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Tennessee prepares for 2026 season with permanent SEC football opponents scheduled

2 sources • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 4, 2026, 8:01 PM

Last updated Sep 4, 2026

Tennessee prepares for 2026 season with permanent SEC football opponents scheduled

Summary

Tennessee enters its sixth season under head coach Josh Heupel as the team formalizes its conference schedule for the 2026 campaign. The Vols are set to face Alabama, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt as permanent SEC opponents under the league’s newly established structure. The upcoming season includes home games against Furman, Kennesaw State, Texas, Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky, and LSU, along with road trips to face Georgia Tech, Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt. Freshman Faizon Brandon is listed as the starting quarterback for the program. Since 2021, Heupel has led Tennessee to a 45-20 overall record including four bowl appearances and one trip to the College Football Playoff. The team kicks off its schedule on September 5 in Knoxville against Furman.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Tennessee plays Alabama, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt as permanent annual opponents.
•The 2026 home schedule features games against Texas, Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky, and LSU.
•Freshman Faizon Brandon is slated as the starting quarterback for the season.
•Coach Josh Heupel holds a 45-20 record during his five-year tenure at the school.
•The 2026 season begins on September 5 with a home game against Furman.

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What they're saying

"
AT Washington Isaiah: I want to preface this by saying I truly hope for nothing more than to be wrong about this prediction; however, I think heading into Husky Stadium will be too tall of a task for the Cougs. Playing UW in the first game of the Kirby Moore and Caden Pinnic era is […]
— Yahoo Sports