Air Force One Flies Over Stadium Ahead of Texas–Tennessee College Football Game

The wing of Air Force One, with President Donald Trump on board, is pictured as the plane flies over Knoxville, Tenn., en route to an NCAA college football game between Tennessee and Texas, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

By Jacki Thrapp

Jacki Thrapp

Jacki Thrapp is an Emmy® Award-winning journalist based in Nashville. She previously worked at The New York Post, Fox News Channel and has written a series of Off-Broadway musicals in NYC. Contact her at jacki.thrapp@epochtimes.us

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September 26, 2026Updated: September 26, 2026

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President Donald Trump was aboard Air Force One as it made a low flyover above the 101,000-seat Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, before the Texas Longhorns and Tennessee Volunteers game on Sept. 26.

The flyover came about 40 minutes before the noon kickoff of the packed SEC matchup between the top-ranked Longhorns and 14th-ranked Volunteers.

Players for the Volunteers and Longhorns were warming up on the field during the rare moment.

Saturday’s game in Tennessee marked the SEC opener for both teams.

The stadium opened up security early to make sure it ran smoothly and even made concessions 50 percent off for early birds.

Air Force One landed before 11:30 a.m. ET before kickoff at noon, and the president’s motorcade arrived at the stadium just as the national anthem was being sung.

Trump received thunderous applause when the jumbotron showed him sitting in a suite next to lawmakers, including Sens. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) , who is running for governor in the general election this fall.

Earlier in the week, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian suggested that if Trump moved in the stadium during the game, teams could lose headset communication between coaches and players.

But an announcer said on Saturday that both teams worked with the Secret Service to clear their radio frequencies, hoping to reduce the risk of disruption during the highly anticipated match.

Texas Tennessee Football — Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is escorted into Neyland Stadium before an NCAA college football game between Tennessee and Texas in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 26, 2026. (Wade Payne/AP Photo)

Trump’s motorcade left just after 2 p.m., during the second half.

There were no reports of his exit affecting any communications on the field.

Texas beat the Volunteers on their home turf 20–17.

Attendees cheer as President Donald Trump is pictured on screen during an NCAA college football game between Tennessee and Texas at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 26, 2026. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)

“We win big games around here, we do,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “I know we don’t win them all, but we won a lot of them. And what an incredible performance by our defense.”

Saturday’s matchup was already highly anticipated, as Texas quarterback Arch Manning played for the first time at the stadium that made his uncle Peyton Manning a football star.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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