The Texas Longhorns left Knoxville with more than another victory Saturday, adding a little social media entertainment to their 20-17 win over No. 14 Tennessee.
After surviving a difficult road test at Neyland Stadium, Texas turned its attention toward actor and Tennessee superfan Johnny Knoxville, who had spent the morning representing the Volunteers on ESPN’s “College GameDay.”
The result allowed the Longhorns to have some fun at the expense of one of Tennessee’s most recognizable supporters. In a 13-second video posted to social media, Texas opened with Johnny Knoxville’s College GameDay prediction:
“After the game today, Tennessee will remain the real UT,” Knoxville said.
The video then cut to a clip of Knoxville getting hit by a bull, trolling the Tennessee native over his prediction following the Longhorns’ victory.
Knoxville, the star and co-creator of “Jacka**,” served as Saturday’s celebrity guest picker in his hometown. He embraced the occasion by appearing in Tennessee football gear and showing his support for the Volunteers ahead of their highly anticipated SEC opener. Unfortunately for Knoxville, the afternoon ended with Texas celebrating on the field he had spent the morning defending.
Texas Gets the Last Laugh After Johnny Knoxville’s College GameDay Appearance
The Longhorns defeated Tennessee 20-17 in a defensive battle that remained undecided until the closing minutes. Texas entered the contest ranked No. 1 nationally, but the Volunteers provided a significant challenge in front of their home crowd. Steve Sarkisian’s team ultimately escaped with its undefeated record intact while handing Tennessee its first loss of the season.
The result also created an irresistible social media opportunity involving Knoxville, whose entertainment career has been built around elaborate stunts, pranks and physical comedy. Texas’ postgame trolling added another chapter to a weekend filled with competing claims about which school deserves to be called the real UT.
Knoxville had been a prominent part of Saturday’s festivities long before kickoff. ESPN brought its signature pregame show to Tennessee’s campus, with the final hour taking place inside Neyland Stadium. His appearance provided the Volunteers with a celebrity representative who had never hidden his allegiance to the program.
Texas Leaves Knoxville With Another Statement Victory
Saturday’s victory improved Texas to 4-0 and gave the Longhorns another ranked win following their earlier victory over Ohio State. However, the narrow result also demonstrated that remaining undefeated in the SEC will require more than the offense simply overpowering every opponent. Tennessee made Texas work for nearly every opportunity.
For Knoxville, the disappointing result came after an entertaining morning celebrating his hometown team. For Texas, defeating the Volunteers in Knoxville delivered both an important conference victory and some additional bragging rights.
The Longhorns entered Tennessee’s stadium knowing the entire environment would be against them. They left with a win and the opportunity to turn one of the Volunteers’ biggest celebrity supporters into the subject of their postgame celebration.
Texas Football Trolls Johnny Knoxville After Crushing Tennessee’s Perfect Start