Date and Location: October 05 2024, Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium

Reflections: If I wanted to offer up a very innocent explanation of my somewhat vague memories of the game itself, I could use being British to claim I still didn’t quite get football at this point (which is true). If I wanted to be honest about it, being British, I started off in JJs Bar and Grill on Dickson Street and used several of their frozen margaritas to cool me down (which is honest). It was, in my defence, an inhumane 88F that afternoon (which is insufferable).

It was so hot, in fact, that I watched the first half of the game indoors rather than brave the long walk uphill to Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Being indoors and surrounded by rowdy Vols fans with water on tap was in fact a far more pleasant experience than the blinding sunlight which greeted me when I got to the stadium itself. Although I didn’t quite understand the score still, the half time show was amazing! As, reflecting on football with newer knowledge, was the fact we beat them at all.

Probably my most vivid non-heat related memory of this match involved going to the Free Student Tailgate on the Union Square beforehand, where I got to customise the bag and hat which would see me through every Razorback game I attended in the year and a half after. Thank you so much to the Residence Hall Association for putting it together.

Final Score: We actually beat the Vols 14 – 19 – I didn’t realise how significant this was at the time!

Best Food or Drink: The absolutely lifesaving frozen margaritas from JJs Bar and Grill beforehand. It took me a full year to adjust to the heat, so I owe them far more on both physical and spiritual levels than the bargain $1.99 they cost.