Remaining Opponents
The following teams are the remaining predicted opponents for Tennessee's nine-game SEC schedule. This is in no particular order, but these are the teams I expect the SEC to match up with the Vols over the next four seasons.
1. Florida Gators
While the Florida Gators might not appear on the permanent opponent list for Tennessee, I would expect them to make their way onto Tennessee's schedule for at least this next schedule cycle.
Tennessee and Florida are another longstanding SEC rivalry that would be hard to take away from both fan bases for a four-year period, and I would be shocked to see the SEC do that.
2. South Carolina Gamecocks
It has been a couple of seasons since Tennessee and South Carolina have met in a season. That will change as the two former SEC East foes will meet again for the next four seasons.
This will be part of the SEC's effort to have each SEC team play as many different opponents over a four-year period, which was one of the initial reasons for abandoning the East and West divisions.
While the new schedule offers Tennessee to play schools they don't see too often, I also think the SEC will use this opportunity to bring back some traditional matchups we missed out on over the past two seasons.
3. Missouri Tigers
Another one of those "traditional" SEC East matchups is with Missouri. The Vols and Tigers' relationship remains chippy despite the two programs not seeing each other since 2023.
I would like to see this game back on the schedule as the Vols return to playing some of their traditional SEC East opponents in the new nine-game schedule.
4. Texas Longhorns
Tennessee faced Oklahoma the past two seasons, so I expect the SEC to replace Oklahoma with Texas on the 2026 schedule.
The Longhorns and Sooners were guaranteed to play every SEC team in the first two schedule cycles when they joined the league in 2024, so I expect the SEC to uphold that promise and put the Longhorns on Tennessee's schedule.
5. Auburn Tigers
Tennessee hasn't faced Auburn since 2020, so it's time for the Vols and Tigers to meet again on the gridiron.
Josh Heupel vs Hugh Freeze could be a fun matchup if Auburn is able to complete the turnaround and get the Tigers back into the national picture.
These two teams have only played eight times over the past 25 years, which has been dominated by Auburn, but it could be a fun matchup as both teams are looking to cement themselves as national title contenders.
6. Texas A&M
Another SEC opponent Tennessee doesn't meet too often is Texas A&M. The Vols and Aggies could make for a fun matchup of coaching styles in two unique venues that offer the ultimate homefield advantage.
While these two teams met in 2023, resulting in a 20-13 win for Tennessee, they have only met three times since the Aggies joined the SEC in 2012.
The Vols' full SEC schedule will be released on Tuesday night at 7:00 PM ET on SEC Network and ESPN2, where the Vols will learn their full SEC schedule for the next four years.