<
        >

          Tennessee channels Venom in 'dark mode' uniform announcement

          play
          Vols' Sampson on blocking out noise: 'The key is to stay grounded' (1:52)

          No. 7 Tennessee's Dylan Sampson joins The Paul Finebaum Show to talk about how this year is different with two bye weeks, along with staying focused despite talk about him as a Heisman contender. (1:52)

          • J.J. Post, ESPNOct 28, 2024, 03:16 PM ET

          Fresh off a bye week, the Tennessee Volunteers had a Venom-esque unveiling of their uniforms for their next game.

          The Vols take their "dark mode" black uniforms seriously. The edition made its debut in 2021 in a 45-20 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks. Ahead of the 2022 campaign, the uniform was revamped with the addition of a matching black helmet -- which was donned during a 44-6 win over the Kentucky Wildcats and again in a 41-20 triumph against the Gamecocks in 2023.

          Now, with Kentucky back in Knoxville this Saturday, Tennessee is going all-out to showcase the uniforms.

          The reveal video starts out simple enough, with senior receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. sitting in the locker room in the team's traditional orange-and-white home uniform. Things quickly take a turn, however, when the video transitions into a scene of Thornton looking in the mirror.

          The black jersey appears in the reflection. Then, much like Venom's suit takes over Eddie Brock's body with an amorphous, liquid form, the black threads start to creep up and cover the orange and white, from cleat to helmet.

          The video ends with Thornton inspecting his new all-black uniform before rushing the camera, as a Halloween thriller movie score plays in the background.

          The Volunteers, ranked No. 7 in the AP poll, will kick off against Kentucky at 7:45 p.m. ET next Saturday at Neyland Stadium.