Tennessee beats Furman during second-hottest kickoff at Neyland Stadium

Tennessee defeated Furman 56-9 at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 5, 2026, in a season opener played under extreme heat. The game recorded a kickoff temperature of 90 degrees, tying for the second-highest temperature for a kickoff in the stadium’s history since 1950. A crowd of 101,915 attended the matchup, resulting in the 28th consecutive sellout for the program. The contest began at 3:32 p.m. EDT and finished at 6:53 p.m. EDT. This victory extends the team's record in season openers to 98-26-6 and maintains an undefeated 6-0 start for head coach Josh Heupel since 2021. The only higher kickoff temperature recorded at the venue was 91 degrees during a game against Florida in 2016.

• 2:15 PMYahoo Sports — Tennessee-Furman ties second-highest temperature at Neyland Stadium