Fans heading to Knoxville for Tennessee’s showdown with No. 1 Texas are finding the same thing in every direction: not much left, and what is left comes at a premium.
With the Sept. 26 game sold out and Tennessee set to face Texas for the first time since the 1969 Cotton Bowl, lodging around Neyland Stadium has tightened fast. As of Sept. 21, eight Knoxville hotels were already sold out, and only about 50 downtown hotel rooms and 20 Airbnb listings in and around Knoxville were still available for travelers.
The hotel market has climbed well past the usual Tennessee football-weekend surge, with downtown rates topping $1,000 a night for this matchup. Airbnb prices are following the same script, only sharper. Near Neyland Stadium, there were only a few listings left, including two downtown condos and a handful of homes in South Knoxville.
Most of those rentals require at least a two-night booking, and the numbers jump quickly from there. A one-bedroom downtown condo that normally runs $300 for two nights is listed at $1,400. A South Knoxville townhouse that usually goes for $592 over two nights is up to $2,787.
Knox News also found several other rentals carrying huge game-week spikes: a South Knoxville home listed at $1,033, compared with its usual $687 for two nights; a two-bedroom property off Sevier Avenue at $3,897; and a three-bedroom home with a pool in Powell, about 20 minutes from Neyland Stadium, at $10,200 for a two-night stay.
And if fans thought the Texas weekend was steep, the rest of the season may not bring much relief. When Tennessee hosts Alabama on Oct. 17, some Airbnb rates are even higher. A three-bedroom downtown Knoxville condo is listed at around $4,000 for two nights, and a three-bedroom South Knoxville home is going for roughly $4,600.
In Other News...
Tennessee Fans Have A New Checker Neyland Twist For Texas
Checker Neyland is back in a big way this Saturday when Tennessee hosts Texas, and this time the Vols are putting a fresh spin on the familiar orange-and-white pattern. Fans have a new way to make sure they land in the right color block for Neyland Stadium, with seat information available online so everyone can check whether they are supposed to wear orange or white before heading through the gates.
The concept has become one of Tennessees most recognizable gameday traditions, and it has taken on extra weight in the Josh Heupel era as the Vols have continued to lean into the atmosphere it creates. With Texas coming to town, the visual inside the stadium should be as much a part of the night as the football itself, and Tennessee supporters will be watching closely to see how the latest Checker Neyland setup looks once the crowd fills in. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Just Lost A Trusted Piece At The Worst Possible Time
Tennessees tight end room took a major hit at exactly the wrong time, with Ethan Davis set to miss the rest of the 2026 season after suffering an ACL injury. It is a frustrating loss for a player the Vols have leaned on, but there is at least one bit of good news for Tennessee moving forward: Davis has already said he plans to return for a fifth season in Knoxville.
Now the attention shifts to how the Vols absorb that blow in the short term, starting with their upcoming game against Texas. Tight ends coach Alec Abeln said he believes the rest of the group is ready to handle the extra load, and Tennessee will need that confidence to show up quickly with a trusted option suddenly out of the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Freshman QB Faces His First Real SEC Measuring Stick
Through three games, Faizon Brandon has given Tennessee plenty to feel good about in the opening stretch of the 2026 season. The freshman has looked steady and explosive, throwing for 552 yards and six touchdowns while adding 137 rushing yards and three more scores, production that has already put him on the national radar and helped the Volunteers enter SEC play with a real sense of momentum.
The first conference test, though, arrives in a hurry, and it comes with an awfully bright spotlight attached. ESPNs updated Total QBR rankings place Brandon sixth in the SEC with a 79.0 rating, and Tennessees opener against No. 1 Texas will immediately show how that early success translates against a defense and opponent built for the biggest stage. Arch Manning has been sharp for the Longhorns, and for Brandon, this is the kind of measuring stick that can say a lot without answering everything. [Read more 🡒]