KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Vols face Texas A&M on Saturday, but the game is more than other kinds of matchups for one family.
Tennessee's quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, is cousins with Danny Lockhart II, linebacker for the Aggies. Milton Uta is their uncle.
"We have Nick, who's playing on UT and then we have Danny, who's playing for Texas A&M," Uta said. "And we also have a younger nephew, Jordan, who's committed to A&M. So this is kind of a big thing for our family."
Uta recently arrived with a bunch of family members in East Tennessee, planning to attend the game. He said eight people were already here and eight more were on their way.
Danny Lockhart Sr. is heading to East Tennessee from California. Although his son is out of Saturday's game because of an injury, Lockhart Sr. said he's a proud dad.
"Me and Nico's father are very close and his father, too, is a coach and he coached Nico," Lockhart Sr. said. "And so, we all kind of worked with the dream of helping our kids make it a college. And so, he was successful in his mission. I was successful in my mission. And we all ended up in the SEC, and now we're all facing each other. We're together. We're divided in the game and together after the game."
This rivalry won't stop anytime soon. Lockhart Sr.'s youngest son, Jordan Lockhart, is following in his brother's footsteps.
"I'm looking forward in the next three, four years, watching my sons go after Nico," Lockhart Sr. said. "Or, you know, score touchdowns on my sons. It's gonna be bananas around Thanksgiving time at our house."
While the game hasn't been played, this family is already satisfied. Uta said his nephews call him "Uncle Milt."
"God first, family first — it's as simple as that," Uncle Milt said. "I mean, you keep a happy family. You get a tight-knit group and that's winning. We've already won ... Winning as as a family and winning and being there all together. That's the win."