President Donald Trump will attend Saturday’s college football game between No. 1 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee in Knoxville, a source confirmed to CBS Sports’ Richard Johnson. The noon Eastern kickoff comes less than six weeks before the midterm elections and as Congress debates the Protect College Sports Act, a bill Trump supports that aims to create federal rules on college athlete eligibility and compensation.
The Protect College Sports Act has yet to receive a formal vote in either the House or Senate. Trump has urged lawmakers to “stop grandstanding, and get this done,” according to his comments last month. The bill’s progress remains uncertain as it faces various legislative hurdles.
ESPN declined to comment to CBS Sports on whether Trump would appear on Saturday morning’s College GameDay, which will broadcast live from Knoxville ahead of the game. Two weeks ago, Senator Ted Cruz, a co-author of the Protect College Sports Act, appeared as a guest on College GameDay in Austin before Texas faced Ohio State in Week 2.
Trump’s attendance signals his ongoing interest in college sports amid the legislative debate. This will be his first visit to an on-campus college football game site since beginning his second term. He has regularly attended the Army-Navy games and was present at the 2019 clash between No. 2 LSU and No. 3 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
The Texas-Tennessee game is historic as the two programs have never met during the regular season. The matchup between two of college football’s most prominent brands is expected to draw significant attention, with Trump’s presence adding to the atmosphere in Knoxville.
Trump has appeared at other major sporting events during his presidency, including Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in 2025 and Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden.
The game between Texas and Tennessee is one of the highest-profile matchups of the college football season so far, with Texas ranked No. 1 and Tennessee at No. 14. It comes at a time when college sports face ongoing debates over athlete rights and compensation, topics central to the Protect College Sports Act that Trump supports.
The White House has not issued an official statement on Trump’s attendance, and further details about his visit remain unconfirmed. Meanwhile, the game and the surrounding political context continue to draw national attention ahead of the midterm elections.
According to CBS.
