Tennessee opened single-game basketball ticket sales Thursday morning, giving fans their first chance to lock in seats for both the Vols and Lady Vols as the new seasons approach.
On the men’s side, Tennessee enters the year carrying plenty of national buzz. The Vols are No. 6 in the Blue Ribbon Yearbook preseason rankings and No. 7 on ESPN’s “Way-Too-Early” list released in September.
Rick Barnes’ group also brings in 13 new players, including a nine-man transfer class that 247Sports ranked third nationally and first in the SEC. Last season, Tennessee finished 25-12, posted its fifth straight 25-win season, earned a fifth consecutive AP top-20 finish at No. 12 and reached its third straight Elite Eight.
Barnes is heading into his 12th season in Knoxville, and his 861 career wins rank top-10 in Division I history, including second among active coaches.
The men’s home slate is loaded with familiar names and notable non-conference tests. Tennessee will host Wofford on Nov.
3, Radford on Nov. 9, Tennessee State on Nov.
13, Coastal Carolina on Nov. 20, Morehead State on Dec.
16, Marist on Dec. 20 and Norfolk State on Dec. 29.
The Vols also get a Nov. 17 matchup with Michigan State, plus a Dec. 1 SEC/ACC Challenge meeting with Florida State.
Before the games count, Tennessee will play a season-opening exhibition against Xavier on Oct. 15.
SEC play at home brings a steady run of conference visitors to Food City Center. Tennessee’s home league schedule includes Vanderbilt on Jan.
2, Missouri on Jan. 13, Arkansas on Jan.
16, Florida on Jan. 30, Georgia on Feb.
3, Kentucky on Feb. 13, Alabama on Feb.
20, South Carolina on Feb. 23 and Mississippi State on March 2.
The Lady Vols are also drawing attention entering year three under Kim Caldwell. Tennessee is ranked No. 25 in the USA TODAY Sports “Way-Too-Early” Top 25 and is chasing its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance under Caldwell, as well as the program’s 45th in a row overall.
Caldwell’s rebuilt roster features 15 players, including 13 transfers and two freshmen. USA TODAY Sports ranked the portal class No. 9 nationally and No. 2 in the SEC, while On3 placed it No. 10 overall and fourth in the league.
Nine of the newcomers were double-figure scorers at their previous schools, and eight have already earned individual postseason honors.
The Lady Vols’ non-conference home schedule is headlined by UCLA, the 2026 NCAA champion, coming to Knoxville on Nov. 22.
Other visitors include Duquesne on Nov. 2, New Haven on Nov.
10, Middle Tennessee on Nov. 12, Radford on Nov.
22, Georgia State on Dec. 6, NC Central on Dec.
8, Alabama A&M on Dec. 15 and Morehead State on Dec. 21.
Five of those teams reached postseason play last season. Tennessee will also host an Oct. 27 exhibition against Florida A&M, coached by LVFL Bridgette Gordon.
SEC play brings a tough home lineup for Caldwell’s team, with five preseason top-25 opponents set to visit. That stretch starts with No.
14 Ole Miss on Jan. 3 and continues with No. 23 Oklahoma on Jan.
10, Georgia on Jan. 14, Alabama on Jan.
24, No. 1 South Carolina on Jan.
28, Auburn on Feb. 11, No.
18 Kentucky on Feb. 21 and No. 7 LSU on Feb.
Fans can purchase single-game tickets through AllVols.com or by calling the Tennessee Ticket Office at 1-800-332-VOLS between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Season tickets and group ticket options are also available for both programs.
In Other News...
Tennessee's Quarterback Situation Just Got More Uncertain Before Arkansas
Tennessees quarterback picture has become even murkier heading into the trip to Arkansas, with Faizon Brandon now dealing with an injury and listed as questionable for the game. The uncertainty adds another layer to a position that was already under a spotlight after Brandon was benched in the previous game against Auburn, when George MacIntyre stepped in and gave the Volunteers a steadier look through the air.
Josh Heupel acknowledged Brandons injury status but stopped short of mapping out how Tennessee will handle the position this week. That leaves the Volunteers waiting on two fronts: whether Brandon can get healthy in time, and whether the staff chooses to lean back toward MacIntyre after his efficient relief work against Auburn. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Playoff Margin Could Shift Before The Alabama Game
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Tennessee Has A Clear Arkansas Opportunity If The Vols Can Deliver
Tennessee heads into its SEC matchup with Arkansas with a blueprint in hand, and the film from the Razorbacks loss to Texas A&M points to an opening the Vols will want to press. Tennessees spread offense and run game have been the focus of the prep work, with DeSean Bishop set to be a central figure as the Vols try to stress a defense that showed vulnerabilities in its most recent outing. It is the kind of game plan that can travel well if Tennessee can stay on schedule and force Arkansas to defend the full width of the field.
George MacIntyre is expected to make his first career start, which adds another layer to a game Tennessee already views as an opportunity. Arkansas still brings a defense coordinated by Jim Knowles, so the challenge is not hard to identify, even if the tape suggests some cracks to attack. For the Vols, the question is whether they can turn those areas into a real advantage on the road, and whether MacIntyres debut can stay steady enough to let the rest of the offense do its work. [Read more 🡒]