Tennessee football’s first season under the new nine-game SEC schedule brings a brutal list of opponents, but the Vols did catch a break in how the calendar shakes out.
The preseason AP Poll only underscores the challenge. Tennessee is set to face No.
5 Texas, No. 8 Texas A&M, No.
11 LSU and No. 13 Alabama.
That’s a loaded slate by any measure, but three of those four matchups will take place in Neyland Stadium.
That matters. Home dates against Texas, LSU and Alabama give Tennessee the kind of built-in edge every team wants when the opposition is ranked that high.
The Texas game comes first, opening SEC play on September 26 at noon ET in front of a Checker Neyland crowd. Alabama follows on October 17 for the Third Saturday in October, with Tennessee looking to win a third straight home game against the Tide.
LSU closes out the home schedule on November 21, bringing Lane Kiffin back to Neyland for the final home game of the year.
The toughest road assignment on the schedule is Texas A&M. Tennessee will travel to College Station on November 14 to face a preseason top-10 Aggies team.
There’s another home game against a team getting AP Poll votes: Auburn comes to Knoxville on October 3.
The Vols’ road slate also includes three teams that received votes in the poll: Georgia Tech on September 12, South Carolina on October 24 and Vanderbilt on November 28.
The rest of Tennessee’s schedule includes Furman, Kennesaw State, Arkansas and Kentucky, none of whom received votes in the AP Poll.
In Other News...
Tennessee Showed Off A 2026 Threat Fans Have Been Waiting For
The final Tennessee football fall camp practice open to the media before the 2026 season offered another look at why the Vols have plenty of buzz heading into the year. In offense and defense sessions, quarterbacks Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre both flashed on deep throws during wet-ball drills, while receivers Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley stood out by finishing plays through the conditions. It was the kind of practice snapshot that reminded observers how much talent is already stacking up across the roster.
There was also meaningful intrigue on the other side of the ball, where the defensive backs and other position groups drew attention as the competition continues to take shape. Freshman JJ Finch was especially notable as a potential factor on the defensive line, adding another name to a unit that could use more answers as camp winds down. For a team trying to sort out its next wave of contributors, these final open practices have been useful for showing which young players are starting to look like real options. [Read more 🡒]
Candace Parker's Hall Of Fame Moment Hit Tennessee Fans Right Away
Candace Parkers Hall of Fame weekend came with a very familiar orange-and-white touch for Tennessee fans, and it fit the moment. The former Lady Vol great was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame alongside Chamique Holdsclaw, adding another milestone to a career that already includes two national championships at Tennessee, three WNBA titles and two league MVP awards before her retirement after the 2023 season.
What made the ceremony land so quickly with Vols supporters was who stepped up to present her. NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson introduced Parker while wearing Tennessee apparel, a detail that connected one of the sports biggest stages right back to Knoxville. For a fan base that has long claimed Parker as one of its own, it was the kind of scene that made the induction feel personal from the start. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Faces A Growing Tight End Concern With Ethan Davis Still Out
Tennessees tight end room has become a little thinner in camp with Ethan Davis still sidelined after a minor lower-body injury from the opening fall practice. The injury was suffered on Aug. 6, and while the situation is not viewed as serious, the Vols have now gone through multiple workouts without him as they manage his return carefully.
Davis has missed nine straight practices, which matters because Tennessee does not have much proven depth behind him at the position. The cautious approach makes sense this time of year, but it also leaves the staff waiting for one of its more important pieces to get back on the field and stabilize a spot that could use the help. [Read more 🡒]