If you walked into Knoxville this past September thinking the Blazers were just another "buy game" cupcake for the Big Orange, you probably left Neyland Stadium with a very different perspective. Honestly, the final score of 56-24 might look like a typical SEC blowout on paper, but the actual flow of UAB football vs Tennessee Volunteers football in 2025 told a much weirder story.
It was a game of massive swings. Tennessee, ranked No. 15 at the time, came out like they were shot from a cannon. They were coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss to Georgia and had something to prove. For about 30 minutes, they proved it.
The Blitz at Neyland
Josh Heupel’s offense is basically a track meet with a football. They don't huddle. They barely breathe. By the time the first quarter ended, the Vols were up 21-0. Joey Aguilar, the transfer from App State who has taken the reins in Knoxville, looked like he was playing a video game on rookie mode. He found Chris Brazzell II for a 19-yard strike just two minutes into the game.
Then it got worse for the Blazers. Mike Matthews hauled in a 39-yarder, and DeSean Bishop punched one in from the 3-yard line.
UAB, to their credit, didn't just fold up and go home to Birmingham. Jalen Kitna—son of former NFL veteran Jon Kitna—started finding some rhythm in the second quarter. He connected with Brandon Hawkins Jr. for a 30-yard touchdown that actually silenced the 101,000+ fans in attendance for a split second. But then the Vols’ run game took over. Star Thomas and Peyton Lewis basically lived in the second level of the UAB defense. By halftime, it was 42-7.
UAB Football vs Tennessee Volunteers Football: A History of Close Calls
While the 2025 matchup ended up with a 32-point margin, the history of this series is surprisingly competitive. Before this most recent meeting, the all-time record stood at 5-0 in favor of Tennessee, but that number hides some absolute heart attacks for the Rocky Top faithful.
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Remember 2010? Most Tennessee fans try to forget that entire era, but the UAB game that year was a nightmare. The Vols were led by Derek Dooley, and they had to survive a double-overtime thriller just to beat the Blazers 32-29. UAB actually outgained Tennessee 544 to 287 in that game. Think about that. A Conference USA team walked into Neyland and gained nearly double the yardage of the home team.
The only reason Tennessee won was a 25-yard touchdown pass from Matt Simms to Denarius Moore on the first play of the second overtime.
- 1998: Tennessee wins 37-13 (The National Championship season)
- 2005: A rock-fight 17-10 Vols win
- 2008: Tennessee cruises 35-3
- 2010: The 2OT survival 32-29
- 2019: Vols win 30-7 (Bryce Thompson had 3 picks in one half)
- 2025: The Aguilar era leads to a 56-24 victory
The Kitna vs Aguilar Showdown
The 2025 version of UAB football vs Tennessee Volunteers football was billed as a battle of high-flying offenses. It lived up to the hype, just not in the way the scoreboard suggests.
Jalen Kitna actually outthrew Joey Aguilar. Kitna finished the day with 364 passing yards. That’s a monster stat line against an SEC secondary, even one that was playing a lot of reserves by the fourth quarter. He found Kaleb Brown for a 61-yard bomb in the third that was easily the highlight of the day for the Blazers.
Aguilar was more efficient, though. He only played one series in the second half because the lead was so massive. He finished 15-of-22 for 218 yards and three scores. He didn't need to do more. The Vols’ ground game accounted for 235 yards, which is basically the identity of a Heupel team—everyone talks about the deep ball, but they'll run it down your throat if you let them.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Blazers
There’s this weird misconception that UAB is still the "scrappy little program" that almost died back in 2014 when the school briefly shut down the football team. They aren't that anymore.
Since they came back in 2017, UAB has been one of the more consistent winners in the G5 landscape. They moved to the American Athletic Conference (AAC) to play tougher competition. When they scheduled this 2025 trip to Knoxville, they didn't do it just for the paycheck. They did it because they thought they could win.
Honestly, if UAB hadn't surrendered 110 penalty yards in the 2025 game, it might have been a 10-point game in the fourth quarter. You can't give a Top 20 team that much free real estate.
The Defensive Disparity
The real difference in the UAB football vs Tennessee Volunteers football rivalry hasn't been the quarterbacks. It's been the trenches.
In the 2025 game, Tennessee’s defense, led by coordinator Tim Banks, held UAB to just 23 rushing yards. You read that right. Twenty-three. You aren't winning many football games when your leading rusher is the punter (okay, it wasn't the punter, but Isaiah Jacobs and Jevon Jackson struggled to find any daylight).
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Boo Carter, the Vols' sophomore defensive back, was a human wrecking ball. He had 9 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, a sack, and forced two fumbles. When you have elite SEC athletes flying around like that, it makes the "Air It Out" strategy of UAB almost impossible to sustain.
Why This Matchup Matters for the AAC
For UAB, playing Tennessee is about recruiting. There are a ton of kids in the Nashville and Memphis areas that Tennessee doesn't have room for. When UAB goes up there and puts up 24 points and nearly 400 yards of offense, it sends a message to those high school players: "You can come to Birmingham and play a fun, pro-style offense that can compete on the big stage."
It's also about the "eye test" for the College Football Playoff committee. Even in a loss, a competitive showing against a ranked SEC team helps the AAC’s standing in the hunt for that guaranteed G5 playoff spot.
Key Takeaways from the 2025 Meeting
- Explosive Starts: Tennessee has now outscored opponents in the first quarter by a ridiculous margin under Heupel. If you don't survive the first 10 minutes, the game is over.
- The Kitna Factor: Jalen Kitna is a legit NFL prospect. Throwing for 360+ at Neyland is no small feat, regardless of the score.
- Depth Wins: The Vols played nearly 60 different players in this game. That’s the difference between the SEC and the AAC right now—the second and third strings at UT are still 4-star recruits.
- Discipline: UAB's 110 yards of penalties were the "hidden" reason the game got out of hand. You can't beat yourself and the Vols at the same time.
What’s Next for Both Programs?
Tennessee is looking at a potential 10-win season and a playoff berth if Joey Aguilar stays healthy. Their schedule doesn't get easier, but the UAB game was the perfect "tune-up" that actually tested their secondary more than they probably expected.
For UAB, they head back into AAC play. They’ve got a bye week to lick their wounds before hosting Army at Protective Stadium. If Kitna keeps throwing the ball the way he did in Knoxville, they’re going to be a problem in the American.
If you're looking to track how these teams progress, keep an eye on the injury reports for Tennessee's offensive line. They got banged up a bit in the second half against UAB, and that could be the deciding factor when they hit the meat of their SEC schedule. For UAB, watch the rushing stats. If they can't find a way to balance the offense, Kitna is going to be under way too much pressure.
Check the latest SEC and AAC standings to see how this result ripples through the rest of the 2026 season's projections.