University of Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello has been named the next manager of the San Francisco Giants, making history as the first college coach to jump directly to manager at the Major League level.
“Tony is one of the brightest, most innovative, and most respected coaches in college baseball today. Throughout our search, Tony’s leadership, competitiveness, and commitment to developing players stood out,” said Buster Posey, the team’s president of baseball operations. “His ability to build strong, cohesive teams and his passion for the game align perfectly with the values of our organization. We look forward to the energy and direction he will bring, along with the memories to be made, as we focus on the future of Giants baseball.”
Head Coach Tony Vitello of the Tennessee Volunteers during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Baum-Walker Stadium at George Cole Field during the NCAA Baseball Super Regional – Fayetteville on June 08, 2025 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Razorbacks defeated the Volunteers 11-4.
Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
Vitello has coached the Volunteers since 2017 and has no previous coaching experience in professional baseball. The skipper has previous ties to baseball in the region, being an assistant coach to the Salinas Packers of the California Collegiate League in 2002.
“I’m incredibly honored and grateful for this opportunity,” Vitello said in a statement from the club. “I’m excited to lead this group of players and represent the San Francisco Giants. I can’t wait to get started and work to establish a culture that makes Giants faithful proud.”
“Congratulations to Tony on this incredible opportunity to lead the San Francisco Giants,” athletic director Danny White said in a statement. “We wish him the best as he embarks on this new chapter in his career and thank him for everything he has done to transform Tennessee baseball into a championship program.”
Over eight seasons, Vitello turned the program into a college baseball powerhouse, going 341-131 over that span. The Volunteers reached the College World Series three times and won the National Championship in 2024.
“It was one heck of a ride, Coach,” the Volunteers baseball program posted on social media.
It was one heck of a ride, Coach.
Congratulations to Tony Vitello, making history as the first collegiate head coach to move directly to MLB manager. pic.twitter.com/YombvxQAcF
Vitello is replacing Bob Melvin, who was ousted last month after managing the Giants for two seasons, finishing with a 161-163 record. After winning the 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Series, the Giants have made the postseason only twice (2016 and 2021) and have missed the playoffs for four straight seasons.
The decision is the latest unconventional move by Posey, one of the pivotal players in the Giants’ three World Series titles and who was hired as president of baseball operations last year. Early in the season, Posey orchestrated a blockbuster trade with the Boston Red Sox that sent slugger Rafael Devers to San Francisco.
The Giants said Vitello will be introduced at a news conference at Oracle Park on Oct. 30.
Georgia Bulldogs Quarterback Carson Beck (15) looks on prior to the college football game between the Missouri Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs on November 04, 2023, at Sanford Stadium in Athens, GA.
Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs play the No. 16 Tennessee Volunteers today in an epic SEC showdown. The Bulldogs are all but a lock for the SEC championship game, but they’re laser focused on keeping their undefeated record. The Volunteers hope to make a Week 12 splash by handing Carson Beck and the Bulldogs their first loss the 2023 NCAA college football season.
Keep reading for how to watch one of the biggest college football games of Week 12.
Note: CBS Essentials and Paramount+ are both subsidiaries of Paramount.
How and when to watch the Georgia Bulldogs vs. Tennessee Volunteers game
The Week 12 game between Georgia Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers will be played Saturday, November 18 at 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. PT). The game will air on CBS and stream live on Paramount+.
How to watch the Georgia Bulldogs vs. Tennessee Volunteers game without cable
While most cable packages include CBS, it’s easy to watch the game if CBS isn’t included in your cable subscription, or if you don’t have cable at all. Your best options for watching are below. (Streaming options will require an internet provider.)
If you don’t have a cable TV package that includes CBS, one of the easiest ways to catch all live NFL games broadcast on CBS is through a subscription to Paramount+. The streamer offers access to all NFL games locally and nationally televised on CBS on all its subscription tiers. In addition, you can watch top-tier soccer like the Champions League live and SEC college football games as well, plus popular shows such as “Survivor” and “NCIS.” Paramount+ is also the exclusive streaming home to Super Bowl LVIII in 2024.
Paramount+ costs $5.99 for the Essential tier (or $60 annually), and $11.99 per month (or $120 annually) for the ad-free Showtime tier that includes your local CBS station. Paramount+ currently offers a one-week free trial.
The Walmart+ shopping subscription service includes access to the Paramount+ Essentials tier (with live NFL games such as this one), a $60 per year value. Walmart+ subscribers also get discounts on gasoline at Mobil and Exxon stations, access to special members-only deals, same-day home delivery from your local store and more.
You can also catch the game on FuboTV. FuboTV is a sports-centric streaming service that offers access to almost every NFL game of the season. Packages include CBS, Fox Sunday NFC games via “NFL on Fox”, NBC (Sunday Night Football), ESPN (Monday Night Football), NFL Network and more, so you’ll be able to watch more than just today’s games, all without a cable subscription.
To watch the NFL without cable, start a seven-day free trial of Fubo. You can begin watching immediately on your TV, phone, tablet or computer. In addition to NFL football, FuboTV offers MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and international soccer games.
FuboTV is running a (rare!) deal. For a limited time, new subscribers can save $40 on Fubo’s Pro, Elite, and Premier plans. (You’ll save $20 off your first and second months.) That brings the price of FuboTV’s Pro tier down to $55 per month for your first two months, reduced from $75.
Top features of FuboTV Pro Tier:
There are no contracts with FuboTV — you can cancel at any time.
The Pro tier includes 169 channels, including NFL Network. (You’ll need to upgrade to Ultimate for NFL RedZone.)
FuboTV includes all the channels you’ll need to watch college and pro football, including CBS (not available through Sling TV).
All tiers come with 1,000 hours of cloud-based DVR recording.
You can watch college football with Hulu + Live TV. The bundle features access to 90 channels, including both Fox and FS1. Unlimited DVR storage is also included. Watch every game on every network with Hulu + Live TV, plus catch live NFL preseason games, exclusive live regular season games, popular studio shows (including NFL Total Access and the Emmy-nominated show Good Morning Football) and lots more.
Hulu + Live TV comes bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+. It’s priced at $77 per month for the college football season.
Watch NCAA football live with a digital HDTV antenna
Amazon
If you’re cutting the cord to your cable company, you’re not alone; in fact, you are in luck. You can still watch the NFL on TV with an affordable indoor antenna, which pulls in local over-the-air HDYC channels such as CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, PBS, Univision and more. Here’s the kicker: There’s no monthly charge.
Anyone living in partially blocked-off area (those near mountains or first-floor apartments), a digital TV antenna may not pick up a good signal — or any signal at all. But for many homes, a digital TV antenna provides a seriously inexpensive way to watch college football without paying a cable company. Indoor TV antennas can also provide some much-needed TV backup if a storm knocks out your cable (or your cable company gets in a squabble with a network).
This amplified indoor HDTV antenna claims to have a 250-mile range and comes with a 16.5-foot coaxial cable. It’s rated 4.0 stars by Amazon reviewers. Regularly $33, it’s currently on sale for $23 ahead of Black Friday.
If you’re waiting for today’s game to begin, now is a great time to check out Amazon’s new Campus Colors Fan Shop. The Amazon college football online shop is stocked with officially licensed fan gear: You’ll find jerseys, team flags, T-shirts, hoodies and more, including tons of great Christmas gifts for the college football fan in your life. There are plenty of great early Black Friday deals awaiting you at Amazon, too, including some must-see Black Friday deals on TVs for watching football.
Tap the button below to head directly to the Campus Colors Fan Shop page on Amazon and select your favorite team.
More teams to follow during the 2023 college football season
Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders
Getty Images
Important dates for the 2023 college football season:
The 13-week 2023 college football season runs from Aug. 27 through Dec. 9.
Two semifinal games, the Rose Bowl Game and the Allstate Sugar Bowl, are scheduled for New Year’s Day (Monday, January 1, 2024).
The College Football Playoff National Championship is scheduled for Monday, January 8, 2024 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The Georgia Bulldogs want to make history: The Bulldogs struck gold last season winning back-to-back championships after beating the Alabama Crimson Tide 33-18 in 2022. Since 1936, no college team has won three-in-a-row. Coming into Week 12, the Bulldogs are one of eight teams that remain undefeated and have reclaimed the top spot in just about every college football ranking. Head coach Kirby Smart started the season aiming for the elusive three-peat, which is looking less elusive with each game of the season.
Football fans can’t get enough of the Colorado Buffaloes: If it seems like the biggest story of the 2023 NCAA college football season isn’t on the field, you’re not wrong. Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders, aka Coach Prime, has dominated sports headlines since he announced in December of 2022 he’d leave the 11-1 Jackson State football program he’d built over the past three years in favor of the 1-11 Colorado Buffaloes. Coach Prime in prime time has proven a success despite the team’s 4-6 record. Winning or losing, the Buffaloes have seen skyrocketing TV ratings, the one bright spot in an ugly year for Pac-12 football.
How will all the college football shake ups shake out? In July 2022, UCLA and USC finally agreed on something. The frenemy rivals would both leave the Pac-12 in favor of the Big Ten in 2024. This summer, Colorado announced it would return to the Big 12. Since then, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah have announced an exodus from the Pac-12 to the Big-12 at the end of the 2023 season. Washington and Oregon State are also ditching the Pac-12 for the Big 10 at the same time.
The school shuffling won’t affect the 2023 season much, but expect journalists to talk about it to no end. With the Pac-12 currently down to just four teams for the 2024 season, the demise of the Pac-12 is sure to be one of the biggest stories of the season.
The Alabama Crimson Tide came into the 2023 season ranked No. 4. Saban and company aren’t comfortable with the demotion. Still not the dominant Bama team fans have come to rely on, the Tide are hoping to be a major threat to the Bulldogs scoring that three-peat. Ohio State has arguably one of the best receiver rooms in college football led by the dazzling Marvin Harrison Jr. The Buckeyes come into Week 12 undefeated, just one win over the 9-1 Crimson Tide.
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – SEPTEMBER 09: Joe Milton III #7 of the Tennessee Volunteers warms up before their game against the Austin Peay Governors at Neyland Stadium on September 09, 2023 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Eakin Howard/Getty Images
Famous football coach Bear Byrant coined the phrase “defenses with championships.” No sentiment more clearly describes the No. 11 2023 Tennessee Volunteers football team, whose defense was the team’s undoing last season despite the Vols tenth-ranked offense. The Tennessee Vols finished the 2022 season 11-2, but the team relied on its high-scoring offense when their defense couldn’t hold the line.
A season later, the Vols offense currently ranks 9th in the coaches poll. Defense, however, shines — ranking third in success rate, fourth in sack rate and fourteenth in havoc rate. If the Florida Gators (1-1) want to upset the Vols, Gators QB Graham Mertz is going to need to evade the mighty Vols defense. Judging by the Vols 2-0 season start, that upset won’t be easy.
There’s no question the Florida Gators vs. Tennessee Volunteers game is the matchup of NCAA’s Week 3. We can’t wait to watch.
How to watch the Tennessee vs. Florida NCAA college football game
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 12: Head coach Josh Heupel of the Tennessee Volunteers argues a call during the game against the Missouri Tigers at Neyland Stadium on November 12, 2022 in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Tennessee Volunteers won the game 66-24.
Getty Images
The Tennessee Volunteers face the Florida Gators on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT). You can watch it on ESPN.
Watching the Volunteers vs. Gators has never been easier, whether you’re watching on a TV or mobile device thanks to Sling TV, an easy and inexpensive way to stream this game (and more college football matchups).
ESPN is included in many cable TV packages. Don’t have a cable TV package? One of the most cost-effective ways to get the channel is through a subscription to Sling TV. The streamer offers access to NFL Network, local NBC, Fox and ABC affiliates (where available) and ESPN with its Orange + Blue Tier plan. Also worth noting: Sling TV comes with 50 hours of cloud-based DVR recording space included, perfect for recording all the season’s top NFL and college football matchups.
That plan normally costs $60 per month, but the streamer is currently offering a 50% off promotion for your first month, so you’ll pay just $30. You can learn more by tapping the button below.
Top features of Sling TV Orange + Blue tier:
There are 46 channels to watch in total, including local NBC, Fox and ABC affiliates (where available).
You get access to most local NFL games and nationally broadcast games at the lowest price.
All subscription tiers include 50 hours of cloud-based DVR storage.
Sling TV has a new offering for the 2023 NCAA college football season and the 2023 NFL Season called Sports Extra. The new package is designed for NFL and college football fans, with access to NFL Redzone, ESPN, NFL, SEC, ACC, PAC 12, Big10 and Longhorn Networks.
There’s a great preseason deal on Sling TV Sports Extra going on right now: You can get five months of Sling TV Orange + Blue + Sports Extra for $274. That works out to just $55 per month, an even better price than subscribing to just the $60 per month Orange + Blue plan. It’s the most cost effective way to stream most NFL games this year.
You can learn more about Sling TV and Sports Extra by tapping the button below.
More ways to watch the Week 3 Volunteers vs. Gators game : FuboTV
You can also catch the Saturday’s big game on FuboTV. FuboTV is a sports-centric streaming service that offers access to almost every NFL game of the season. Packages include CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, NFL Network, NFL RedZone and more, so you’ll be able to watch more than just today’s games.
To watch college football without cable, start a seven-day free trial of Fubo. You can begin watching immediately on your TV, phone, tablet or computer.
In addition to college football, FuboTV offers the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and international soccer games. FuboTV starts at $75 per month for the Pro tier (includes NFL Network); the $100 per month Ultimate tier includes NFL RedZone.
Top features of FuboTV:
The Pro tier includes 169 channels, including NFL Network; the Ultimate tier includes 289 channels, including NFL RedZone.
FuboTV includes all the channels you’ll need to watch live sports, including CBS (not available through Sling TV).
You can watch this college football game with Hulu + Live TV. The bundle features access to 90 channels, including both Fox and FS1. Unlimited DVR storage is also included. Watch every game on every network with Hulu + Live TV, plus you can personalize your viewing experience and Hulu will offer curated recommendations based on the teams and playmakers you follow.
Hulu + Live TV comes bundled with ESPN+ and Disney+ for $70 per month.
More teams to follow during the 2023 college football season
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
The Georgia Bulldogs want to run it back. The Georgia Bulldogs became just the fifth program to win back-to-back national championships when they beat the Alabama Crimson Tide 33-18 in 2022. Since 1936, no college team has won three-in-a-row. The Bulldogs are hoping to change all that. Head coach Kirby Smart has focused on leadership skills for his players, stating the team’s biggest opponent is “complacency.”
Can Deion Sanders make the Colorado Buffaloes great? Coach Prime made headlines during the offseason. Only ten scholarship players from the Buffaloes’ 2022-season roster remain on the team after Sanders took advantage of transfer portal rules to revamp the team’s roster. Prime’s in his first season as the Buffaloes coach and he’ll hope to work the same magic on the Buffaloes program as he did in his successful three years at Jackson State. But the lights of the Pac-12 shine brighter than they do in the FCS and Sanders will have to rise to the occasion. Good news for Sanders, the Buffs finished 1-11 last season. There’s only one way to go but up.
Important dates for the 2023 college football season:
The 13-week 2023 college football season runs from Aug. 27 through Dec. 9.
Two semifinal games, the Rose Bowl Game and the Allstate Sugar Bowl, are scheduled for New Year’s Day (Monday, January 1, 2024).
The College Football Playoff National Championship is scheduled for Monday, January 8, 2024 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
How will all the college football shake ups shake out?
In July 2022, UCLA and USC finally agreed on something. The frenemy rivals would both leave the Pac-12 in favor of the Big Ten in 2024. This summer, Colorado announced it would return to the Big 12. Since then, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah have announced an exodus from the Pac-12 to the Big-12 at the end of the 2023 season. Washington and Oregon State are also ditching the Pac-12 for the Big 10 at the same time.
The school shuffling won’t affect the 2023 season much, but expect journalists to talk about it to no end. With the Pac-12 currently down to just four teams for the 2024 season, the demise of the Pac-12 is sure to be one of the biggest stories of the season.
We’re also looking forward to these stories during the 2023 NCAA college football season
The Alabama Crimson Tide came into the 2023 season ranked No. 4. Saban and company aren’t going to be comfortable with the demotion and will surely be a major threat to the Bulldogs scoring that three-peat. Ohio State has arguably one of the best receiver rooms in college football led by the dazzling Marvin Harrison Jr. The Buckeyes face some tough competition against Indiana in Week 1, but if the team has ever been primed to go all the way, this is that year. And don’t forget that Florida/Utah rematch.
DALLAS, June 8, 2022 (Newswire.com)
– Ben Joyce, pitcher for the University of Tennessee Volunteers baseball team, broke the college world record for the fastest pitch ever thrown in college baseball and has now teamed up with Fanpage and Athlete Licensing Company to mint his first-ever NFT to commemorate this historic event.
Unless they were living under a rock on May 1, 2022, everyone heard about the pitch. It was the pitch barely seen around the world. Barely seen because it was traveling at a speed of 105.5 mph, which is the fastest pitch ever recorded in college baseball history. And now, for a limited time, collectors will have the chance to own the NFT, which has been created to commemorate this historic moment in time.
“NFTs are quickly becoming a go-to vehicle for college athletes to monetize their name, image and likeness,” said Billy Rodgers, Fanpage CEO. “It not only offers collectors an opportunity to invest in the future of rising athletes but also gives fans, alumni and boosters the ability to help support these kids who dedicate so much of their lives to playing sports and bringing immense value to their universities.”
On June 8, this exclusive, one-of-a-kind NFT collectible will be sold via auction at benjoyce.fanpage.com. The auction for this 1-of-1 Gold edition NFT will run for four days and will sure to be a valuable and coveted piece of digital memorabilia, which will be minted on the Polygon blockchain. In addition, a Silver, Bronze, and Common edition have been created which will be sold at lower price points and in larger quantities to give baseball fans everywhere the chance to own a piece of history.
Benjamin Alan Joyce is a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, and always dreamed of playing baseball for his hometown Volunteers. That dream came true two years ago, and now at 21 years old, Ben is taking the mound at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. Ben graduated from the University of Tennessee this year with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Finance. Prior to attending UT, Ben attended Walters State Community College, which is known for showcasing their baseball talent in the JUCO ranks. Ben went to school at Farragut High School and played baseball for the Admirals along with his identical twin brother Zach. His parents are Joni and Alan Joyce and they still reside in the Farragut area. To learn more, contact ajoyce@fbg.com.
About Fanpage:
Fanpage is a boutique NFT platform for music artists, athletes, brands and influencers, with a mission to bring NFTs to the masses. The company works hand-in-hand with Creators from design and creation to pricing, inventory and roll-out strategy. Fanpage then provides its Creators with the tools to sell their NFTs directly to their fans using a simple credit card transaction, while also catering to NFT enthusiasts by allowing Fanpage NFTs to be transferred and resold on third-party marketplaces. To learn more, contact Fanpage at info@fanpage.com or visit fanpage.com.
About Athlete Licensing Company (ALC):
ALC is a name, image, and likeness (NIL) company that provides transparent NIL representation, administration, and brand monetization to student athletes. ALC boasts a wealth of experience in the intellectual property world and brings significant expertise in NCAA-compliance requirements, tech-enabled brand management and administrative support with monthly royalty statements to athletes. Memberships start at $50 per month and include comprehensive NIL administration. To learn more, visit athlete-licensing.com or contact bbramhall@athlete-licensing.com.
