While it’s an off-day for Tennessee on the field, the Vol fans around Omaha have been working hard to keep up the fight… the Rocco’s Jello Shot Challenge, that is.
After the first couple of thousand shots were handed out after a record-breaking opening day on Thursday, Tennessee had a strong lead in the challenge – one five-dollar jello shot at Rocco’s counts for one tally on the whiteboard.
Just about an hour before Tennessee’s game on Friday night, the Vols were in the lead with 2,358 shots. The next closest, North Carolina, had 1,245 at the time. Tennessee’s number exploded after the Vols’ late-night walk-off win over Florida State, though.
By 11:00 p.m. that same night, Tenessee was at 3,102 shots. Tennessee’s amount on Friday night already had them in the all-time Top 8 and climbing as the tournament continues on for the Vols.
The latest update on Saturday saw a huge rise from the Kentucky fans, but Tennessee still has an incredible lead. The Vols have a whopping 3,957 shots recorded while North Carolina has 2,403 and Kentucky has 2,079.
The @UKBaseball fans are coming in STRONG this morning but they still have some work to do. The top two teams both won their games yesterday, coincidence? Great fans back great teams. Let’s play two! #roadroroccos pic.twitter.com/bs7dtqHI9d
— CWS Jello Shot Challenge (@CWSShotBoard) June 15, 2024
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Besides the natural love for Jello Shots and the pride in competition that Tennessee fans are showing in Omaha, The Volunteer Club also launched a promotion that helped Tennessee build its lead.
The Vols’ NIL collective launched a promotion this week where a $10 payment is split evenly towards one shot in Tennessee’s name and a donation to the Volunteer Club for NIL efforts.
Judging by the amount of buzz this has created on social media, it’s safe to say this was not only a good move but a big reason for Tennessee’s massive lead in the standings.
The Jello Shot Challenge might not be everyone’s cup of tea and it has nothing to do with the play on the field. But this is college baseball – no, it’s college baseball at the College World Series. There’s perhaps no better time to link up with fellow men and women from your fanbase, enjoy a Jello Shot, and participate in a little friendly fan competition amongst the teams in Omaha.
The annual Jello Shot Challenge is taking place at Rocco’s Pizza and Catina in Omaha. The competition and the standings can be found here.
