Do Grads of other Tenn. Colleges Root for the Vols?

[Creeker]

ETSU alumni but lifelong Vols fan. I follow ETSU golf and that’s it. I’ve tried keeping up with their football and basketball, but I just can’t ever really care for them.

 

[orangebloodgmc]

And most of those fans actually hate Tennessee more than they like their own school .

Exactly. My brotherinlaw is from NW Miss, went to Vandy, and "his team" is either Ole Miss or Florida or Vandy, depending who is having the best season.

 

[Majors]

My youngest is at UTC. Grew up in the Fulmer fired era but wanted to get away from home. Supports UTC but can sing the 3rd verse of Rocky Top for a reason.

 

[UTFanForLife]

I went to ETSU but always remained faithful to UT football. Basketball was another matter, when I was there ETSU was a perennial Top 25 and routinely spanked the Vols as I recall. Also was friendly with some of the players so they earned my support.

Late 80’s early 90s?

 

[UnkieVol]

Proud TN Tech grad, 2009.

VFL.

 

[Go aeiou]

Sports and Education are two different things.
I don't know if that many HS seniors choose their college because of sports? I'd guess they are more likely to flunk out if they do.
You can always like your home state team in sports.

 

[1Big_Orange_Fan]

TTU grad. Vol fan

 

[Savannahbayvol]

Same. I actually follow and root for the Vols more than my alma mater Mocs.

When UTC merged with UT in 1969 there was a huge little brother complex in Chattanooga for a long time. I think time has healed that feeling and most Moc fans now are also Vol fans. Never made any sense to me except for basketball since it's the only sport that there is any level of competitiveness. We went to a Joint Alumni meeting right before the football game this year and everything was hunky dory between the 2 alumni bases.

I have been of the opinion that you should support 2 schools, your alma mater and the Flagship campus of the state you reside in. The Flagship is one of the most important institutions in any state bringing millions of dollars of exposure to the state. And yes I believed that for the 25 years I lived in Georgia.

 

[Nico ee-ah-MAH-LAY-ah-va]

I believe the correct vernacular is "East and Middle" Tennessee. Non-natives say Eastern and and Central.

Sorry, grew up in Maryville but from a transplant family. Been here for almost 40 years and still trip up.

 

[Capt Whiskey]

I'm originally from Knoxville, grew up with season tix. I did undergrad at ETSU because UTK didn't have my major. Went to grad school at UTC. ALL VOL!!!

 

[ATC_VOL]

I know a lot of UT Martin alums here in West TN that are big Vol fans. Just went with the closer/cheaper option. Their diploma says UT on it still.

Went to grad school at MTSU. No one cares about their athletics for the most part, and most students had a SEC school they followed. Way different experience than my time at UT. I enjoyed the program there but glad I did my undergrad at UT.

 

[MHS Rebel]

Sorry, grew up in Maryville but from a transplant family. Been here for almost 40 years and still trip up.

Murvul or Marvul. I am a native Tennessean but not a native Murvulian. Originally from Middle Tennessee, I knew when I moved here how to pronounce Murvul.

 

[tennesseekilt]

I assume people connected with Division 1-A programs like Memphis and Vanderbilt don’t. Just curious if grads of other schools that are not Division 1-A in football like Belmont, ETSU, MTSU, UT South, UT Martin, Austin Peay, etc. root for and attend Vols games? Are they welcomed by Vols fans even though they have connections to other schools?

ETSU grad here. I love the Bucs, but I've been a Vol fan first from well before I ever went to college. That comes from living in eastern Tennessee, not going to college there. And I would venture to say most of us in the Tri-Cities area are also Vol fans!

 

[207 others]

Carson Newman and Hawaii Pacific grad here who loves all things UT...

What was HPU like? Tell us about your experience and scenery there!!

 

[Mccage]

Well I do!!! Got my degree from Orme State.
Majored in Copper Tubing with Minor in heat transfer with emphasis on Cracked Corn

 

[Model12]

I can do one step better. Graduated Missouri-Rolla, but 5th generation Tennessean. 100% Vol. Every dime, every waking moment. GBO 24/7

I hate georgia.

 

[JustFunnN'Orange]

MTSU grad but Vol fan since black n white TV. I really wanted to attend UT. But, the year I graduated HS tuition at UT was almost twice that of MTSU. I had to work to help with my degree so I chose Middle.
Even then, I wore the Orange proudly and still do!!

 

[BanditVol]

As an engineer, I meet a lot of Tennessee Tech grads, and they are almost all big Vol fans. Cookeville is pretty close to Knoxville.

 

[dovervolz]

I assume people connected with Division 1-A programs like Memphis and Vanderbilt don’t. Just curious if grads of other schools that are not Division 1-A in football like Belmont, ETSU, MTSU, UT South, UT Martin, Austin Peay, etc. root for and attend Vols games? Are they welcomed by Vols fans even though they have connections to other schools?

Graduated from Peay in 1981. Been a vols fan since 1972

 

[onevol74]

Went to UTK for 2 years, one degree from Troy and 2 degrees from Tusculum. Diplomas have never, and will never, have anything to do with the core of my living soul fandom and blood color of Tennessee Orange.

 

[Zues1]

By golly they better not.

 

[ut93vol]

Martin and Chattanooga would I believe. Don't they receive University of Tennessee degrees? Aren't they basically satellite locations or branches of UTK?

UTC has pockets of Vols fans but many UTC grads do not cheer for UTK. I see just as many Bama and UGA caps and shirts as UTK.

UTC is not a satellite of UTC. UT does a pretty terrible job of operating as a system. Each campus is very different and there are very few connections beyond the name.

The teaching is superior at UTC, although it will not remain that way if the current Provost has his way. Research and sports are stronger at UTK.

 

[CAVPUT]

I assume people connected with Division 1-A programs like Memphis and Vanderbilt don’t. Just curious if grads of other schools that are not Division 1-A in football like Belmont, ETSU, MTSU, UT South, UT Martin, Austin Peay, etc. root for and attend Vols games? Are they welcomed by Vols fans even though they have connections to other schools?

Nope. Not a chance. Not one of those schools alums would ever pull for UT. Trust me...I know.

 

[UT97Vol]

I would imagine that UT is the most popular athletics program on every campus (MTSU included) in the state save for Memphis and Vandy (the latter mostly due to the number of OOS students, not Vandy's popularity).

Middle had its chance to gain share instate when Tenn struggled for a decade. But state legislature bias and really poor leadership (that did things like retain the football coach for too long, made a really bad basketball hire after it dominated C-USA, and the Presidents refusal change the schools name to help build its brand) doomed MTSU. At one point it was bigger than UT in student enrollment. Knoxville forced the state to force MTSU to cut enrollment due to the schools lack of political clout. The Geier desegregation lawsuit that lasted for 40 years also really hurt Middle - especially in terms of having professional degree programs and funding. Middle is basically Memphis (which used to be called West Tennessee St) but Memphis had less political adversaries in Knoxville being on the other end of the state than Middle in the mid state and thus was able to install more professional degree programs. That’s important for endowment purposes. And now Memphis is in a better position.

FWIW expect changes there in the next year. What it needs badly is to jettison the two decade tenured President and AD and bring fresh blood in, which is planned for 2026. I’ve heard that Derek Mason isn’t waiting and has already told them to stay out of his way. He didn’t pay any NIL in 2024 knowing he would need a year to flush the roster. But is doing so this year. They’re apparently building their own system whatever that means. Will be interesting to see if they’re able to do anything in this new world order.

 

[first time caller]

Does vocational school count?