As the clock winds down, people in East Tennessee are getting prepared to hear the celebrated phrase, “It’s football time in Tennessee.” Fans are eager to fill the seats in Neyland Stadium with orange and white once again.

For most people, Tennessee football is more than just a game. For people like Emma Grace Thompson (11) Tennessee football games bring traditions like no other. Emma talks about how watching UT games on Saturdays is a way to bring her family and friends together.

She said, “Me and my family are looking forward to being with friends to watch the games and cooking out. We also are going to have bonfires.”

Like Emma Grace Thompson, Nic Webster’s family have traditions of their own tied to Tennessee football. Nic and his family have been Tennessee fans since he was a young boy.

Nic said, “Every Saturday in the fall that a Tennessee game is on, my whole family comes over and cooks out. Watching the game is like a holiday to us.”

Although many Volunteer fans cheer from home, Greg Boling and his family go to all of the home games at Neyland Stadium. Before the game, he and his family love to tailgate in the G10 parking lot. At the tailgate, they eat and play lots of corn hole before watching the Vols play.

He says, “Me and my family go to the games and tailgate in G10 parking lot. If the game is away, we will watch it at home and cook food together.”

With less than a month until the first game, Vol fans are ready for kick off. Fans are very enthusiastic for kick off, and ready to carry on their game day traditions. With orange and white hanging in their closets and rocky top in their heads, teachers, principals, and students at Lenoir City High School are ready for the wait to be over. They are ready for “football time in Tennessee.”