After missing recent games with a lower-body injury, his availability has become a key storyline ahead of the postseason opener. He has been one of the most important players during the 2025-26 season.

Now, as Tennessee begins its run, all eyes are on whether he will return to the court against Auburn. Many reports suggest the standout freshman is expected to play but remains officially listed as questionable.

Will Nate Ament play for Tennessee today?

Nate Ament is expected to play for Tennessee against Auburn in the 2026 SEC Tournament quarterfinals, although he is officially listed as questionable. According to ESPN, the freshman forward has already returned to practice.

He missed Tennessee’s previous two games while recovering from a right-leg injury, which raised doubts about his availability for the Volunteers’ postseason opener. However, the 6-foot-10 freshman practiced with the team in Nashville ahead of the matchup, a strong sign that he could be back in the lineup.

Even if he does play, his role may be limited. Reports suggest the coaching staff could monitor his minutes carefully as the team evaluates how his leg responds during live game action.

He has been one of Tennessee’s most important players this season, averaging 17.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, so his presence could be a key factor in the matchup against Auburn.

What happened to Nate Ament?

Nate Ament suffered a right-leg injury during Tennessee’s game against Alabama on February 28, forcing him to miss multiple games before the SEC Tournament. It occurred during a scramble for a loose ball when an Alabama player dove into his leg, causing it to bend awkwardly.

Although he was able to walk off the court on his own, he was visibly in pain and did not return to the game. The injury sidelined him for Tennessee’s next two contests as the team chose to prioritize his recovery ahead of postseason play.

“Despite late contract talks with Tennessee, Sam Leavitt will land at LSU,” as reported by college football insider Pete Nakos. The news arrives shortly after reports indicated the Volunteers were preparing a last-minute offer to lure Leavitt away from Baton Rouge and towards Knoxville.

Tennessee’s push was always going to be a long shot in college football. Despite the drama and spotlight that will follow them all season, Kiffin and the Tigers remain one of the most appealing programs in the nation.

Why the move makes sense for Leavitt

For a talent like Leavitt, being under the lights in Baton Rouge could be the best way to prepare before declaring for the NFL Draft—whether in 2027 or 2028. With two years of eligibility remaining, the Oregon native may not get a better shot at an NCAA national championship than with Kiffin and LSU.

LSU is back in full force

Now, Kiffin truly boasts an LSU program capable of competing for the SEC Championship and posing a serious threat to the rest of the nation. Who knows? Maybe his dramatic—and frowned upon—departure from Oxford to Baton Rouge will lead to the SEC’s first national title since 2022.

No SEC program has reached the National Championship Game since the Georgia Bulldogs won it three years ago. Perhaps all the conference needed to return to college football’s biggest stage was a bit of drama—in a way only Kiffin could provide.

QB1 dilemma for Tennessee

The Volunteers knew trouble was brewing ever since Nico Iamaleava shockingly transferred to UCLA. However, they may have been blinded by Joey Aguilar’s strong start to the 2025 NCAA campaign. Now, Tennessee finds itself with no silverware to show for Aguilar’s one-and-done tenure in Knoxville—and no clear replacement at the QB1 spot.

Barring a change in NCAA regulations for former JUCO players, Aguilar has exhausted his years of eligibility. Moreover, redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger plans to enter the transfer portal, making the void under center even bigger for the Volunteers.

With Leavitt off the board, who can the Vols go after?

That leaves Josh Heupel with just George MacIntyre (redshirt sophomore) and Faizon Brandon (true freshman) projected to be on campus by spring. Tennessee must add another signal-caller to meet NCAA roster obligations, making a transfer portal signing all but guaranteed.

With Leavitt off the table, expect the Volunteers to go all in in their pursuit for a starting QB. Heupel and company have a lot on their plates. This dramatic chapter is only another way in which Iamaleava’s transfer has come back to bite the Volunteers.

Although all signs indicate Trinidad Chambliss made his final NCAA appearance during the VRBO Fiesta Bowl loss to the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoffs semifinal, Ole Miss is staying away from the market for Leavitt. Instead, the Tennessee Volunteers are looking to rain down on Kiffin and LSU’s parade.

“Tennessee and Sam Leavitt’s camp have been in regular contact throughout Monday, and the Volunteers were never told he was going to LSU,” as reported by On3 and insider Pete Nakos. “The Vols are compiling one final offer.”

Tennessee puts LSU on notice

Just when everyone around college football believed Kiffin had found the perfect match for the vacant QB1 job in Baton Rouge, the Volunteers are hoping to spoil the party.

According to the information provided, Tennessee is not giving up on its pursuit of the former Sun Devils star. On the contrary, the Vols are mounting an all-out effort that could deliver the biggest plot twist of the NCAA offseason—and hand Kiffin his first major loss since becoming the Tigers’ new head coach in Louisiana.

More drama for Kiffin and the Tigers

Some might say that what starts badly ends badly. In LSU’s case, what gets off to a dramatic start is almost guaranteed to be filled with drama through and through.

Kiffin’s arrival in Baton Rouge has been anything but ordinary—even by college football standards. In a sport that has seen all kinds of chaos unfold in otherwise laid-back towns, Kiffin’s cinematic exit from Oxford to Baton Rouge made enough noise to echo for ages.

The 2026 NCAA season is still a long ways ahead—after all, the 2025 campaign has yet to declare its national champion, but Kiffin and the Ole Miss-looking like LSU football program is already grabbing headlines left to right across the nation.

Far from shying away from responsibility, the Vols’ coach addressed the situation his team is currently facing, acknowledging that this latest loss may shape the program’s trajectory for the remainder of the season.

“Ultimately, we’re not in control of any of those things,” Heupel said on his team’s CFP chances [h/t GoVols247’s Patrick Brown]. “We’re in control of what we do. Disappointed. Thought they prepared extremely hard. There were some things that were really good defensively early tonight. We thought they played really good football.

“You’ve got a choice to make. That’s life, how you’re going to respond. This group has competed. It’s continued to try to get better every day. Expect and demand that of them as we get going here on the back end of this one.”

Push until the very end

The Tennessee Volunteers are putting the rest of the SEC on notice, battling tooth and nail to secure one of the coveted spots in the expanded College Football Playoff. Led by their explosive offense and a punishing running game, the Vols have demonstrated the sheer grit and physicality needed to hang with the nation’s elite, as evidenced by their signature wins this season.

Although facing a brutal late-season schedule, Coach Heupel’s squad is embracing the underdog role, knowing that running the table and closing out strong against their rivals is the only path to cementing a top-12 finish and earning their right to fight for a national title.

What’s next for the Vols?

The Tennessee Volunteers are facing a critical late-season stretch that will define their playoff aspirations, blending a crucial rivalry road test with two opportunities for dominance at home.

The final push begins with a must-win tune-up against New Mexico State in Knoxville before the monumental trip to The Swamp to face historic rival Florida in Gainesville, a game that always carries conference championship implications.

The regular season then closes out against Vanderbilt, a classic rivalry clash that the Vols cannot afford to slip up in. For Coach Heupel’s squad, this trio of games is simply about maintaining momentum, conquering the Gators on the road, and ensuring they are playing their absolute best football heading into the postseason rankings.

Alabama is coming off a hard-fought win on the road over the Missouri Tigers. Now, the climb becomes even steeper with a matchup against Tennessee at home at Bryant-Denny Stadium. With the Third Saturday in October coming up, DeBoer voiced an honest message for Simpson and the Crimson Tide.

“It’s a great environment here. I think it’s the feeling you even have with the walk into the stadium. You can see everyone’s ready to go,” DeBoer said during his media availability, per On3. “We’d better make sure we uphold our end of the bargain too.

“That goes into the week of preparation, understanding what it’s even gonna feel like when you’re practicing on a Tuesday, the excitement that leads into wanting to make sure that we’re at the top of our game on Saturday. So, just huge to have that energy being at home. I think that would go for a lot of programs, but it’s definitely a big deal here for us.”

Run the table

Fans in Tuscaloosa have had their fair share of concerns about DeBoer since he took over as head coach for Alabama. Witnessing streaks set by Nick Saban come to an end during DeBoer’s first year on the job certainly didn’t help. However, as the Volunteers walk into Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Crimson Tide hope to keep their streak over Tennessee alive.

Alabama is 8-2 in the last ten meetings with Tennessee. Moreover, over the last 20 matchups, the Tide has only lost in three occasions. Going into the 2025 Third Saturday in October rivalry game, there is safety on the numbers for Bama. As for the Vols, they might be better off limiting themselves to the latest NCAA seasons, as Tennessee has won two of the last three clashes with Alabama.

Keep it going

However, if there’s one thing the Tide can’t afford, it’s to lose this particular game. Alabama hasn’t lost at home to Tennessee since 2003. When the Volunteers walk into the stadium in Tuscaloosa, the eyes of Druid City will be fixed on DeBoer not to let the Script A down.

After five straight wins in the 2025 college football season, Alabama must keep its foot on the pedal as they take on No. 11 Tennessee on what will be the Crimson Tide’s fourth-straight ranked SEC showdown.

When Iamaleava opted to enter the NCAA transfer portal and enroll at UCLA, he knew fans in Knoxville would never forget it. Now, the Vols are among the best teams in the SEC, while the Bruins are among the worst in the Big Ten.

UCLA and Tennessee will be compared all season long. The quarterback exchange involving Iamaleava and Joey Aguilar was one of the biggest storylines in college football during the offseason. Now, it’s only reasonable that both signal callers will be intertwined.

Both the Bruins and Vols lost in their week 3 outings. However, while UCLA’s plan backfired with DeShaun Foster being fired, Heupel and Tennessee’s papers aren’t burning after a 44-41 loss to Georgia. The polarized stances are best exemplified by Heupel’s message after the game.

“It’s going to hurt,” Heupel said, per On3. “And we need to drink all that in and taste all of it, because if we’re going to move forward and be the team that we’re capable of, this feeling tonight’s got to be a part of what continues to propel us and the urgency and the focus and everything that we do.”

Lick your wounds and come back stronger

Losing to the Dawgs in such heart-crushing fashion hurts for Heupel and the Volunteers. Tennessee has now lost nine straight games against Georgia. However, the NCAA season is long, and there is a lot of college football left to be played. For Tennessee, it’s all about learning from their mistakes and putting the defeat on the back burner.

It may be easier said than done, but it’s not like the Vols have many other options. Moreover, the school put on a great showing against a powerhouse in the NCAA.

Moving on

The story could’ve been much different hadn’t it been for Max Gilbert missed field-goal in the last seconds of the game. Tennessee would’ve won the game at Neyland Stadium and boast a 3-0 record going into week 4. Still that is now water under the bridge for Heupel and company.

The Volunteers face a great opportunity to bounce back and find their mojo next week. On September 20, the UAB Blazers will visit Knoxville in what should be a comfortable win for Heupel and Tennessee. Of course, anything can happen on Saturdays, but if the Vols are serious about their season aspirations, they cannot slip up.

The Volunteers have no regrets about the offseason drama that led to Aguilar enrolling in Tennessee. At least for now. The Appalachian State transfer has played lights out since arriving in Knoxville, but this upcoming test could toss all his previous work down the drain.

With Smart and the Dawgs set to walk into Neyland Stadium on Saturday, the two schools have something to prove. For Tennessee it’s the chance to show it belongs with the big names in college football. For Georgia, it’s the opportunity to prove it can play at its best when the stakes are highest.

In order to do so, the Dawgs must contain the best offense in the SEC. Led by Aguilar, who’s only been in Knoxville for a couple of months but looks like he’s been a Vol forever. At least that’s how Smart sees the situation.

“It looks like he’s been there for a long time” Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart commented, per On3. “He’s very similar to the quarterbacks they’ve had. He plays within that system and is a really good athlete.“

How Aguilar can hurt defenses

Fans and students in Knoxville couldn’t have asked for a better way to move on after Nico Iamaleava’s dramatic transfer to the UCLA Bruins. Aguilar stepped into the huddle and has commanded an almost unstoppable unit in the NCAA. Smart and the Dawgs know better than to take the senior quarterback for granted.

“[Aguilar] can take off and really hurt you with the scramble. He’s made some big plays that way,” Smart added. “He plays within the system and is really good at the RPO as well. [Tennessee’s QB] makes good decisions, is accurate and has a strong arm. Certainly fits in well.”

Dawgs’ defense meets Vols’ offense

Georgia’s defensive group will have its work cut out for them in their visit to Tennessee. The Dawgs have allowed an average of 201.5 total yards so far in the 2025 college football season. However, the competition faced by Georgia can’t really be placed in the same table as Tennessee and Josh Heupel’s offense.

As for the Volunteers, their numbers do all the talking. So far, Tennessee registers an average of 605 total yards per game. Of course, that number is largely boosted by the Vols’ blowout victory over ETSU, in which they racked up 734 total yards.

Needless to say, when these two programs collide on Saturday, fans across the country will be in for an electric showdown. It may not be a ‘unstoppable force meets immovable object’ type of matchup, but it’s set to be a heated encounter between two despised SEC rivals. The Game with no Name is set to be in everybody’s lips in college football’s week 3.

The Volunteers and Bruins’ season couldn’t have gotten to a more different start. While Tennessee got off to a 2-0 start with incredible performances from Aguilar, UCLA is 0-2, with Iamaleava struggling in both outings.

To make matters worse, Jose Aguilar—Joey’s father—chimed in with a blunt comment on the summer drama, finishing with a cold-blooded dagger to remind Iamaleava and UCLA that the Vols came out on top.

“We don’t have any problems with Nico,” Jose Aguilar said in an interview with Pete Nakos. “If anything, it’s thank you. Joey is in a great spot. That’s what I would say, thank you. He did what he decided to do. Everything that happened, happened. I think it’s clear who won the trade. Look at the fans and the stats. Everything happens for a reason. We’re not at Tennessee without Nico making the decisions he made.”

Iamaleava stats

Since arriving in Los Angeles, Iamaleava hasn’t been at his best. The Bruins need their quarterback to find his mojo back before the 2025 NCAA season slips out of reach. The 0-2 start isn’t fatal, as long as the program can climb out of their hole before it’s too late.

So far, Iamaleava registers 391 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in his first two outings. However, his lack of production is also a reflection of the team’s inconsistencies around him. The rushing game has been almost non-existent, as the quarterback is the leading rusher with 106 yards.

Hoping to flip the page after a deflating start, Iamaleava and the Bruins will take on the New Mexico Lobos at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. It will be the final non-conference game of the regular season, as UCLA will kickstart the Big Ten fixture on the road at Evanston, IL when they face the Northwestern Wildcats.

Aguilar stats

On the other hand, business is booming for Aguilar and the Volunteers. After his first two starts in Knoxville, Aguilar records 535 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Success hasn’t been limited to the signal-caller, either. The Vols’ offense has put on great showings so far in the college football season. The rushing game has been almost unstoppable, putting the league on notice with 505 total yards through two games. Meanwhile, the receiving corps already boasts three players with 100+ yards, which is an exciting sign for Josh Heupel and the staff in Tennessee.

The Volunteers have been firing on all cylinders to start the 2025 campaign, but it could all be in vain if they can’t rise to the upcoming challenge. On Saturday, the Georgia Bulldogs will be rolling into town for an electric SEC matchup that could make or break either program’s season.

Though their record indicates perfection, it’s been a tough start to the 2025 college football campaign in Knoxville. The Volunteers have suffered key injuries, and they will continue to be a factor when the Bulldogs walk into campus.

Smart and the Dawgs have yet to win over fans in Athens with their performances. Georgia may be 2-0, but it hasn’t exactly passed the eye test so far this NCAA season. Saturday’s showdown at Neyland Stadium will serve as the Bulldogs’ first true challenge—and it could be a trial by fire. Fortunately for Smart and company, Tennessee will miss both of its starting cornerbacks.

Missing CB1 and CB2

As reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Volunteers will be without Jermod McCoy (torn ACL back in January) and Rickey Gibson III (upper-body) when the Dawgs visit them in Knoxville.

Both defensive backs had missed the action last weekend, when Tennessee steamrolled East Tennessee State. However, Josh Heupel and company know the school in Johnson City doesn’t compare even remotely to the program in Athens.

Might be a sign

With Tennessee missing two key pieces to their defensive puzzle, Georgia’s offense might be licking its lips. The Dawgs haven’t managed to hit the ground running in the 2025 college football season.

Perhaps this upcoming matchup is just what Gunner Stockton and the attacking unit need to build momentum and gain confidence. So far, the starting quarterback in Athens has flown under the radar. On Saturday, that could all change if the Dawgs make a statement in Knoxville.

As the Volunteers made their season debut on August 30 against the Orange, it was time for Aguilar to rise to the occasion and help close the open wound left by Iamaleava’s rushed departure. Aguilar did just that, and afterwards spoke on his arrival after Iamaleava exited the program.

“Everybody welcomed me in pretty fairly when I got here,” Aguilar said during an appearance on The Paul Finebaum Show. “I gravitated towards Miles Kitselman pretty quick. He was a big part of my transition ,making it easier. He kind of came in, took me in pretty quick, build a connection like that.

“Chris [Brazzell II], Mike [Matthews], Braylon [Staley], all of them, O-linemen — it made it easy. It felt like I’ve been here for a while, especially with the players and coaches just being so welcoming when I got here. It just felt like it was right.”

Quick refreshing

The football program in Knoxville didn’t enjoy the calmest of springs and summers this past year. Following Tennessee’s playoff berth in the 2024 NCAA season, Iamaleava shocked many entering the transfer portal and moving out to the UCLA Bruins. The young signal-caller was expected to be a star in town, but he ultimately couldn’t look past disagreements with the school on his NIL value.

Iamaleava’s move to UCLA set off a domino effect, ultimately prompting the Bruins’ newest transfer, Aguilar, to change course and enroll at the University of Tennessee. Fans across college football were left speechless, as the two schools had virtually pulled off a trade. When looking at Aguilar and Iamaleava, it’s impossible not to think about the wild events that led to them being where they currently are. However, Aguilar has no interest listening to the outside noise.

“All the outside noise is just rat poison,” Aguilar told media during the postgame press conference. “We only focus about who’s in the building and the team we’ve got. So, we’ve got to go back, execute, dial in on everything we got. Everything outside is rat poison, and we got to focus on ourselves.”

Old manners

Aguilar had played the first two seasons of his college football career with the Appalachian State Mountaineers. And even though he planned to transfer to UCLA before Iamaleava changed his plans, he still isn’t letting his new surroundings change his old customs. Thus, he installed a new tradition in Knoxville.

“There was a tradition at App State of just taking my teammates out to eat. So I kind of wanted to bring that here,” Aguilar stated. “Just going out to eat and just having a fun time, getting outside of football, and just trying to build a connection. Learn everybody’s story, and kind of get an understanding of how they got here, what’s their why, and just build a relationship like that.“

So far, it looks like getting to know his teammates off the field has paid off for Aguilar and the Volunteers. Against Syracuse, the offense exploded for 493 total yards and 5 touchdowns, with the QB throwing for 3 of them. Tennessee will vie to keep it rolling as they host the ETSU Buccaneers (an FCS team) on September 6.

The NCAA transfer portal continues to deliver great twists and turns to an otherwise quiet stretch of the year during college football’s offseason. This time around, the UCLA Bruins are in centerstage, once again, as a quarterback in DeShaun Foster’s team has now changed address, staying in the Golden State, nevertheless.

Iamaleava has yet to touch down in Los Angeles, as the transfer process requires him to complete his academic obligations at his previous institution, and he is expected at UCLA during the summer.

Despite being 2,199 miles away in Knoxville, Iamaleava continues to impact the daily life on campus at UCLA. Quarterbacks in the program have now departed, making way for Nico and his brother Madden Iamaleava. On that note, freshman Robert McDaniel is transferring to San Jose State ahead of his first year in college football, as reported by On3.

Short-lived stay in LA

McDaniel committed to UCLA as a three-star recruit in the 2025 recruiting class, but has now signed with the San Jose State Spartans, as the QB room LA is preparing to welcome in Nicholas and Madden Iamaleava ahead of the 2025 NCAA season.

McDaniel, who was born and raised in California, joins Joey Aguilar in the list of UCLA quarterbacks that have made use of the transfer portal after Iamaleava’s transfer as their playing time would have dimished greatly—if not entirely— with the former Vols’ star’s arrival.

Aguilar completed what was virtually a trade in college football. The former Bruins’ signal-caller signed with the Volunteers, replacing Iamaleava under center for Josh Heupel’s Tennessee during the 2025 campaign.