There is no better feeling than waking up on a game day in Knoxville, Tennessee. The roar of Rocky Top, the sea of orange, the sight of Neyland Stadium. For the past three years, I had only sat and watched the University of Tennessee’s football team claim victory or defeat in Neyland Stadium. I never needed to travel to away games because I knew nowhere else could come close to Rocky Top.
So when the first game of the season was scheduled in Nashville, Tennessee, I had little to no choice but to pack my bags and travel to Music City. It was my last first game, after all.
Nashville, a mere three-hour drive from Knoxville, beckoned like an oasis of the unknown. As my roommates and I crossed the city limits of Nashville, the towering skyscrapers and neon signs welcomed us into new beginnings and final chapters.
Once the sun rose above the Nashville skyline casting a warm orange glow over the city, I found myself standing on the hallowed ground of Nissan Stadium, eagerly awaiting to watch the University of Tennessee Volunteers beat the University of Virginia Cavaliers.
Nissan Stadium was a sea of orange, with little to no blue, as fans from both sides gathered to support their teams. The energy was palpable as I was surrounded by a symphony of Volunteer spirit. However, I couldn’t help but feel like something was missing.
Game day on Rocky Top is like a well-choreographed dance, with every step carefully planned and executed to perfection. From the Vol Walk, where the team struts through a sea of Volunteers, to the Pride of the Southland Band’s stirring pre-game show, the anticipation builds with each passing moment. And when the players run through the power T, with fireworks lighting up the sky, you can’t help but feel like a part of something bigger than yourself.
I knew I wasn’t in Neyland Stadium, but its infectious energy was all I had known. As I found my seat in Nissan Stadium, the energy surrounding me felt different. Now, don’t get me wrong, the Volunteer spirit was still in the air, and orange was the only color my eye could see. I just couldn’t help but wish I was back in Neyland Stadium.
Neyland Stadium has a power to it. It’s a place where strangers become friends, where rivalries are fueled and where you can feel the heartbeat of Rocky Top. It’s where I’ve made memories that will last a lifetime, where I’ve celebrated victories and endured defeats and where I’ve felt a sense of belonging like no other.
While cheering on the Vols in Nissan Stadium, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of displacement. The sights and sounds were different from the spectacle of Neyland. But as the game unfolded, I felt the familiar highs and lows of college football. The thrill of a Vols touchdown was as exhilarating as ever, and the collective sighs of disappointment during a Cavaliers’ surge were equally shared among fans wearing the correct shade of orange.
As the game came to an end and the Volunteers walked away with a win, I felt a mix of emotions. I was ecstatic we crushed the Cavaliers, but I also felt a longing for home. The iconic checkerboard end zones, the iconic “Rocky Top” chants and the sea of orange had become an integral part of my college experience.
Being away from the magic of Neyland Stadium for an away game in Nashville made me appreciate the unique spirit of our home turf even more. It reminded me that while away games are exciting and adventurous, there’s no place like home, no place like Neyland.
Calie Wrona is a senior at UT studying journalism and media. She can be reached at [email protected].
