​The 2026 football season is on the horizon for teams in the Southeastern Conference. The unofficial kick-off weekend is set for July 20-23, featuring SEC media days hosted at the JW Marriott in Tampa and the Tampa Marriott Water Street, both in Tampa, Florida. The SEC schedule gets underway officially on September 3 in Week 1.
Tennessee will begin its 2026 campaign on September 5, hosting Furman at Neyland Stadium. The opener is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time and will be carried on SEC Network+. In addition to Furman, the Volunteers will welcome Kennesaw State, Texas, Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky and LSU to Knoxville, while hitting the road to face Georgia Tech, Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt during the 2026 season.
Ahead of the campaign, ESPN’s Football Power Index released win-loss projections for FBS programs, with Tennessee’s projected record at 7.3-4.7. The following are the projected records for the Volunteers’ opponents in 2026, noting that Furman, an FCS foe, is not included in the full list.
– Texas: 9.8-2.7
– Alabama: 8.6-3.6
– LSU: 8.4-3.8
– Texas A&M: 8.4-3.8
– Auburn: 6.6-5.4
– Kennesaw State: 6.5-5.8
– South Carolina: 6.4-5.6
– Vanderbilt: 6.2-5.8
– Georgia Tech: 5.8-6.3
– Kentucky: 4.6-7.4
– Arkansas: 4.3-7.7
The schedule for Tennessee in 2026 unfolds as follows: September 5 versus Furman, September 12 at Georgia Tech, September 19 versus Kennesaw State, September 26 versus Texas, October 3 versus Auburn, October 10 at Arkansas, October 17 versus Alabama, October 24 at South Carolina, November 7 versus Kentucky, November 14 at Texas A&M, November 21 versus LSU, and November 28 at Vanderbilt. The projected team record stands at 7.3-4.7.
For additional context, the 2004 season photo from Knoxville, showing Tennessee volunteers tailgaters ahead of a kickoff against the Auburn Tigers at Neyland Stadium, remains a reference point in discussions about the program’s culture and home-field atmosphere. This season’s projections come amid broader interest in the SEC’s 2026 schedule and the strength of each program as the league prepares for another competitive year on the field.
Follow Vols Wire for ongoing coverage and updates on Tennessee football through social channels, including Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). This overview reflects the information available about Tennessee’s 2026 football schedule, opponents, and projected outcomes as reported by ESPN’s Football Power Index.