Before top-ranked Texas and No. 14 Tennessee kicked off their SEC showdown, Neyland Stadium hosted a national anthem performance that left fans scratching their heads and firing off hot takes.
The rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" aired during the final minutes of ESPN's College GameDay, accompanied by a pregame flyover featuring two F-35 Lightning fighter jets and a KC-135 Stratotanker. The scene was set for a spectacular atmosphere, but the anthem itself became the talk of social media for all the wrong reasons.
Fans wasted no time voicing their frustration. One fan called it "the most unserious thing I've ever heard." Another simply asked, "What was that national anthem in Knoxville?" A third questioned the performance, saying, "Gotta sing or play it, can not do both yikes." One social media user even declared it a "Top 10 worst national anthem of all time" and joked that Tennessee "always finds a way to ruin something."
The backlash added an unexpected layer of drama to a game already loaded with storylines. Earlier in the week, it was confirmed that President Donald Trump would attend the matchup at Neyland Stadium, a visit that Texas coach Steve Sarkisian noted could complicate in-game communication.
"Anytime the President changes locations within the stadium, they cut all communication," Sarkisian explained. "They cut your headsets in terms of coach to player communication. So you have to plan for that."
While the anthem controversy dominated the conversation, the game itself featured plenty of intrigue, including Peyton Manning's family-first pick and the buzz around Johnny Knoxville's guest picker appearance on College GameDay. Fans also had plenty to say about the ESPN announcer lineup and the ongoing debate over Arch Manning's future.
As the SEC clash unfolded, it was clear that the pregame anthem would be remembered as one of the more bizarre moments of the college football weekend. Whether it was the performance itself or the fan reaction, the internet had its say — and it wasn't pretty.
