Taking a look at Tennessee's future football schedules
The story of Tennessee's offseason in 2020, or at least the past two months, is what the Vols have done on the football recruiting trail. Now up to 23 commitments, Tennessee has the No. 4-ranked recruiting class for 2021, but those players won't be signing with the Vols until December or February and are a full year from getting to campus.
Jeremy Pruitt is clearing improving Tennessee's talent level, so why not take a look at the future schedules awaiting these touted recruits for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons (and beyond)?
Tennessee has yet to formally finalize any of its future football schedules, but the Vols have a handful of non-conference games and series on the books for the next decade.
GoVols247 takes a look at Tennessee's future football opponents, including the rotating SEC West opponents through the 2025 season.
Non-conference opponents
Bowling Green (2021)
Date: Sept. 4, 2021 at Neyland Stadium
Payout: $1.5 million
When the contract was signed: June 9, 2016
Tennessee will face Bowling Green in a season opener for a second time after facing the Falcons at Nissan Stadium in Nashville to kick off the 2015 season.
Pittsburgh (2021 and 2022)
Date: Sept. 11, 2021 in Knoxville, and Sept. 10, 2022 in Pittsburgh
Payout: The visiting team gets $300,000
When the contract was signed: March 10, 2015
Tennessee and Pittsburgh haven't played since the Panthers won 30-6 in 1980 and 13-3 in 1983, beating former coach Johnny Majors both times. Majors, the All-American and two-time SEC player of the year with the Vols, took Pitt to the 1976 national championship with Heisman Trophy-winning running back Tony Dorsett ... then returned to his alma mater, which was coming off a 6-5 season.
South Alabama (2021)
Date: Sept. 18, 2021 at Neyland Stadium
Payout: $1.2 million
When the contract was signed: June 25, 2015
The Jaguars memorably upset Mississippi State in the 2016 season opener and put a scare into Tennessee on their last trip to Neyland Stadium in 2013. The Vols led 31-7 at one point, but held on for a 31-24 win after Brian Randolph intercepted a pass in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. South Alabama made its second-ever bowl game in 2016, but is just 5-19 overall (two of the wins were against FCS opponents) and 3-13 in the Sun Belt over the past two seasons.
Ball State (2022)
Date: Sept. 3, 2022
Payout: $1.5 million
When the contract was signed: June 7, 2016
The 2022 opener for Tennessee is slated to be a first-ever game against the Cardinals (and a second consecutive opener against a MAC opponent). Ball State hasn't been to a bowl game since the 2013 season and went 5-7 in 2019.
Army (2022)
Date: Sept. 17, 2022 at Neyland Stadium
Payout: $1.4 million
When the contract was signed: May 18, 2016
Tennessee and Army played eight previous times (the Vols won five), but this will be the first meeting since 1986. Army beat Tennessee 41-0 in 1923, but the Vols won the next five meetings in 1965, 1966, 1970, 1973 and 1978. The next two games didn't go well for the Vols as Army earned a 24-24 tie in 1984 and won 25-21 in Knoxville in 1986 as Tennessee endured seven-win seasons sandwiching its memorable 1985 team.
BYU (2023)
Date: Sept. 1 or 2, 2023
Payout: None
When the contract was signed: Feb. 21, 2017
Tennessee will have to wait until the 2023 season opener to avenge last season's double-overtime 29-26 loss to BYU.
UConn (2023)
Date: Nov. 4, 2023
Payout: $1.8 million
When the contract was signed: October 2019 (the original deal from February 2008 was amended a couple times)
Tennessee and Connecticut first agreed to play a home-and-home series in 2015 and 2016 back in 2008, when the Huskies were in the Big East and coming off a nine-win season. Six years later, the series was pushed back to an undetermined date. In September 2018, the Hartford Courant reported that UConn’s board of trustees approved a proposal for the Huskies to play at Tennessee in 2026. However, the two sides agreed to move the game up to 2023, per FBSchedules.com in October.
Oklahoma (2024)
Date: Sept. 7, 2024 at Neyland Stadium
Payout: $400,000
When the contract was signed: Feb. 28, 2017
The Vols and Sooners are set to resume acquaintances in September in Norman not long after playing a home-and-home series played in 2014 and 2015. Tennessee will have to wait four years to get Oklahoma back at Neyland Stadium after playing the first game of the series this season. Oklahoma won both of the previous meetings, 34-10 at home in 2014 and 31-24 in double overtime in Knoxville in 2015.
Nebraska (2026 and 2027)
Date: Sept. 12, 2026 in Lincoln, and Sept. 11, 2027 in Knoxville
Payout: $340,000
When the contract was signed: May 16, 2006 (amended on Oct. 11, 2013)
Should this series happen as scheduled it will take place 20 years after it was originally scheduled. Tennessee and Nebraska first scheduled this home-and-home for the 2016 and 2017 seasons in May 2006, when Phillip Fulmer was coming off his first losing season at Tennessee and Nebraska, then in the Big 12, was coached by Bill Callahan. The series was bumped back a decade so Tennessee could play Virginia Tech in the "Battle at Bristol" in 2016 and it opened up the chance for the Vols to play Georgia Tech at the then-new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to open the 2017 season. The only three meetings between the two traditional powers have come in bowl games with the Huskers winning two and the Vols one.
Rotating SEC West opponents
2021: Ole Miss (Knoxville)
Unless he leaves after one season (hey, it's happened before), Lane Kiffin, hired at Ole Miss earlier this offseason, will make another return visit to Neyland Stadium next season. Tennessee and Ole Miss last played in 2014 in Oxford. The Rebels haven't played at Neyland Stadium since 2010.
2022: LSU (Baton Rouge)
The defending national champions won 30-10 in 2017 in one of Neyland Stadium's wettest games, one week after the Vols fired Butch Jones. Tennessee hasn't played at Tiger Stadium since 2010. You might remember how that one ended.
2023: Texas A&M (Knoxville)
The only previous SEC meeting between the Vols and Aggies was a wild double-overtime victory for A&M, which has never played at Neyland Stadium.
2024: Mississippi State (Starkville)
The Vols beat the Bulldogs in Knoxville last season and last played in Starkville in 2012.
2025: Auburn (Knoxville)
Tennessee won at Auburn in 2018. Prior to the SEC expansion in 1992 (and 2012), the Vols and Tigers played every year and had a very entertaining rivalry. Now Auburn is going 12 years between trips to Neyland, having last played there in 2013.
Reminder: Tennessee's home SEC games in even-numbered years are Alabama, Florida, Kentucky and Missouri, and the Vols host Georgia, South Carolina and Vanderbilt in odd-numbered years.