KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- No. 18 Tennessee welcomes in-state rival No. 12 Vanderbilt to Knoxville for the 2025-26 regular-season finale this weekend.

Saturday will mark the 119th matchup between the Tri-Star State rivals.

Tennessee has a record of 81-32-5 against the Commodores.

The Vols have won the last six matchups of this rivalry, last losing in Nashville by a score of 38-13 in 2018.

With an impressive 9-2 record on the year, this Vanderbilt team ranks among the best to enter Knoxville throughout this long and storied rivalry. 

Led by head coach Clark Lea and star quarterback Diego Pavia, the Commodores have made a strong case for being the best team in the state of Tennessee this season.

Entering a rowdy Neyland Stadium crowd on Thanksgiving weekend, Lea and Pavia will have their hands full in a game that could make or break their College Football Playoff chances.

"We're going to train really hard this week to be prepared for what is one of the best atmospheres in the country," Lea said. "It's our job to keep the 100,000+ fans out of the game, by being disciplined... if we're not playing with a sense of urgency and are not emotionally ready, we invite them into the contest."

Discussing the points of emphasis for his team on Saturday, Lea stressed the importance of the battle up front against the Volunteers. 

"The play at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball is going to go a long way in determining the winner," the coach said. "[Tennessee's] d-line is among the best in the country... how we create space in the pocket to find space on the perimeter will be important."

Speaking on the key factors of this matchup, Tennessee coach Josh Heupel praised Vandy's quarterback for his ability to affect the game on multiple levels.

"[Pavia's] ability to be a part of the run game as well, is a huge part of what they do offensively," Heupel said. "We got to do a great job of not letting him outside of the pocket."

Tennessee defense against QB Diego Pavia. 

This Volunteers defense has faced pocket-passing powerhouses from Alabama and Georgia and seen dynamic running QBs from Arkansas and Oklahoma this season. But they have not faced a true dual-threat quarterback like the one they meet on Saturday. 

Vanderbilt’s Pavia is a machine. He leads the SEC in passing touchdowns and can beat defenses with his legs as well. The senior captain has willed his Commodores to a top 12 ranking this season and has put them in a prime position to move past their bitter foe in Knoxville. 

Tennessee’s defense has shown weakness many times throughout the season, but still ranks in the top 5 nationally, in sacks this year. Additionally, the Vols’ hobbled secondary has found a spark in recent weeks, displaying quality stops and elite play from defensive backs Colton Hood and Ty Redmond.  

The Volunteers offense will do its thing on Saturday, putting up big numbers, but the defense will have its hands full with a talented Vanderbilt offense led by a Heisman candidate quarterback in Pavia.  

The greatest challenge for the Volunteers on Saturday is Pavia. If the Tennessee defense can prevent the Vandy quarterback from dominating the game, the Vols will emerge victorious. On the offensive side, the Volunteers’ Aguilar must play smart and limit his mistakes. With a balanced offensive attack featuring a talented wide receiver room and powerful RB trio led by DeSean Bishop, the Vols simply must play up to their standard in this matchup to get a win.

Vanderbilt's defense has the difficult responsibility of stopping a loaded Tennessee offense on Saturday. If they can force Aguilar into turnovers throughout the game, the Vols will struggle. Vandy will rely on Pavia to be consistent throughout the game, making plays for his receivers and by himself in the run game. If Pavia can perform at the level, he has proven he can this season, Vanderbilt's chances of winning will be strong.