President Trump to attend SEC showdown between No. 1 Texas, No. 14 Tennessee

The appearance comes ahead of the November midterms as the president pushes Congress to pass the Protect College Sports Act to regulate collegiate athletics

Sep 23, 2026 at 3:49 pm ET • 1 min read

President Donald Trump will attend Saturday's college football game at Tennessee between No. 1 Texas and the No. 14 Volunteers, a source confirmed to CBS Sports' Richard Johnson. The noon Eastern showdown comes less than six weeks before November's midterm elections, and as the fate of the Protect College Sports Act hangs in the balance.

Trump is a proponent of the PCSA, which would introduce a federal framework to the collegiate sports landscape, rife with chaos over issues of eligibility and compensation. However, the bill still faces legislative hurdles and has not been formally voted on in the House or Senate.

Attending a marquee matchup will signal Trump's continued interest in college sports and in the Protect College Sports Act after he called on the Senate last month to "stop grandstanding, and get this done."

Trump has regularly attended Army vs. Navy games over the years and famously attended the 2019 showdown between No. 2 LSU and No. 3 Alabama in Tuscaloosa during his first term. But since assuming office for a second time, this will be his first visit to an on-campus college football game site. His presence will also add to the mayhem in Knoxville for a historic meeting between two of college football's strongest brands. Tennessee and Texas have never played in the regular season.

Trump has been a regular at marquee sporting events as President. He attended Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in 2025. He also attended Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs at Madison Square Garden.