UT Vols: 5 things to know for Charlotte game
First meeting for UT, Charlotte
Tennessee plays Charlotte for the first time Saturday when the teams meet at Neyland Stadium for the Vols' homecoming game (4 p.m. ET, TV: SEC Network Alternate).
Fellow Conference USA team Southern Mississippi serves as reference for the game. Charlotte beat the Golden Eagles 20-17 last week. Tennessee beat Southern Mississippi 24-10 in its homecoming game last season.
49ers running back Benny LeMay has rushed for 745 yards (5.3 yards-percarry average) and has caught 16 passes for 226 yards.
Charlotte's Juwan Foggie has an NCAA-leading six interceptions. He returned one 79 yards for a touchdown.
Charlotte is the third team this season that UT is playing for the first time. The others were West Virginia and East Tennessee State.
Freshmen off to rare start
Bryce Thompson and Alontae Taylor are the only true freshman cornerback duo in the SEC to start a game together this season. They've made three starts together.
Thompson, who has six starts, leads the Vols with two interceptions and three passes broken up. Taylor, who has five starts, converted a fumble recovery against Auburn into a touchdown and is tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles.
Fourth down not just for punts
Tennessee and Charlotte have been willing to gamble on fourth down.
The 49ers have gone for it 13 times and converted three times for a conversion percentage of 23 percent.
Tennessee has gone for it 11 times on fourth down and converted five attempts (45.4 percent conversion). The Vols were 0-for-2, though, last week against South Carolina.
Non-conference streaking
Tennessee has won 29 consecutive home games against non-Power 5 opponents. The streak extends back to 2008.
The Vols have won 10 in a row at home versus all non-conference opponents, including seven in a row in November.
Pruitt props for Chryst
UT coach Jeremy Pruitt said on Monday that quarterbacks Jarrett Guarantano and Keller Chryst took the same amount of practice reps last week before South Carolina. Guarantano played the entire game, however.
Saturday's game might offer backup Chryst more of an opportunity to play. Regardless, Pruitt said that he respects how graduate transfer Chryst has handled the situation.
"He's come in here and been a phenomenal teammate," Pruitt said.