No. 18 Tennessee opens its 2026 season Saturday at Neyland Stadium, welcoming Furman for a 3:30 p.m. EDT kickoff.
Josh Heupel sounded ready for the opener when he spoke Monday, calling it “game week in Tennessee.” The Tennessee coach said, “Ready to go play some ball.
Look forward to seeing our fans. For a bunch of our players, first experience inside of Neyland Stadium.
Everybody inside the program is excited about kicking this thing off here on Saturday.
“Culmination of a lot of work that goes into it, dating all the way back to last January as we started our offseason program. Excited to go play and compete with these guys, and you know, ultimately, we'll find out where we're at and where we got to continue to grow, but looking forward to the weekend.”
Saturday will come with the full pregame routine around Neyland. Will call at Gate 21 opens at 11:30 a.m.
EDT, the same time as Truly’s Tailgate. Vol Village opens at noon, followed by gates opening at 1 p.m.
EDT. The Vol Walk is set for 1:10 p.m.
EDT, and the Pride of the Southland band march follows at 1:50 p.m. EDT.
The band’s pregame performance begins at 3:18 p.m. EDT, with the national anthem and flyover scheduled for 3:21 p.m.
EDT. The flyover will feature T-38 Talons of the 90th Flying Training Squadron from Sheppard Air Force Base.
Tennessee will run through the T at 3:29 p.m. EDT, with kickoff at 3:32 p.m.
EDT.
The Vols will take the field in their classic look: white helmets, orange jerseys and white pants.
Saturday’s game is the first listed on Tennessee’s 2026 schedule, which also includes Georgia Tech on Sept. 12, Kennesaw State on Sept.
19, Texas on Sept. 26, Auburn on Oct.
3, Arkansas on Oct. 10, Alabama on Oct.
17, South Carolina on Oct. 24, Kentucky on Nov.
7, Texas A&M on Nov. 14, LSU on Nov. 21 and Vanderbilt on Nov.
Score predictions for the Week 1 matchup were also noted for the Vols and Paladins.
In Other News...
Tennessee Fans Still Found A Way To Keep Game Day Tradition Alive
Rain may have knocked out the full Tennessee Vol Walk before the Furman game at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 5, 2026, but it did not shut down one of the programs most familiar pregame traditions. With inclement weather forcing a cancellation, the scene outside the stadium still had the feel of a normal Saturday in Knoxville, only with ponchos, fans and a little more improvisation than usual.
Players and fans found a way to make the most of it with a modified walk that still brought both sides together before kickoff. The details were different, but the point of the tradition held up anyway, and for a fan base that treats game day as more than just the four quarters on the field, even a weather delay could not fully interrupt the ritual. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Found An Unexpected Defensive Tone-Setter In Its Debut Win
Xavier Gilliam made a memorable first impression in Tennessees opener, turning his debut into the kind of defensive spark that can change the tone of a season. The redshirt sophomore defensive lineman, a transfer from Penn State, finished with three sacks against Furman, giving the Volunteers a disruptive edge up front and immediately injecting some life into a unit looking for a tone-setter.
It was the most sacks by a Tennessee player in a single game since 2018, a noteworthy marker even against an overmatched opponent. More importantly for the Volunteers, Gilliams arrival added a new layer to the defensive line conversation and hinted at what kind of identity Jim Knowles may be trying to build on that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Has An Early O-Line Concern Before Georgia Tech
Tennessee got through its season opener against Furman with a little less certainty in the middle of the line than it expected. Sam Pendleton, the Vols returning starting center, was held out after an injury was discovered following warm-ups, leaving the offense to make a quick adjustment before kickoff. Sophomore Nic Moore stepped into the spot and handled the assignment well, giving Tennessee a usable answer in a pinch.
Josh Heupel said Pendleton is expected to be ready for the next game against Georgia Tech, which should ease the immediate concern for a line that needs stability early in the year. Even with Moores solid outing, the Vols will be watching closely to see how quickly Pendleton gets back into rhythm, because center is one of the spots where timing and communication matter as much as raw talent. [Read more 🡒]