 ranking in the 2020 final FBS total defense standings.
Elko has produced top-50 defenses in 11 of the last 13 years with multiple programs (Duke, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Wake Forest, Bowling Green).
COLLEGE FOOTBALL TRADITIONS: ‘HAWKEYE WAVE’ BONDS EVERYONE IN STADIUM WITH KIDS IN ADJACENT HOSPITAL
When Iowa is playing at home and the first quarter comes to an end, the football game suddenly is out of sight and out of mind for a few minutes for everyone inside Kinnick Stadium and the kids watching from the nearby Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City.
The 70,000 fans along with players, coaches and staff for the Hawkeyes and the visiting team turn toward the hospital and wave to the pediatric patients and parents gathered on the top floor that provides a bird’s-eye view of the field. The children wave back and hold up handmade signs.
The tradition, known as the Hawkeye Wave, started with the 2017 opener against Wyoming after it was suggested on an internet message board that fans take a moment each game to acknowledge the kids in the hospital who are watching along with them and often are battling life-threatening diseases.
The Wave has been hailed as one of the most popular traditions in college football by a number of outlets and is deeply moving for the participants.
“It puts things into perspective, even though it’s during the game,” said fifth-year linebacker Jaden Harrell. “That’s an awesome thing to take a break for not only the kids, but those parents who are going through a lot, too. Knowing what’s going on in there, what’s being done by the doctors and the staff and the nurses, it shows appreciation to all those people. They’re doing a great job.”
The Hawkeyes have long had a strong bond with the hospital. Coach Kirk Ferentz and his wife, Mary, have donated more than $1 million to the hospital since 2017 and players regularly visit patients.
“You get to know some of the kids over there, and it just makes it even cooler when you get to that point in the game when you can wave to them,” fifth-year wide receiver Kaden Wetjen said.
In 2009, the football program began the “Kid Captain” program to honor patients and celebrate their stories. A Kid Captain is picked for every home game, and each child selected receives a commemorative jersey, special recognition from the hospital and the football team and other behind-the-scenes activities.
The relationships with the patients, combined with the participation of the fans and visiting team, stirs emotion.
For the first five years, Pat Clark’s country music song “Wave on Wave” played on stadium loudspeakers during the Wave. Since 2022, the Kid Captain picks the song.
“It’s pretty special, man,” Wetjen said. “I mean, to look up, see all the kids there waving back at you, it’s just kind of a cool moment. Each and every game, it always kind of hits you.”
FERNANDO MENDOZA, NO. 22 INDIANA THRASH INDIANA STATE 73-0
Fernando Mendoza and Omar Cooper Jr. celebrated records, and No. 22 Indiana was nearly perfect as it pummeled Indiana State 73-0 Friday night in Bloomington, Ind.
In posting the program’s largest shutout in 124 years, the Hoosiers (3-0) finished with the third-most points and yards (680) in a game in their history. The Hoosiers (3-0) accumulated 301 yards on the ground, the third straight game with 300 or more.
Mendoza played only in the first half and set a record for highest completion percentage by a Hoosier quarterback. The Cal transfer completed 19 of 20 passes for 270 yards and five touchdowns. His 95 percent mark broke Peyton Ramsey’s 92.9 percent rate set against Eastern Illinois on Sept. 7, 2019.
The only blemish occurred when Sycamores defensive back J.T. Anderson got a hand on Mendoza’s passing arm three-plus minutes into the second quarter. That ended Mendoza’s run of 14 completions to start the game.
Cooper caught 10 passes for 207 yards and four touchdowns — all career highs.
Mendoza added a 7-yard rushing touchdown that put the Hoosiers (3-0) up 7-0 with 11:22 to go in the first quarter.
The Hoosiers had eight first-half drives. They scored on their first seven and found the end zone six times. The only possession that did not result in points started with 48 seconds before halftime. By that time, Indiana led 45-0.
Alberto Mendoza, Fernando’s younger brother, took over in the second half. On his fourth play, he found Cooper on a 58-yard scoring catch. That let Cooper match the team record with four touchdown receptions set by James Hardy on Oct. 28, 2006.
The younger Mendoza led the Hoosiers to touchdowns on his first three drives. He completed 6 of 9 passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns before leaving midway through the fourth quarter.
As Indiana’s offense clicked, the defense held the Sycamores (2-1) in check. The FCS school gained just 10 yards in the first half — compared to 383 for the hosts — and did not get a first down until four minutes remained in the first half.
The Hoosiers held their guests to just 77 yards and made 16 tackles for loss, including five sacks.
NEW MEXICO TRAMPLES UCLA FOR FIRST WIN OVER BIG TEN FOE
Damon Bankston’s 43-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass put an exclamation point on New Mexico’s first-ever win over a Big Ten opponent, a 35-10 romp over UCLA in Pasadena, Calif., on Friday.
Bankston’s clinching score came after UCLA coach DeShaun Foster accepted a penalty on New Mexico for illegal motion. Instead of fourth-and-2, the Lobos (2-1) faced a third-and-11 on which quarterback Jack Layne dumped a short pass to Bankston.
The running back proceeded to race through and past would-be tacklers to the end zone, his second scoring trip of the fourth quarter, putting the Lobos up 28-10 with 7:06 remaining.
His 2-yard touchdown run earlier in the period capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive and extended New Mexico’s lead to 21-10.
On the way to their first win over any power-conference opponent since 2008, the Lobos leaned on a wildly productive rushing attack. New Mexico averaged 6.5 yards per carry as a team and finished the night with 298 yards on the ground.
Bankston’s 154 rushing yards led the way, while D.J. McKinney added 89 and ran for the game’s final touchdown. New Mexico used a variety of formations employing more than five offensive linemen, often setting one up in the backfield as a lead blocker.
UCLA (0-3) slowly battled back from a 14-0, second-quarter hole. The Bruins gave up a 1-yard touchdown carry to Scottre Humphrey at the end of a nine-play, 64-yard drive in the first quarter and an 8-yard Simon Mapa scoring reception from Layne in the second quarter.
Titus Mokiao-Atimalala’s 12-yard touchdown catch from Nico Iamaleava put UCLA on the board and within a score by halftime, and Mateen Bhaghani drilled a 51-yard field goal in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 14-10.
The UCLA defense also helped the cause with two fourth-down stops inside the Bruins 5-yard line. However, UCLA could not capitalize on either change of possession.
After the first of those stops in the second quarter, the Bruins broke into New Mexico territory on a 33-yard Anthony Woods rush, but time expired to deny UCLA a scoring opportunity.
Woods’ 64 rushing yards led UCLA, which gained 109 yards on the ground as a team. Iamaleava ran for 33 yards and connected on 22 of 34 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted during UCLA’s disastrous fourth quarter.
DOMINANT FIRST HALF CARRIES ARIZONA TO VICTORY OVER KANSAS STATE
Noah Fifita ran for two first-half touchdowns and Arizona held on to defeat Kansas State 23-17 in a nonconference game between Big 12 teams in Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2015.
Fifita completed 16 of 33 passes for 178 yards. He also gained for 48 yards on 15 carries. Teammate Ismail Mahdi ran for 189 yards on 22 attempts, an 8.6 yards-per-carry clip.
Avery Johnson finished 13 of 29 for just 88 yards for Kansas State (1-3), which gained only 193 total yards.
Following a disastrous first half (44 total yards), Kansas State nearly tripled its total offense on the first play of the second half when Jayce Brown raced 75 yards untouched to trim the visitors’ deficit to 17-10.
Kansas State blocked a punt on Arizona’s next possession, and Johnson subsequently punched it in from the 1-yard line to tie the score.
Arizona retook the lead on a 31-yard Michael Salgado-Medina field goal with 2:40 left in the third quarter. The hosts reached the red zone again in the fourth quarter but settled for another Salgado-Medina field goal, this one from 41 yards with 4:25 to play.
Following a missed 46-yard field-goal attempt by Salgado-Medina just inside the two-minute timeout, Kansas State had one last chance, but the visitors couldn’t advance the ball past midfield.
The first half was total domination by Arizona, which outgained Kansas State 257-44.
After recovering a botched punt at the Arizona 23-yard line, Kansas State lost 10 yards on the next three plays, but Luis Rodriguez nailed a 51-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.
It didn’t take long for Arizona to take over. A 60-yard run on the first play by Mahdi put Arizona in the red zone. Fifita ran it in from the 15 to give the hosts a 7-3 lead.
Arizona got into the red zone on its next possession but settled for a 31-yard Salgado-Medina field goal. Fifita then punched it in from the 2-yard line with 3:42 left in the half to put Arizona up 17-3.
HOUSTON OPENS BIG 12 SLATE WITH HOME WIN OVER COLORADO
Conner Weigman was 15-for-24 passing for 222 yards and had 17 carries for 83 yards and two touchdowns to lead Houston to a 36-20 home win over Colorado in the Big 12 opener for both teams on Friday night.
Dean Connors had 22 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown, while Stephon Johnson had five receptions for 117 yards. Blake Thompson and Wrook Brown each had an interception. Ethan Sanchez connected on field goals from 52, 43, 47, 35 and 49 yards for Houston (3-0, 1-0 Big 12).
Ryan Staub completed 19 of 35 passes for 204 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Simeon Price rushed for a touchdown, Joseph Williams had a touchdown catch and Zach Atkins scored a touchdown after recovering Staub’s fumble in the end zone for the Buffaloes (1-2, 0-1).
It was a decisive third quarter for the Houston offense, which outgained Colorado 123-0 and held a 12:49-2:11 edge in time of possession. The Buffaloes ran just five plays as Houston chewed up the third-quarter clock with two scoring drives that totaled 25 plays.
The Cougars’ first drive of the second half lasted 8:35 and ended with the fourth Sanchez field goal for a 19-14 lead.
After a Colorado three-and-out, Weigman punctuated a 76-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown on a quarterback sneak that gave Houston a 26-14 lead. Weigman juked his way into the end zone on a 7-yard touchdown run and Houston took a 33-14 lead with 11:39 to play.
A 4-yard touchdown run by Connors gave Houston a 10-0 lead at the 3:52 mark of the first quarter. After Colorado punted on its first four possessions and gained just 42 yards, it engineered back-to-back scoring drives in the second quarter.
The first drive featured Price bursting between the tackles for a 38-yard touchdown run that cut Houston’s lead to 13-7. On Colorado’s next possession, Staub was hit as he dove for the goal line and fumbled, which Atkins recovered in the end zone with 26 seconds left in the second quarter. Colorado trailed 16-14 at halftime.
Staub connected with Williams for a 37-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
STEVE ANGELI TOSSES 5 TDS AS SYRACUSE THRASHES COLGATE
Steve Angeli threw five touchdown passes and ran for another as Syracuse trounced visiting Colgate 66-24 on Friday evening.
Following last week’s overtime win against UConn, Orange coach Fran Brown made his team run postgame sprints on the field as a sign of his displeasure with his players’ effort during the contest. Syracuse (2-1) put forth a much crisper effort in this one, scoring 38 first-half points and finishing with 620 yards of total offense.
Darrell Gill Jr. racked up six catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns for the Orange, while Will Nixon contributed 66 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Angeli finished 24 of 32 for 417 yards for Syracuse.
Zach Osborne was 13 of 28 for 135 yards with two interceptions before Jake Stearney came on and went 14-for-20 for 148 yards and two scores. Reed Swanson was a popular target for the Raiders (0-3), totaling 110 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions.
Syracuse scored on its first possession as Angeli found Justus Ross-Simmons for a 26-yard catch-and-run touchdown. Colgate responded with a field goal before the Orange found the end zone again on Gill’s leaping catch near the goal line — a 43-yard score that made it 14-3.
Early in the second quarter, Syracuse jumped ahead 21-3 on Nixon’s 2-yard TD plunge.
Angeli threw a pair of touchdowns later in the quarter. He hooked up with Gill for a 35-yard score and then found Jaylan Hornsby for a 25-yard TD to make it 38-3 with less than two minutes until intermission.
On Colgate’s first possession of the second half, Syracuse held firm on fourth down at the Raiders’ 41. Three plays later, Angeli and Darrell Williams connected on a 26-yard TD catch.
Stearney and Swanson hooked up for two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the third quarter to make the score more respectable. However, the hosts tacked on three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win going away.
REPORT: LONGTIME ACC REF QUITS DUE TO REPLAY FRUSTRATION
Upset over how a replay review was handled in last Saturday’s UConn-Syracuse game, Atlantic Coast Conference referee Gary Patterson resigned, ESPN reported on Friday.
An ACC official since 2002, Patterson quit after he served as the head referee of the matchup, a 27-20 overtime win for host Syracuse.
Patterson was slated to referee the Pitt-West Virginia matchup this Saturday, but the ACC said on Friday that Patterson’s crew has been adjusted after his departure.
Late in the first half with UConn ahead 14-3, Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli had his arm hit as he threw the ball on a first-down play at the Huskes’ 25-yard line. The ball went forward and landed on the turf, and the officiating crew ruled an incomplete pass.
On second down, Angeli’s throw was nearly intercepted, leading to a third-and-10 with 53 seconds left in the half. But Patterson got on the head set after a flag was thrown, announcing that “replay had buzzed in prior to the previous play” after communicating with the ACC command center.
Per the report, several camera angles showed no indication that any on-field official had been buzzed by the replay before the second-down play. A spokesperson for the conference said officials were buzzed from the booth to start a review and added that the ACC internally addressed the situation.
The first-down play was then reviewed to see if Angeli fumbled, but the call of an incomplete pass was upheld.
Per ESPN, officials for UConn and Syracuse were informed that the referee had “not heard” the initial request from the booth before the ball was snapped on second down.
According to the report, the directive to initiate a review came from the ACC command center.
Patterson, who did not respond to ESPN’s requests for comment, was apparently bothered by the ACC forcing a replay after the next play of the drive.
Syracuse recovered to kick a field goal as time expired, going 61 yards on its next seven plays before rallying in the second half.
