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Virginia Football to Kickoff 2023 Season Against Tennessee in Nashville

The Cavaliers and Volunteers will open the 2023 college football season in the Music City at Nissan Stadium

Matt Newton

In this story:

Virginia and Tennessee will kickoff the 2023 college football season at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee on September 2nd, as announced by both schools and the Nashville Sports Council on Monday afternoon.ย 

The Virginia and Tennessee football programs will meet for the first time since 1991. The Volunteers and Cavaliers have met four times, with Tennessee holding a 3-1 advantage in the series, which dates back to 1927. Virginia beat Tennessee 16-13 in Knoxville in 1980 and the Volunteers beat the Cavaliers 23-22 in the 1991 Sugar Bowl, the last football meeting between these two schools.ย 

โ€œWe are thrilled to welcome the Vols and Cavaliers to Nashville on opening weekend of the 2023 college football season,โ€ said Nashville Sports Council President and CEO Scott Ramsey. โ€œBoth programs have a place in Nashville Sports history, having both played in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. We look forward to hosting them along with their loyal fanbases and once again showcasing Nashville on a national stage.โ€

Virginia will play at Nissan Stadium for the first time since the 2005 Music City Bowl, which UVA won 34-31 against Minnesota on a Connor Hughes field goal. Marques Hagans, Virginia's quarterback at the time who now serves as the associate head coach and wide receivers coach, was named the MVP of the game after completing 25 of 32 passes for a career-high 358 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.ย 

This will be the first time Virginia has faced an SEC opponent in the regular season since 2003.ย 

With the announcement, Virginia has filled out its non-conference schedule for the 2023 season. UVA will host in-state opponents William & Mary and James Madison and will play at Maryland in addition to the game against Tennessee in Nashville.ย 

Kickoff time and ticket details will be released at a later date.ย 

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Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.

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