Tennessee Volunteers fans paid tribute to the late Dolly Parton during their 2026 season opener against Furman at Neyland Stadium, honouring the country music icon in her home state. Every player wore an orange butterfly decal bearing Parton's name on the back of their helmet, a tribute head coach Josh Heupel confirmed would remain for the entire season, describing her as the "Queen of East Tennessee" and praising her impact both locally and worldwide.

The most striking moment came when the full 102,000-strong crowd sang Parton's 1974 hit "I Will Always Love You" in unison. The team also swapped its usual fourth-quarter song, Morgan Wallen's "The Way I Talk", for Parton's "My Tennessee Mountain Home", suggesting these gestures could become a lasting tradition in her honour.