Tennessee paid tribute to Dolly Parton between the third and fourth quarters of its college football games against Furman and Kennesaw State. It did not play ‘My Tennessee Mountain Home‘ between the third and fourth quarters of its game against Texas.
What gives?
The university will neither confirm nor deny whether (or why) it changed its in-game pageantry for the remainder of the college football season. The Vols play at home again on Saturday so we will soon find out either way.
Tennessee paid tribute to Dolly Parton at two college football games.
Dolly Parton passed away on August 25, 2026 at the age of 80. The University of Tennessee played its first game of the 2026 college football season on September 5, 2026.
To honor the Iron Butterfly, the Volunteers made a change to its “fourth quarter song,” which is played over the loudspeakers at Neyland Stadium between the third and fourth quarters. It is typically accompanied by a video on the jumbotron.
Tennessee debuted ‘The Way I Talk’ by Morgan Wallen in 2024 after years of using ‘Friends in Low Places’ by Garth Brooks. The change made sense. Wallen is from the Knoxville area. He is a big Vols fan.
Here is how it sounded in 2024:
The song stayed the same for 2025:
On the night before the 2026 home-opener, Tennessee dropped a hype video set to ‘My Tennessee Mountain Home’ by Dolly Parton. She is the forever Queen of East Tennessee.
Our Tennessee Home 🦋#GBO 🍊 pic.twitter.com/Ej4ktxFlEY
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) September 4, 2026
The Volunteers also put a sticker on the back of their helmets in her honor.
Athletic director Danny White also announced a tribute to the late legend between the third and fourth quarter for the first home game of the 2026 season. ‘The Way I Talk’ was replaced by ‘My Tennessee Mountain Home’ against Furman.
Nothing but chills as Dolly Parton’s “My Tennessee Mountain Home” replaces Morgan Wallen’s “The Way I Talk” as the #Vols 4th quarter song. https://t.co/0Kpz0a6N46 pic.twitter.com/0Ziivm1SrA
— Sam Granville (@samgranvilletv) September 5, 2026
It stayed that way against Kennesaw State the next weekend.
Dolly Parton’s ‘My Tennessee Mountain Home’ remains the song played going into the 4th quarter. #Vols pic.twitter.com/Vvf1xyngyU
— Rylee Robinson (@ryleerobinsontv) September 20, 2026
That leads us to last Saturday. Tennessee lost to No. 1-ranked Texas by three points at home. The song between the third and fourth quarters was different. Rather, it was nonexistent!
Did the Volunteers already abandon ‘My Tennessee Mountain Home’ as their fourth quarter song?
After paying tribute to Dolly Parton in back-to-back home games, Tennessee did not play ‘My Tennessee Mountain Home’ between the third and fourth quarters of its game against Texas. Nor did it play ‘The Way I Talk.’
The Pride of the Southland Marching Band played ‘Rocky Top’ while the jumbotron featured a “V-O-L-S!” chant. What gives?
Stephen Thompson of the Knoxville News Sentential reached out to the athletic department for an answer. He didn’t get one. Tennessee declined to comment on why ‘My Tennessee Mountain Home’ was not played. It also refused to say if it was going to be replaced at games moving forward.
Although it was a lovely tribute to a late legend, the song change drew criticism from a portion of the fanbase. They did not think it was hype enough.
Perhaps the administration agreed. We don’t know. We will find out on Saturday whether Dolly is back in or out indefinitely.