Some important dates to know.
Rejoice, baseball fans! We’re just a couple of weeks away from the beginning of the 2026 season.
Obviously, the Vols will look a lot different in 2026. Tony Vitello has gone to the San Francisco Giants, and important players like Andrew Fischer, Dean Curley, Hunter Ensley, and Gavin Kilen have all moved on as well.
However, Tennessee baseball isn’t a one-hit wonder. The team has done a fabulous job of reloading in the portal, bringing in catcher/outfielder Garrett Wright, and pitchers Evan Blanco and Landon Mack, just to name a few. The hope is that a reloaded roster, with Josh Elander now in control, will still be a force to be reckoned with in the SEC.
Now, with the season almost upon us, let’s identify some games that stand out on the schedule.
vs. UCLA- Feb. 27, Arlington, Texas
It won’t take long for the Vols to receive their first real test. At the end of February, the team will head to Arlington, Texas, to play in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series. The team will get things started against UCLA before also taking on Arizona State and Virginia Tech.
It will be incredibly interesting to see how the Vols handle the Bruins. The Bruins are the preseason No. 1 team and are coming off a trip to the College World Series. This is one of the deepest rosters in college baseball, and if the Vols win, it will show that this team can still compete with anybody, despite the changes.
at Georgia- March 13-15, Athens, Georgia
Who wouldn’t be excited for the first SEC series? The Vols have a tough test to begin conference play, as it’s a road series against one of the teams in the running to win the conference.
In the preseason rankings, the Bulldogs are just one spot behind the Vols, at No. 15. This is a team that won 40 games last season and hosted a regional, and returns a decent amount of talent.
A road series against a good conference opponent will be a good litmus test for the Vols. Kenny Ishikawa, a Second-team Preseason All-American, is one of the best two-way players in the country, so this will be must-see TV for baseball fans.
at Vanderbilt- March 27-29, Nashville, Tennessee
Another early-season road series against a tough team, as the Vols head to Nashville to take on the Commodores in late March. The Commodores are ranked 23rd in the preseason rankings and are looking to repeat as champions of the SEC Tournament.
It’s always electric when these teams play each other in any sport, and plenty of Vol fans should be in attendance in Nashville. The Vols will be seeking revenge this year after going 1-2 against the Commodores in the 2025 regular season and then losing in the SEC Tournament.
This isn’t as deep a roster as the Commodores have had in years past, so the Vols will undoubtedly be looking for the series win here.
vs. Austin Peay- March 31, Knoxville, Tennessee
We’ve talked about some big games against contenders, but how about one that may go under the radar? The Austin Peay Governors, another in-state opponent, were quietly one of the most exciting teams in college baseball in 2025.
The team came just short of a postseason appearance but still won over 40 games and hit a whopping 112 home runs. The Govs added a ton of talent in the portal this offseason and even had the No. 1 JUCO class in the country. Head coach Roland Fanning is a fiery personality similar to Vitello, so this will be an exciting standalone game.
vs. LSU- April 3-5, Knoxville, Tennessee
Any time the defending national champions come to town, those games are going to be circled. The Tigers added another trophy to their collection last season, winning the season series against the Vols.
Now, the Tigers have their sights set on another championship. Only the UCLA Bruins are ranked higher in the preseason poll, and the team has one of the best players in the country in outfielder Derek Curiel.
This is a series in which the crowd at LNS needs to be electric. That late March/early April spot in the schedule is loaded with exciting games that will tell us a lot about this team.
vs. Texas- May 8-10, Knoxville, Tennessee
The Longhorns are another SEC team that had a solid 2025 season and figures to be in the running again in 2026. The Longhorns come in at No. 3 in the preseason rankings and return some key pieces, like starting pitcher Dylan Volantis.
The Longhorns and Vols only played once in 2025, when the Vols knocked the Longhorns out in the SEC Tournament. That game will surely be at the top of mind for the Longhorns, making this late-season series must-see TV.
This is the second-to-last series for the Vols, so this one could have real postseason implications.
Category: General Sports
