The University of Tennessee announced its complete slate of games for the 2026‑27 men’s basketball season, revealing a balanced mix of conference and non‑conference matchups that will shape the Vols’ campaign.
SEC schedule and home‑and‑away balance
Conference play opens on Jan. 2 when the Vols host Vanderbilt at the Food City Center, a venue that will also serve as the backdrop for several key home contests. Tennessee will enjoy nine home SEC games, facing Missouri, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Alabama, South Carolina and Mississippi State on their own hardwood, while traveling to Auburn, LSU, Kentucky, Texas A&M, Missouri, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas and Vanderbilt for the road portion of the league schedule.
The Vols finished fifth in the SEC last season and will now host the four teams that finished ahead of them — Florida, Alabama, Arkansas and Vanderbilt — giving the program a chance to flip the script and claim a higher standing in the standings.
Non‑conference slate
Outside the league, Tennessee will open the year with five consecutive home games, beginning with a showdown against Michigan State on Nov. 17. The non‑conference slate also includes contests versus Florida State, Purdue and NC State, as well as a trip to the Players Era Tournament in Las Vegas where the Vols will meet Maryland, Iowa State or San Diego State, and a third opponent yet to be determined.
Overall, the schedule calls for 18 home games, 10 true road games and four neutral‑site contests, providing a demanding but varied road map as the team looks to build momentum heading into SEC play.