The Lady Vols now know what the road looks like in 2026-27.
Tennessee has released its full out-of-conference basketball schedule for Kim Caldwell’s third season, and the non-conference portion brings a loaded mix of tests, including a trip to UConn, a home date with defending national champion UCLA, a road game at Virginia Tech and a neutral-site meeting with Baylor in Nashville.
One notable change: the matchup with the Huskies is no longer tucked into the middle of SEC play. This time, Tennessee will visit UConn in December.
The schedule also includes two games still listed as TBA on Nov. 27 and Nov. 29. Those dates will be part of a multi-team event that has not yet been announced.
Tennessee had already revealed the SEC opponents and locations earlier this offseason, but the dates for those games are still to come. Kentucky is the only league opponent the Lady Vols will face twice. Every other SEC foe will be played once, either at home or on the road.
Here’s how the full slate lays out.
Out-of-Conference Schedule
Oct. 27 - vs. Florida A&M (Exhibition)
Nov. 2 - vs. Duquesne
Nov. 5 - at Coppin State
Nov. 10 - vs. New Haven
Nov. 12 - vs. Middle Tennessee
Nov. 17 - at Belmont
Nov. 19 - vs. Radford
Nov. 22 - vs. UCLA
Nov. 27 - TBA
Nov. 29 - TBA
Dec. 3 - at Virginia Tech
Dec. 6 - vs. Georgia State
Dec. 8 - vs. NC Central
Dec. 12 - at UConn
Dec. 18 - vs. Baylor (Nashville)
Dec. 21 - vs. Morehead State
SEC Schedule
Home: Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, South Carolina
Away: Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi State, Missouri, Texas, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
Home and Away: Kentucky
In Other News...
Tennessee QB Battle Just Got More Complicated For Faizon Brandon
The quarterback competition in Knoxville has already become one of the biggest storylines of camp, with Ryan Staub, George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon all in the mix as Tennessee works toward a decision before the season opener against Furman. Brandon arrived with plenty of attention of his own, and even in a crowded room, the freshman has been a name worth watching because of the tools that made him such a coveted addition.
ESPNs early view of the SECs 2026 freshman class only added to that buzz, placing Brandon near the top of the conferences incoming talent. What keeps the intrigue high for Tennessee is how his arm talent fits Josh Heupels offense, and whether that upside can ultimately separate him from the other contenders as the Volunteers sort through the race. [Read more 🡒]
Vols Red Zone Reps Offer An Early QB Clue As Receiver Concern Grows
Tennessees fifth fall camp practice offered another early look at the quarterback competition, and the red-zone work was where the picture began to sharpen. Faizon Brandon, George MacIntyre and Ryan Staub all got involved in passing drills, with Brandon and MacIntyre handling most of the first-team snaps as the Vols continued sorting out who is separating from the pack. With media allowed to watch the opening periods, the drill work was one of the more useful snapshots yet of how the offense is being organized near the goal line.
The other storyline was at receiver, where Radarious Jackson had a limited day and the margin for error felt even smaller. His reps were brief and the results were uneven, with drops and accuracy issues showing up while Tennessee monitored the position group through camp. The bigger question now is not just how the quarterbacks keep stacking these reps, but how quickly the Vols can get steadier production from a receiving room that already looks like it may need answers. [Read more 🡒]
James Pearce Jr's NFL Rise Just Hit A Serious Concern
James Pearce Jr.'s rookie year in Atlanta has already taken an unexpected turn, with the former Tennessee edge rusher now facing a potential absence that could alter the Falcons' defensive plans. Atlanta moved up in the 2025 first round to get him, banking on his talent to help a unit that is already dealing with injuries to other key players, and his rise from Knoxville to the NFL had been one of the more closely watched storylines surrounding the franchise.
Now the concern is not just on-field development, but availability. Pearce's situation traces back to a February arrest involving multiple felony charges after an alleged altercation, and the NFL's personal conduct policy looms over the case as Atlanta waits to see how long it may be without a player it invested heavily in less than a year ago. [Read more 🡒]
