Ranking Tennessee’s Biggest Games of 2026

Image: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics

By Jon Reed

The slow march to football season is picking up a little speed. We’re under two months away. Josh Heupel will be talking down in Tampa at SEC Media Days in a week.

Fall camp will be right behind it. Unlike other years, there aren’t many questions we need to answer about Tennessee’s roster. We’re moving ahead here under the assumption that Faizon Brandon will be your starting quarterback. Outside of that? The roster looks pretty good and settled.

So, that means that one of the biggest questions is “how would you rank Tennessee’s biggest games this season?”

Funny you should ask, Alan. I’m here to answer.

YOU’RE PAYING THEM TO COME AND LOSE… SO YOU OBVIOUSLY GOT TO WIN

12. Furman

11. Kennesaw State

I should probably split these into two different tiers because they are two different levels of opponents. The Owls were at least a little feisty last year. But ultimately, they are the same.

You can’t lose or even struggle with Kennesaw State. And you damn sure can’t lose or struggle at all with Furman in game one to start your season.

FIRST YEAR POWER 4 HEAD COACHES

10. Kentucky

The Wildcats come in last in terms of your Power Conference opponents.

The Vols don’t lose to Kentucky. I’d venture to say that most of you reading this have NEVER seen Kentucky beat Tennessee in Neyland Stadium in a non-pandemic-year-that-doesn’t-really-count.

I’m not saying it’s impossible for Kentucky to come into Knoxville and win this season. Sure, someone could eat a bat or have sex with a goat or something and start a new global outbreak. I’m betting against it.

9. @ Arkansas

If Tennessee can’t end their 25-year drought in Fayetteville this year, it may be time to look for a new coach.

Heupel’s biggest failure as a Vol coach so far may be the 2024 loss to the Razorbacks where his team just looked completely incapable of doing anything on offense for all but two drives.

Arkansas should be 2-3 with losses to Utah, Georgia, and Texas A&M—who they play the week before—when Tennessee comes to town. That means there really shouldn’t be much optimism left for a beaten down Razorbacks fanbase.

Compare that to 2024 where they were 3-2 with a conference road win already under the belt with two close ranked losses to ranked teams (double OT at No. 16 Oklahoma State and a 21-17 loss to No. 24 A&M). Vibes should be a little different.

New coach Ryan Silverfield won’t have a long runway of optimism. Fair or not, Chad Morris will be the easiest comparison to make, even if Silverfield had much more success at Memphis than Morris had at SMU.

Heupel and his team must get a win in this one.

8. Auburn

Some of you may have Alex Golesh’s return to Knoxville ranked higher. Maybe it should be.

In terms of what game would be the biggest disaster for Heupel to lose? This one would realistically be the answer. Golesh gets a lot of credit for Heupel’s success. Or, Golesh’s absence in the program gets a lot of blame as to why Tennessee’s offense hasn’t felt quite as explosive or successful as it did in 2021 and 2022.

ROAD GAMES

7. @ South Carolina

Letting Shane Beamer’s offense drop 63 points on you the last time the Vols headed to South Carolina was the other option for “Heupel’s biggest failure as a Vol coach” that I reference in number 9.

I don’t care if they had your signals or not.

Placement of this game doesn’t do it any favors. It’s directly after the Third Saturday in October. If the Vols beat Alabama, this SC game becomes the ultimate trap game. If the Vols lose to Alabama, then this SC game becomes one with little to gain but everything to lose for Heupel’s program.

If the Vols picked up a third loss (Texas, Bama) before the calendar turned to November, a November with road trips to Texas A&M and Vanderbilt with a massive LSU home game sandwiched in-between? Then, doomsday protocol would be on alert.

6. @ Georgia Tech

This one could easily be lower when judging by quality of opponent, however, its placement on the schedule, as the unofficial kickoff to the season, earns it a higher status.

A primetime road game on ESPN? Your freshman phenom introducing himself to the world with a group of explosive WRs? A chance for your fanbase to travel a couple of hours and make their presence felt? Me drunk in a poolside cabana in Las Vegas for my bachelor party?

This game checks every box. Forget lower. Maybe this one should be even higher.

5. @ Vandy

Revenge game. Season finale.

What will be at stake? A playoff spot? A nine-win season? A desperately needed win to salvage a disappointing season?

Tune in on November 27th to find out!

4. @ Texas A&M

The Aggies and Mike Elko are getting a lot of love coming off of their playoff berth in 2025.

Tennessee will almost assuredly be A&M’s biggest home game of the season at this point. They should be ranked in the 15 range and will have a really good shot to be sitting at 8-2 at worst when the Vols come to town.

On paper in the preseason, this one is the lowest risk game with the highest reward. It could be a road win worthy of building your entire season’s resume on. Losing it? Really not that big of a deal.

SEASON DEFINING HOME GAMES THAT YOU HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO WIN TWO OF

3. LSU

There’s a chance that this game could be a playoff elimination game. There’s a chance that LSU travels into Knoxville as huge favorites on their way to the playoffs with Lane Kiffin in year 1 while Josh Heupel’s seat is burning. LSU’s season could be a disaster and LSU could be heading into a madhouse while the Tigers are 5-5 after losses to Clemson, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Alabama and Texas. Seriously, all five of those are going to be tough matchups.

Or maybe the week 12 game won’t have any real stakes and the only juice will be a tired and played out “Lane Kiffin vs Tennessee” narrative.

It’s why I have this as third on the list of the Vols “three biggest games of the season that are also fortunately in Knoxville.”

2. Alabama

The Third Saturday in October doesn’t have quite the same ring to it without Nick Saban, but Tennessee is riding a two-game home-winning streak against the Tide after a long, long drought.

I’d like to keep that rolling this year. Right now the game is basically a pick ‘em (+1.5 on DraftKings).

The schedule sets up for Tennessee to still have their playoff hopes alive when this game rolls around; It’s very realistic that the Vols are 5-1. Alabama should almost assuredly win their first five games of the season. Their sixth is a home game against Georgia. Win or lose, they should still come into Knoxville ranked in the top 10.

(Please take note of the scheduling break that the Vols get here with Alabama coming off of an assumed WAR against the Dawgs. Meanwhile Tennessee will be coming off of a trip to Arkansas. Advantage: Vols)

1. Texas

It’s absolutely brutal that this game is scheduled for noon.

A damn Manning is going to playing inside Neyland Stadium…… and the game is at NOON. Give me a break.

But this one is a monster. Josh Heupel can wash away all of last year’s sins by winning this one against the Longhorns. It’s been far too long since the home fans have gotten to celebrate a monster win. It’d be really cool if Josh delivered that and got Tennessee started off at 4-0 and 1-0 in the SEC.

Can you imagine the hype surrounding Faizon Brandon? Or on the revamped defense led by Jim Knowles?

Chills.