Those waiting to hear the kickoff time for Tennessee's season opener got an extra surprise today:
The Vols will now open the 2016 season on Thursday, September 1 against an 11-win Appalachian State squad. The season will begin at 7:30 PM ET on the SEC Network.
In the past few years the Vols have come off Saturday for their season opener a few times, playing Utah State on Sunday in 2013, NC State in Atlanta on Friday in 2012, and at UCLA on Labor Day in 2008. But this is the first time the Vols will help open the college football season on Thursday since they helped ESPN begin their Thursday night football tradition at Louisville in 1991.