KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — SEC Nation will open the 2016 college football season in Knoxville for Tennessee’s opener against Appalachian State on Sept. 1.

For the third year, SEC Network’s traveling football pre-game show will visit two Southeastern Conference schools in week one of the college football season. After visiting Rocky Top on Sept. 1 to officially kick off the 2016 season, SEC Nation heads to College Station, Texas, on Sept. 3.

Tennessee is set to play Appalachian State on SEC Network at 7:30 p.m. ET, the first opening Thursday night game for the Vols since 1896. The special kickoff show begins at 6 p.m. ET from the field, providing pregame coverage of the historic game.

The SEC Nation team then heads to College Station, Texas, for their regularly-scheduled Saturday morning show, 10 a.m. to noon ET, prior to the Aggies’ opening game versus UCLA.

This year SEC Nation will feature a new desk that includes Maria Taylor as host and Laura Rutledge reporting. Tim Tebow, Marcus Spears and Paul Finebaum all return for their third season.