Our Tennessee football score predictions for each game on Vols 2026 schedule

Coach Josh Heupel’s 2026 Tennessee football team has a new quarterback and a new defensive staff but plenty of returning talent.

That mix of unknowns and safe bets make these Vols an intriguing team. Add a challenging schedule to the equation, and it opens a wide range of possibilities for this season.

The 2025 team faded down the stretch, losing three of its last five games. And the Vols suddenly seemed beatable at Neyland Stadium, going 4-3 at home. They’ll need to overcome those bad memories this season.

My pick is an 8-4 record for the 2026 season. Pinpointing those four losses is difficult because UT has enough talent to be a playoff contender and much of the SEC is unpredictable in the transfer portal era.

My game-by-game predictions aren’t always on target, but I’m usually close in picking a final record. Heupel’s regular-season record at UT is 43-17. My preseason predictions over those five seasons combined for a 42-18 mark.

So let’s take a shot at the 2026 game-by-game predictions.

Tennessee predictions for 2026 college football season

Sept. 5: Tennessee vs. Furman

• Location, time: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville | 3:30 p.m. ET
• About the game:Faizon Brandon becomes the first true freshman quarterback to start a season opener since Brent Schaeffer in 2004. It’s a favorable matchup for his debut. Expect a few freshman hiccups but also some exciting plays.
• Score prediction: Tennessee 66, Furman 7.

Sept. 12: Tennessee at Georgia Tech

• Location, time: Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta | 7 p.m. ET
• About the game: Expect a physical game. Georgia Tech has a tough one-two punch in the backfield with Michigan transfer Justice Hayes and Malachi Hosley. But quarterback Alberto Mendoza, younger brother of Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, is untested.
• Score prediction: Tennessee 31, Georgia Tech 23.

Sept. 19: Tennessee vs. Kennesaw State

• Location, time: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville | 7:45 p.m. ET
• About the game: UT won’t take it easy on Kennesaw State coach Jerry Mack, a former Heupel assistant. Brandon and his receivers should get in the groove by this third game.
• Score prediction: Tennessee 45, Kennesaw State 13.

Sept. 26: Tennessee vs. Texas

• Location, time: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville | noon ET
• About the game: It’ll be quite a sight for this Checker Neyland game as the Longhorns make their first trip to Knoxville. It’ll also be an awkward day for Vols legend Peyton Manning, whose alma mater faces his nephew. Give Arch Manning and a loaded roster the edge in this one.
• Score prediction: Texas 27, Tennessee 20.

Oct. 3: Tennessee vs. Auburn

• Location, time: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville | Time TBD
• About the game: Auburn coach Alex Golesh (former UT offensive coordinator), associate head coach Kodi Burns (former UT wide receivers coach) and assistant Tim Banks (former UT defensive coordinator) won’t have a welcoming return to Neyland Stadium. The Tigers are still a work in progress.
• Score prediction: Tennessee 35, Auburn 21.

Oct. 10: Tennessee at Arkansas

• Location, time: Donald W. Reynolds Stadium, Fayetteville | Time TBD
• About the game: Arkansas has holes in its roster, a new coaching staff and a brutal early schedule. It hosts Tennessee after playing No. 21 Utah, No. 3 Georgia and No. 8 Texas A&M in the first five weeks of the season. UT can lean on DeSean Bishop and an experienced offensive line.
• Score prediction: Tennessee 38, Arkansas 17.

Oct. 17: Tennessee vs. Alabama

• Location, time: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville | Time TBD
• About the game: The “Third Saturday in October” game will be in technicolor. UT and Alabama will wear orange and crimson jerseys, respectively. Expect a classic game to match the scene, perhaps decided by a late field goal or a defensive stop.
• Score prediction: Tennessee 30, Alabama 27.

Oct. 24: Tennessee at South Carolina

• Location, time: Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia | Time TBD
• About the game: This feels like a trap. It comes after the Alabama game. It’s a loud environment. And there’s a history of bad UT performances there. But there’s also the possibility that South Carolina is favored in this game because it has talented quarterback LaNorris Sellers and some intriguing transfers.
• Score prediction: South Carolina 31, Tennessee 27.

Nov. 7: Tennessee vs. Kentucky

• Location, time: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville | Time TBD
• About the game: Jim Knowles’ defense should be near top form by November, and it could show in a game like this. If these predictions play out to this point, the Vols will still be in the College Football Playoff mix.
• Score prediction: Tennessee 35, Kentucky 17.

Nov. 14: Tennessee at Texas A&M

• Location, time: Kyle Field, College Station | Time TBD
• About the game: Texas A&M plays a physical style. And the 12th man will be deafening if the Aggies are still in the playoff hunt. Tennessee could play well and still lose this one.
• Score prediction: Texas A&M 30, Tennessee 20.

Nov. 21: Tennessee vs. LSU

• Location, time: Neyland Stadium, Knoxville | Time TBD
• About the game: Lane Kiffin’s first season at LSU could end in chaos. But he has perhaps the highest-paid roster in college football. That talent and Kiffin’s playcalling make the Tigers a hard team to pick against from a preseason perspective. No matter which team wins, this will be a circus atmosphere.
• Score prediction: LSU 34, Tennessee 31.

Nov. 28: Tennessee at Vanderbilt

• Location, time: FirstBank Stadium, Nashville | Time TBD
• About the game: Vanderbilt’s roster was constructed to remain competitive after Diego Pavia, but at least a half-step back is plausible. The Vols finish the regular season with a payback win over the Commodores in Nashville.
• Score prediction: Tennessee 38, Vanderbilt 27.

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing atknoxnews.com/subscribe.

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Our Tennessee football score predictions for each game on Vols 2026 schedule