Tennessee football's 2025 schedule has been released, and some unexpected changes were made under the SEC's new scheduling format. None of the conference opponents changed, but the SEC did change when Tennessee will play some of them.
Most notably, Tennessee's date with Georgia has been swapped with Florida. The Vols and Bulldogs will play on September 13 in 2025, while they will play the Gators on November 22.
That places two big rivalry games back-to-back to end the season next year. Starting with Florida on the road and ending with Vanderbilt at home could be a do-or-die stretch for Tennessee's College Football Playoff lives next season.
Tennessee will also open the season in another neutral-site game. In Week Two this year, Tennessee played North Carolina State in Charlotte. The Vols will head to Atlanta to open the season in 2025 to play Syracuse.
Other non-conference opponents include ETSU in Week Two, UAB in Week Four, and New Mexico State in Week 12. Interestingly, Tennessee's 2025 schedule and the Vols' 1998 schedule share some similarities.
In Tennessee's most recent national championship season, the Vols played Syracuse and UAB in non-conference matchups. The SEC schedule also looks very similar, with the usuals: Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, and Florida.
Tennessee will even play the same opponents from the division formerly known as the SEC West. The Vols played both Arkansas and Mississippi State in 1998. The matchup against the Bulldogs took place in the SEC Championship, but it is still interesting to see so many similarities in a year Tennessee will have the chance to win another title.
Auburn, South Carolina, and Houston are the only teams that Tennessee won't play next year, and they were on the 1998 football schedule. Could this be a sign that 2025 is a year of destiny for the Vols, or is it merely a coincidence?
Here is Tennessee's full 2025 schedule:
Aug. 30: Tennessee vs Syracuse - Atlanta, GA (Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game)
Sept. 6: ETSU at Tennessee
Sept. 13: Georgia at Tennessee
Sept. 20: UAB at Tennessee
Sept. 27: Tennessee at Mississippi State
Oct. 4: OPEN DATE
Oct. 11: Arkansas at Tennessee
Oct. 18: Tennessee at Alabama
Oct. 25: Tennessee at Kentucky
Nov. 1: Oklahoma at Tennessee
Nov. 8: OPEN DATE
Nov. 15: New Mexico State at Tennessee
Nov. 22: Tennessee at Florida
Nov. 29: Vanderbilt at Tennessee