Here is my POV:
Been to The Grove a couple of times and every time it was epic. I went to a tailgate where they hired servers with white gloves to serve lobster. Of course, I fell asleep in a port-a-potty and missed half the game, but that's show business, baby! Definitely stay in Memphis and party hard on Beale St. the night before and then just drive the hour to Oxford the next day. Pack a tie.
I spent way too much time in Nashville the last couple of years for work; it's definitely an It town now, you can't go wrong by staying in the gulch, but I actually enjoy staying by Vanderbilt where Marriott has like 5 properties within a stone throw (and near the Hattie B's). The Parthenon is stupid and a waste of time, but I guess you have to see it at least once? There is a Bob's Chop House in the Omni downtown and other good higher end dining on that side of Broadway. Overall Nashville has an "Old Austin" vibe and energy before Austin sold out and sucked. I will say that Nashville has a big problem with homeless people and stoop sleeping and tents in the city center during the warmer months, so the mini-Austin moniker cuts both ways.
College Station sucks.
Starkville, Lexington, Missouri, Gainesville, etc. no clue.
Athens is an anachronistic college town. It's probably one of the few college towns that still exist as a pure play and there is a charm and fun to that. I've been to a few others and I guess it reminds me the most of maybe South Bend but more live music/artsy/college bars. It's requisitely small and dingy in a lot of ways. A great experience I'm told by my UGA friends, to live and go to school in, sounds like what Austin was like for half the board here who went to UT in the 70's or 80's.
Nowadays I spend a lot of time in Knoxville due to a consulting project with a Haslem-owned organization not named the Browns. I like it the best of all the SEC towns I've visited and if you can get past all the "we are the REAL UT" jokes from all the Haslem MBA guys, I find Tennessee grads to be very likable, down to earth, smart and competent people. There is no better city to wear a UT needlepoint belt, which, by the way, since we are in the SEC now, is as mandatory as croakies, boat shoes, higher inseam shorts, and Masters polos/hats. Here you go: https://smathersandbranson.com/product/texas-light-khaki-needlepoint-belt or https://www.jtspencer.com/collections/belts/products/university-of-texas
Lastly, my experience is, nowhere above I've been to during COVID-19 is wearing a mask really a thing for anyone living TN (Nashville and Knoxville) unless you are in an office. YMMV.