2026 Tennessee football Checker Neyland, homecoming games announced

2026 will mark the sixth football season for Tennessee under head coach Josh Heupel . The season will also be the third with 16 SEC teams after Oklahoma and Texas became league members in 2024. The Vols will kick off their 2026 football season Sept.

5 versus Furman at Neyland Stadium. The Vols will also host Kennesaw State (Salute To Service), Texas , Auburn (champions weekend), Alabama, Kentucky and LSU , while playing at Georgia Tech, Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt during the 2026 campaign. Beginning in 2026, Tennessee will play Alabama , Kentucky and Vanderbilt as permanent opponents .

Each SEC school will have three permanent opponents and six rotating opponents for the next four years. Tennessee's Checker Neyland game will be against Texas. The SEC contest is slated for Sept.

26 at Neyland Stadium. Nov. 7 will also mark homecoming for the Vols against Kentucky.