KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 15 Tennessee football will face its first road challenge of the 2025 season when it travels to Mississippi State for a 4:15 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium, marking the Vols’ first trip to Starkville since 2012.
During his weekly Monday press conference, head coach Josh Heupel said the Vols will need to rely on their preparation and poise in a tough environment against an undefeated Bulldogs squad that is 4-0 for the first time since 2014.
“Preparation is the key; that’s true whether you’re at home or on the road,” Heupel said. “Practicing well, continuing to dial into the details of the game plan and what we expect to see on the other side of the football all the way up until kickoff is really important. Road games, yeah it’s different because you’re not playing in front of your fans, but you get between the white lines it’s 11 on 11 and being able to snap and clear, reset to the next play and control the controllables.”
Heupel also pointed to the importance of handling communication in Starkville, where Mississippi State’s trademark cowbells contribute to one of the SEC’s loudest atmospheres.
“For us up front, absolutely. Communication starts with (Sam Pendleton) and then being able to get all five (offensive linemen) and your tight ends in sync as far as your targets, and then your double teams and all that comes off of it,” Heupel explained. “That will be important in this one. Crowd noise, structural recognition, all of it.”
Heupel also praised Mississippi State’s overall development, citing improved depth and efficiency in all three phases.
“Their entire roster, they’re deeper than they were a year ago,” Heupel said. “Their young guys that they had a year ago have continued to develop, and they’re playing extremely well. They obviously added some bodies through the portal as well, and I think collectively their personnel is much further developed than it was a year ago, understanding of their systems is much better. That’s why they’re playing the way that they are defensively.
“(They are) one of the top teams in our league in a lot of different categories offensively, playing extremely efficiently but also creating a bunch of big plays in the pass game, and their special teams have done a really nice job.”
Full comments from Heupel’s Monday press conference can be viewed below.
Head Coach Josh Heupel Transcript (9.22.25)
Opening statement…
“Good afternoon. Getting ready for a big football game against a team that’s playing really well. Offensively, defensively, got really good personnel on special teams, as well. I know it will be a great environment, white out down there. For us, we have to win with our preparation and get ready to go play a really good football team on the road. It’s going to be a great environment, and I look forward to playing, so I’ll open it up.”
On how Mississippi State’s team has grown in the past year…
“Well, I think their entire roster, they’re deeper than they were a year ago. Their young guys that they had a year ago have continued to develop, they’re playing extremely well. They obviously added some bodies through the portal, as well, and I think collectively their personnel is much further developed than it was a year ago, understanding of their systems is much better. That’s why they’re playing the way that they are defensively. (They’re) one of the top in our league in a lot of different categories offensively, playing extremely efficiently but also creating a bunch of big plays in the pass game, and their special teams have done a really nice job.”
On navigating Mississippi State’s undefeated start and going again their defensive scheme…
“We went against them a year ago schematically – not entirely different – they’ve continuing to add things to it. Their personnel is playing extremely well. There’s nothing tricky about going down there and playing this football team. It’s a really good football team, you can see that on the tape in all three phases of the game. You look at the quality of the wins that they’ve had, beating Arizona State. It’s the next test. In this league, you better show up every Saturday ready to play.”
On how the secondary can improve…
“I thought we took a step in our communication this past week. In particular, with the guys that played early in the football game, had a couple of busts late. Overall, I like our continued growth, but the stress of this football game – formation variation, splits and the tempo – we have to do a great job.”
On how the defense has managed tempo this season…
“They see it throughout the course of the season, at times. In general, we’ve handled it pretty well. They get a chance to see it on a day-to-day basis with us too.”
On how important Chris Brazzel II will be in this Saturday’s game…
“Yeah, wide receivers in general are going to be really important in this one. You know, that’s guys working in the middle of the football field, it’s out on the outside. They have a mixture of coverage, recognizing the structure in coverage that we’re seeing will be important in this one. Chris, obviously, what he’s done here in the first few ball games is really special. But all of us, him included, got to continue to grow and take another step here this week.”
On DL Jaxson Moi’s return and if he’s trending in the right direction…
“Jaxson (Moi) is continuing to get better. Wednesday will be the official first injury report of the week and then you can stay tuned from there.”
On your advice to the young guys on their first SEC road trip and how to handle being on the road…
“Preparation is the key. That’s true whether you’re at home or on the road. Practicing well, continuing to dial into the details of the game plan and what we expect to see on the other side of the football all the way up until kickoff is really important. Road games, yeah it’s different because you’re not playing in front of your fans, but you get between the white lines it’s 11 on 11 and being able to snap and clear, reset to the next play and control the controllables. The ordinary, everyday things are what are really important on Saturdays in general but certainly when you’re on the road.”
On the increase in explosive passing plays and how much easier it makes things on offense…
“I mean it’s a combination of everything. There’s some things that we’ve added to our arsenal offensively that have been a part of creating that. Our wide receivers going and making plays down the field. Those guys have gone out and competed, made contested catches down the football field. Protection is certainly a big piece of that as well. Joey (Aguilar), obviously, is a big piece of that. He’s really been really pretty accurate down the football field and that’s allowing our guys to go make plays.”
On what stands out about Mississippi State’s run game…
“First of all, they do a really good job up front. They’re well coached, they’re physical. I think their running backs do a really good job of pressing and hitting the holes, playing with great pad level and being physical at the end of the run. Their quarterback has the ability to be a part of the run game and that changes the numbers, it changes the angles. We got to do a great job of getting off of blocks and penetrating and making things bounce.”
On the offensive line communication in a loud road environment…
“I think the uniqueness of it, sound wise, is what is a part of making this league really special. For us up front, absolutely, communication starts with Sam (Pendleton) and then being able to get all five (offensive linemen) and your tight ends in sync as far as your targets and then your double teams and all that comes off of it. That will be important in this one. Crowd noise, structural recognition, all of it.”
On freshman DB Sidney Walton’s development and if a young player can elevate themselves into more playing time after a single-game performance…
“Sidney’s done a great job. He’s super mature, focused. He’s a guy that spends a lot of extra time getting prepared. We’ve seen him play really well on special teams. Saturday, he got more action in the secondary and did a really nice job. One event doesn’t holistically change everything. The young guys, I think we played 16 true freshmen in the first half, maybe 20-plus during the course of the game. Those guys between the white lines on game day, it’s a part of the evaluation. ‘Did they handle things the right way? Did they go make plays? Did they get off of blocks? How was the communication?’ That’s all part of it. And the same thing offensively – alignment, assignment, keys and execution.”
On common threat for Mississippi State’s success in explosive offensive plays and red zone offense in 2025…
“Yeah, big plays happen because you’re able to execute, right? That’s going and winning out on the perimeter, it’s protection up front, it’s the quarterback being accurate with the football. They got great speed out on the outside. The red zone efficiency, the quarterback being a part of the run game, the way that they’re able to run the football, all of that leads to that efficiency in that area of the field.”
On game ball distribution last week, Boo Carter’s contribution so far this season…
“I think all of those guys, defensively, game balls are for forced turnovers. That can be defensive linemen, strip sack, tip, Boo (Carter) with a great punch the other day on the ball, Kaleb (Beasley) picking it up. So, (we) always recognize that after a game when we come back into the building on Monday. Boo has continued to grow. The details have continued to matter. That is a part of his growth and taking the next step as a player, but there’s been a lot of good from him.”
On Tennessee’s future three annual SEC opponents, importance of rivalries…
“Well, I do think rivalries matter. It’s a part of the tradition of this game. Fan bases pointing to those football games. I hadn’t heard about that report. I know that the league, it’s been important for them to try and protect some of those special games for universities and their fan bases.”
