Where Tennessee Football opponents are ranked in the preseason Coaches Poll, which was released on Monday afternoon.
Tennessee Football will start the season ranked No. 18 in the LBM Coaches Poll, which released its preseason top 25 on Monday. Three opponents on the 2025 schedule are ranked and four others received votes in the poll.
No. 4 Georgia
September 13 | Kickoff Time: 3:30 p.m. ET | TV: ABC
Georgia is Tennessee’s SEC opener, after the Vols and Bulldogs played in November the last four years and in October in 2019 and 2020. Georgia has won eight straight in the series, dating back to the Josh Dobbs-Jauan Jennings Hail Mary to win at Georgia in 2016. This season’s 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff at Neyland Stadium against Georgia will be Tennessee’s annual ‘Checker Neyland’ game.
No. 8 Alabama
October 18 | Kickoff Time: Flex Window | TV: TBD
The Vols have won two of the last three against Alabama, beating the Crimson Tide 24-17 at Neyland Stadium last season and 52-49 in Knoxville in 2022. Tennessee led 20-7 at halftime at Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2023, but Alabama scored 27 unanswered points in the second half to roll to a 34-20 win.
No. 17 Florida
November 22 | Kickoff Time: Flex Window | TV: TBD
Tennessee will go to Gainesville in November for the first time in program history when the Vols face the Gators on November 22 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. The 2020 game was played in December 5 in Knoxville in the COVID-altered season and the 2001 game was moved to December 1 after the terrorist attacks on September 11 postponed the originally scheduled game.
Others Receiving Votes
Oklahoma (221): Tennessee welcomed Oklahoma to the SEC with a 25-15 win in Norman last season, the Sooners’ first year in the conference. It was the first win over Oklahoma for the Vols since 1939, after the Sooners won three straight (1968, 2014 and 2015). Baker Mayfield rallied Oklahoma for a 31-24 overtime win in Knoxville in September 2015, the Sooners’ only appearance at Neyland Stadium to date.
Syracuse (16): The season opener on August 30 will be a Noon Eastern Time start in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It will be part of a tripleheader that also includes Alabama at Florida State at 3:30 p.m. ET and LSU at Clemson at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Arkansas (14): After upsetting Tennessee 19-14 in Fayetteville last season, Arkansas makes the return trip to Knoxville. The Razorbacks won 24-20 in their last appearance at Neyland Stadium, in October 2015.
Vanderbilt (3): Tennessee ends the regular-season schedule on November 29 with Senior Day against Vanderbilt at Neyland Stadium. The Vols were looking a seventh straight win in the annual in-state series, which dates back to 1892.
Category: General Sports
