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Vols to host Longhorns at noon; Mocs vs. Tide kickoff time also set

Tennessee Athletics photo / Tennessee will face Texas on Sept. 26 at noon on either ABC or ESPN in the Neyland Stadium "checkerboard" game for the Volunteers.
Tennessee Athletics photo / Tennessee will face Texas on Sept. 26 at noon on either ABC or ESPN in the Neyland Stadium "checkerboard" game for the Volunteers. Tennessee Athletics photo / Tennessee will face Texas on Sept. 26 at noon on either ABC or ESPN in the Neyland Stadium "checkerboard" game for the Volunteers.

By David Paschall 2 min read

The Tennessee Volunteers had nine evening kickoffs during the 2024 season and nine afternoon kickoffs last year.

This season’s schedule should fall somewhere in between.

ESPN and the Southeastern Conference revealed more starting times for the 2026 football season Wednesday night on the SEC Network, and the only precise kickoff announced for the Vols was their Sept. 26 showdown against Texas inside Neyland Stadium. The first-ever visit to Knoxville by the Longhorns will have a noon start on either ABC or ESPN, and it will be in front of a “checkerboard” crowd.

Tennessee now has its first four kickoff times set.

The Vols open their season Sept. 5 against visiting Furman, with that game starting at 3:30 p.m. on the SEC Network+ streaming option. They will then play at Georgia Tech on Sept. 12, with that set for a 7 start on ESPN.