Tennessee gives out free football tickets to Florence evacuees

(AP) — Tennessee distributed 1,067 free tickets to its game with UTEP to Hurricane Florence evacuees from North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Volunteers athletic director Phillip Fulmer had announced Wednesday that evacuees would get free tickets as long as they provided IDs showing they're from counties under evacuation orders. Ticket distribution started at 8:30 a.m. for the noon game.

Tenea Strayhorn of Beaufort, North Carolina, said the game provided a "perfect distraction" that allowed evacauees to think about something other than the storm for a few hours.

Ricky Hughes of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, wore a Clemson hat and Coastal Carolina T-shirt to Neyland Stadium but said that "we're Tennessee fans today, you can believe that 100 percent."