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Tennessee

Where Tennessee Football opponents are ranked in the preseason AP Top 25

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey08/12/25GrantRamey
Sharif-Denson-Florida-Gators
Florida defensive back Sharif Denson (0) runs with the ball after intercepting a pass by Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava during a SEC conference game between Tennessee and Florida in Neyland Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel)

Tennessee Football will start the season ranked No. 24 in the Associated Press Top 25, which released its preseason poll on Monday. Four opponents on the 2025 schedule are ranked between No. 5 and No. 18:

No. 5 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. 15 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.

No. 18 Oklahoma

November 1 | Kickoff Time: Flex Window | TV: TBD

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.

SEC Kickoff Windows

Kickoff times are set for five of Tennessee’s 12 games on the regular-season schedule.

The season opener against Syracuse on August 30 in the Aflac Kickoff Game in Atlanta is a Noon Eastern Time start on ABC. The home opener vs. ETSU on September 6 will be a 3:30 p.m. ET start on SEC Network+/ESPN+, the SEC opener at home against Georgia on September 13 will also be a 3:30 p.m. ET start on ABC. The New Mexico State game on November 15 will be a 4:15 p.m. ET start on SEC Network. 

SEC kickoff windows are set for the other seven games. The afternoon kickoff window is 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET, the flex window is either 3:30-4:30 or 6-8 p.m. and the night window is between 6-8 p.m.

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