Tennessee offensive lineman missed season opener months after DUI arrest, university says

What This Story Is About

• Tennessee starting offensive lineman Sam Pendleton was suspended from Saturday’s season opener against Furman for violating team rules following a May arrest for driving under the influence.

What Happens Next

• Pendleton is expected to return to the field for this Saturday’s road game against Georgia Tech, while his legal case is scheduled for a court appearance on November 23.

For Context

• According to state troopers, Pendleton crashed his car on I-40 East on May 24, where officers discovered alcoholic beverages in his vehicle and arrested him after he failed multiple field sobriety tests.

Catch Up

• Despite Pendleton’s absence, the Volunteers secured a dominant 56-9 victory over Furman to start their season, and head coach Josh Heupel has indicated the lineman is ready to play in Atlanta.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - A Tennessee offensive lineman missed Saturday’s season opener against Furman after violating team rules, a university spokesperson said Tuesday.

Suspended from season opening game

Sam Pendleton, Tennessee’s center who transferred from Notre Dame in 2025, started all 13 games last season, but he was absent from the Vols’ 56-9 win over Furman on Saturday. This comes more than three months after Pendleton was charged with DUI after a crash on I-40 in Knox County.

A UT spokesperson sent WVLT News the following statement Tuesday afternoon:

While it is not clear if the DUI is what caused him to be suspended from the game, Head Coach Josh Heupel did not say if Pendleton was injured but said to expect him to be ready to go for the Georgia Tech game.

Police report details arrest

According to a police report obtained by WVLT News, a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper responded to a crash on I-40 East near mile marker 396 at around 10:30 p.m. on May 24. There, Pendleton, 21, said he was driving when he hydroplaned and lost control of his car, coming to rest near the tree line.

Troopers on the scene saw two alcoholic drinks in the car: a Four Loko with 13.9% alcohol content and a Johnny Bootlegger with 12% alcohol content. Pendleton said he had not been drinking, but troopers said he had glassy, watery and bloodshot eyes in addition to the smell of alcohol on his breath.

Pendleton then performed poorly on three field sobriety tests, leading to a charge of DUI, first offense.

What’s next

No. 18 Tennessee travels to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech inside Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m., where Heupel said Pendleton is expected to play.

As for Pendleton’s ongoing case, he is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 23.