Mark your calendars, Vol Nation-Tennessee Football has officially set the date for its 2026 Orange & White Game. The annual spring scrimmage will take place Saturday, April 11 at Neyland Stadium, offering fans their first live look at the next wave of Volunteers gearing up for the fall.
Admission? Completely free. And while kickoff time hasn’t been announced just yet, the excitement is already building in Knoxville.
This year’s spring game carries a little extra intrigue. It’ll be the first opportunity to see Tennessee’s 24 early enrollees from its 2026 recruiting class in action. That includes a mix of high-upside prospects straight out of high school and a handful of new faces brought in via the transfer portal-players who could push for immediate playing time in a program with lofty postseason ambitions.
Spring practice officially kicks off March 16, right after the team returns from spring break. From there, the Vols will go through four straight weeks of practices, all building toward that April 11 showcase inside one of college football’s most iconic venues.
There’s also a new voice leading the offseason grind. Derek Owings, who joined the program from Indiana, is now in charge of Tennessee’s strength and conditioning program as the new director of football sports performance. It’s a key hire as the Vols look to fine-tune their physical edge heading into a pivotal year.
And make no mistake-this is a pivotal year. Josh Heupel enters his sixth season at the helm, and expectations remain high. After narrowly missing the College Football Playoff in 2025, the Vols are reloading with talent and looking to make that final leap.
The Orange & White Game may be a spring tradition, but it’s also a measuring stick. It’s a chance for fans, coaches, and players alike to see who’s ready to rise, who’s making noise early, and what kind of team Tennessee is shaping up to be in 2026.
April 11 can’t get here soon enough.