AUSTIN, Texas — The No. 1 Texas Longhorns face the No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers tomorrow in Knoxville, Tennessee.
It’s the Horns’ first away game this season, but a flight spanning nearly 900 miles isn’t stopping Texas fans from getting to the game.
A manager at Austin Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) estimated that over 35,000 travelers would pass through the airport today ahead of the matchup.
University of Texas seniors Sydney Evans, Dylann Desola and Eugenia Blanco are trying to make the most of their last football season in college.
“We want to try to go to all the away games,” said Desola.
“Except Mizzou,” added Blanco. “But we’re really excited. We just want to go support the team that we love so much, and we’re ranked number one, and we want to stay there.”
ALSO | Phillip Fulmer joins Mack Brown on ‘THE STAMPEDE’
Felix Ware, a lifelong Texas fan, is making a weekend trip out of the game with his son.
“Well, my son lives in Nashville. So I’m flying there, and then we’re going to drive up to Knoxville, spend the night, and probably go to the game pretty early because the president’s going to be there,” he said.
Ware said if the Horns can hamper Tennessee’s run game, he believes Texas will come out on top.
KEYE
“You’ve got an elite [Texas] secondary and a [Tennessee] freshman quarterback that can be easily disrupted,” he said. “So if they play solid defense, and Texas can run the ball, I think they win by a touchdown, maybe 10 points.”
Several fans not headed to the game were still repping burnt orange in the airport.
Dan De Leon, headed to California, plans to wake up early to catch the 11 a.m. CT kickoff.
“I think Arch Manning and the offense have a lot of veterans on the team, and they’re focused,” said De Leon. “I think this is what they need after the last three games, and I think if they just stay dialed in to proving that they are the real UT, that they can win this game.”
Most people we talked to predicted Texas to take the win on the road, but leave it to a Sooner to say otherwise.
Hank Tinsley, a University of Oklahoma fan, is headed to the OU vs. Georgia game.
“I might have to go with Tennessee, you know,” said Tinsley when asked which UT would win. “Steve Sarkisian is going to go in there a little scared. Tennessee is going to get the win.”
Trey Boles, a recent Texas graduate now on staff at the university, is looking forward to a good game.
“I think Texas is a better team, but I think going in at Knoxville is probably a tough environment. That might be difficult, but 28- 24 Texas,” he predicted.
The game kicks off at Neyland Stadium at 11 a.m. on Saturday.