The SEC officially announced its 2026 schedules on Thursday night as the conference slate expands to nine games next season. We already knew Tennessee’s nine conference opponents but we didn’t previously know the order.
Tennessee plays its three non conference games to begin the season before playing nine straight SEC games to end the year. Check out the full schedule here. Now, let’s take a look at three takeaways on Tennessee’s 2026 schedule.
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It’s A Very Manageable Start To The Season
Tennessee will have about a manageable a start to the season as they could hope for. The Vols begin the season with three non conference games before playing their first two SEC games at home against Texas and Auburn.
The Vols’ matchup against Georgia Tech is on the road but they won’t head on the road in SEC play until Oct. 10 when they travel to Arkansas. And the Arkansas game is arguably Tennessee’s easiest road game of the season.
Alabama comes to town on Oct. 7. There’s a real chance Tennessee could be an unbeaten 6-0 at that point. If the Vols want to make the playoffs, they need to be no worse than 5-1.
I Don’t Like The Timing Of Tennessee’s Open Date
There’s 11 Saturday’s between Labor Day and Thanksgiving in 2026 which means we’re back to a 13-week regular season and just one open date. I don’t like the timing of the Vols’ lone open date.
Tennessee is off on Halloween after playing its first eight weeks of the season. It’s not the literal timing that I truly dislike. It is smack dab in the middle of the SEC slate, but it’s where it falls on the schedule.
The Vols play one of the most important games on their schedule the week prior when they travel to Columbia to face South Carolina. It’s made all the worse by the fact that South Carolina is coming off an open date ahead of the matchup while Tennessee is coming off a rivalry game against Alabama.
Then Tennessee comes out of the open date to face Kentucky at home. On paper, it should be the easiest game on Tennessee’s conference schedule. The Vols would be much better off if they could flip the Kentucky and Texas A&M games.
The Vols Get A Pair Of High Level Opponents Coming Off Tough Games
While the South Carolina game comes at an ill advised time, Tennessee plays a pair of games where they get opponents in rough spots.
Alabama hosts Georgia a week before traveling to Neyland Stadium. Lane Kiffin and LSU have home games against Alabama and Texas the two weeks prior to its trip to Knoxville in December. Both are still difficult games, but those small scheduling breaks make them a little bit more manageable.
It’s not quite as big of a game, but Arkansas plays at Texas A&M the week before they host Tennessee.
