Game Day Starts Here!

For the first time this fall, the grills are hot, the coolers are packed, and Tennessee’s Saturday soundtrack includes marching bands, fight songs, and somebody yelling at a television.

Tennessee opens against Furman September 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET in Knoxville, while Vanderbilt hosts Austin Peay at 6 p.m. CDT in Nashville. That makes kickoff weekend an easy occasion for a backyard homegate, especially when the menu can be handled well before the first whistle.

Feed the Football Crowd

A homegate only works if the food can mostly take care of itself once the game starts. Skip anything requiring last-minute attention and build the table around dishes that can be made ahead, kept warm, and grabbed between plays. Try serving these fan favorites:

• Pulled pork sliders: Set out the pork, buns, pickles, and sauce, then let everybody build their own.
• Smoked wings: Easy to cook in batches and even easier to eat without leaving the TV.
• Queso and pimento cheese dip: Add chips, crackers, and vegetables for two low-maintenance starters.
• Baked beans: Keep them warm in a slow cooker alongside the barbecue.
• Peach cobbler: Bake it ahead and serve it straight from the dish.

That leaves the host free to watch the game instead of running a one-person concession stand.

Find a Seat and a Screen

If cooking sounds like unnecessary interference with kickoff, Knoxville and Nashville have established sports bars and restaurants where the food, drinks, and cleanup belong to somebody else. Pick the city, find a screen, and settle in:

• Downtown Grill & Brewery: This beloved spot serves burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and entrées, giving Vols fans plenty of options for a full afternoon downtown.
• Calhoun’s The Original: Open since 1983, the Kingston Pike location is known for barbecue, including its hickory-smoked ribs.
• Double Dogs Hillsboro Village: TVs are a major part of the setup here, along with a menu built around burgers, wings, sandwiches, and other game-day standards.
• Neighbors Sylvan Park: A neighborhood bar and restaurant where Commodore fans can pair the game with burgers, wings, and drinks.

However you spend kickoff weekend, consider the first spread, first watch party, or first bar tab a warm-up. There’s a whole season ahead, and plenty of Saturdays left to perfect the routine!

Plan the ultimate tailgate with help from Tennessee’s favorite grocery stores: https://www.guidetotennessee.com/grocery-stores!