Ever since Tennessee wore the Nike Smokey Gray uniforms against Georgia in Butch Jones’ last season as head coach in 2017, the Vols haven’t donned any sort of alternate uniform. Tennessee has worn their standard combinations at home and on the road every game since.
That’s changing this Saturday.
Tennessee football’s official Twitter account revealed on Saturday morning that the Vols would be donning their regular white helmets and orange tops against Mississippi State. But there will be a slight change to the uniform when Tennessee takes the field, as the Vols will be wearing orange pants for the first time in nearly three years.
??? #PoweredByTheT pic.twitter.com/0EH8m1Yx7s
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) October 12, 2019
Tennessee followed up that tweet with some photos inside UT’s locker room showing the reaction from the players as they realized they would be wearing different uniforms on Saturday:
?RANGE PANTS ? pic.twitter.com/eDSfWXOPCt
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) October 12, 2019
There’s been a “movement” on Twitter over the last year-plus called #FreeTheOrangePants among Vol fans hoping to see UT bring back the all-orange look at home or the white top, orange bottoms on the road.
Finally, those fans are getting their wishes to come true.
Tennessee hasn’t worn orange pants at home since November 12, 2016. The last time the Vols wore orange pants was in their 49-36 victory over Kentucky that season. Since then, UT has only worn white pants at home.
Under head coach Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee’s uniforms saw a slight alteration from the Butch Jones Nike era. The Vols’ tops didn’t change much aesthetically, but the pants lost the stripe down the side, opting for a stark white look instead. It looks like the orange pants will be the same, with no white stripe down the side of the pants.
Saturday will mark the first time in the Jeremy Pruitt era that the Vols have worn anything other than their normal home or away uniform combinations.
The Vols and Mississippi State kick-off at noon Eastern in Neyland Stadium. You can find out how to watch and listen to the game here.
