Tennessee football reveals game designations for 2026 season
By Ethan Stone
Published:
Tennessee football is back on September 5th at Neyland Stadium as the Volunteers face off against Furman. The matchup will kick off Year 6 of the Josh Heupel era as Tennessee looks to get back to the College Football Playoff.
On Tuesday, Tennessee’s X account revealed some game designations for the upcoming season, including homecoming, Checker Neyland and Salute to Service.
Tennessee’s matchup against Kennesaw State on September 19 has been designated as the annual Salute to Service game, and the Vols’ first ever matchup against Texas as SEC foes will be a Checker Neyland matchup. The Vols’ early October matchup against Auburn will be designated Champions Weekend while Homecoming is set for November 7 against Kentucky.
Tennessee’s schedule isn’t easy, but it’s far from the toughest in the conference. The Vols get 3 of their 4 toughest matchups at home (Alabama, LSU and Texas) while facing Texas A&M on the road at Kyle Field. Tennessee’s toughest non-conference opponent is Georgia Tech, a game that will be played at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta on September 12.
As far as SEC matchups are concerned, Tennessee will also face Auburn, at Arkansas, at South Carolina, Kentucky and at Vanderbilt to finish the regular season.
Will Tennessee make it back to the College Football Playoff? Here’s a look at the latest odds to do so, via Kalshi:
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
