Tennessee Volunteers SEC Kickoff Windows Announced for 2026 Schedule

Tennessee football's SEC kickoff windows for the 2026 Southeastern Conference schedule were announced by the SEC on Tuesday. The league teams were given one of four possible kickoff windows for every conference game, with the specific kickoff times and TV information announced two weeks before each game. The kickoff windows are early (Noon-1 p.m. Eastern Time), afternoon (3:30-4:30 p.m. ET), night (6-8 p.m. ET), or flex (3:30-4:30 or 6-8 p.m. ET). The Tennessee Volunteers will face Texas on September 26 in the annual Checker Neyland game at Neyland Stadium, marking the first regular-season meeting between the two teams. The Volunteers have previously met the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl, winning 20-14 on New Year's Day 1951 and losing 16-0 on New Year's Day 1953 and 36-13 on New Year's Day 1969. The October 3 game against Auburn will be Champions Weekend and will also mark the return of former Tennessee offensive coordinator and now first-year Auburn coach Alex Golesh. The Volunteers and Auburn have met just twice over the last decade, with Auburn winning at home in November 2020 and the Vols winning at Auburn in October 2018. Tennessee goes to Arkansas on October 10, going back to Fayetteville after losing there in October 2024. The Vols are 14-7 all time against Arkansas but have lost five of the last seven against the Hogs. The Third Saturday in October Rivalry will be renewed on October 17 in Knoxville, with the Tennessee-Alabama series having been played 107 times since 1901. The two teams are 2-2 against each other over the last four years after Alabama had won 15 straight. The Volunteers will face South Carolina on October 24, with the Gamecocks back on the schedule for the first time since 2023. The Vols lead the all-time series 27-11-2 dating back to 1903. The November 7 game against Kentucky will be Homecoming Weekend for Tennessee, with the Kentucky series being Tennessee's most played, featuring 120 games dating back to 1893. The Vols lead the series 85-26-9 and are 5-0 against the Wildcats during the Josh Heupel era. Tennessee goes back to Texas A&M on November 14 to face the Aggies at Kyle Field, with the Volunteers being 3-2 against A&M but having lost two of three against the Aggies since they joined the SEC.