UAB’s Jevon Jackson Is No Stranger To Neyland Stadium
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - September 19, 2025
Jevon Jackson won’t wear the home uniform on Saturday at Neyland Stadium. But the UAB running back will be familiar with his surroundings when the Blazers take on Tennessee.
Jackson, who is closing out his college career at UAB, will play at Neyland Stadium for the third time. All three will come in different uniforms. He played for Austin Peay in a 30-13 Tennessee victory in 2023 and was the starting running back at UTEP when the Vols beat the Miners 56-0 last November. Jackson rushed for 18 yards on five carries in 2023 and had 13 carries for 25 yards and two catches for six yards last season.
Obviously, it wasn’t a successful game on the scoreboard or stat sheet in either game for Jackson. But it has been a memorable experience.
“It's been a different experience every time I've been,” said Jackson, who played under the same head coach, Scotty Walden at both Austin Peay and UTEP.
“I would just say, honestly, the locations of school,” Jackson said of the biggest differences in the two appearances in Knoxville. “Like, I've been there twice with the same coaching staff, but different schools. So now this will be the third team and without that coaching staff. So now I’m just adjusting to a whole new everything.”
The adjustment has gone smoothly on the field for the 5-foot-8, 210-pound native of Decatur, Alabama. He is leading the team and sixth in The American in rushing yards per game (92.3). He rushed for three touchdowns and had five catches for 35 yards with another touchdown in the first three games. He’ll try to keep that going against a Tennessee defense that averages 116.7 yards allowed per game on the ground, which is 56th in the country. The Vols allowed 198 rushing yards in a 44-41 overtime loss to Georgia last Saturday.
Jackson spent the week learning the offensive game plan for Saturday’s matchup. He also spent time educating his teammates what a Tennessee home game is like.
“I would say, this week, I'm just sharing my experience with the rest of the guys, getting them comfortable enough,” Jackson said. “I let them know that I've been here a couple of times. So I understand what's gonna to be the task and what's gonna be the challenge. I mean, just letting them know and letting them get the understanding of it.”
A big part of that has to do with the noise produced by the Tennessee fans.
“It definitely gets loud, for sure,” Jackson said. “I mean, there were some critical third downs in my last couple games, I couldn't even hear my quarterback and he was right next to me.”