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ESPN identifies Tennessee Football's schedule quirk that is 11 years old and counting

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey08/03/25GrantRamey
Josh Heupel, Tennessee Football | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel during a college football game between Tennessee and UTEP at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.

ESPN’s schedule superlative for Tennessee Football this season is one that is 11 years old and counting: The Vols again will not play on an opposing campus against a non-conference opponent, a streak that dates back to 2014.

“The last time the Vols played a nonconference road game,” ESPN’s Chris Low wrote, “(not counting the playoff game last season at Ohio State) on the opposing school’s campus was Sept. 13, 2014, when they lost 34-10 to No. 4 Oklahoma in Norman.”

Next season Tennessee play at Georgia Tech in September and Vols are also scheduled to go to Washington in 2030 (see the full list of future opponents here).

Vols have played six neutral-site games over last 10 seasons

“The Vols did win at Pittsburgh in 2022,” Low wrote, “a 34-27 overtime victory, but the Panthers play their home games at the Steelers’ stadium, Acrisure Stadium, formerly known as Heinz Field, which stands along the Ohio River on the north side of Pittsburgh.” 

Tennessee opens the new season against Syracuse on August 30 in Atlanta in the Aflac Kickoff Game, which ESPN noted is the sixth neutral-site game for the Vols over the last 10 years.

Those neutral-site games were a win over Bowling Green in Nashville in 2015, the win over Virginia Tech in the Battle at Bristol at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2016, a win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta in 2017, a loss to West Virginia in Charlotte in 2018, a win over Virginia in Nashville in 2023 and a win over North Carolina State in Charlotte last season. 

The opener against Syracuse in Atlanta will be Tennessee’s sixth neutral-site game in the past 10 years.

A closer look at Tennessee’s 2025 schedule

After Tennessee opens the season in Atlanta against Syracuse — it’s a Noon Eastern Time start on ABC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium — the Vols host ETSU in the home opener at Neyland Stadium on September 6 (3:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network+/ESPN+) and then open SEC play at home against Georgia on September 13 (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

UAB comes to Knoxville on September 20 (12:45 p.m. ET, SEC Network) and the Vols go to Mississippi State on September 27 in the first SEC road game of the season. After an open date on October 4, the Vols host Arkansas (October 11) then go to Alabama (October 18) and Kentucky (October 25). 

In November the Vols host Oklahoma (November 1) and New Mexico State (November 15), go to Florida (November 22) and close the regular-season schedule at home against Vanderbilt (November 29).