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The 2026 college football season will be the first with the Southeastern Conference playing nine league games during the regular season.
Each league school will have three permanent opponents and six rotating opponents for the next four years. Beginning in 2026, Tennessee will play Alabama, Kentucky and Vanderbilt as permanent opponents.
Tennessee will host Furman, Kennesaw State, Texas, Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky and LSU this season, while playing at Georgia Tech, Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
ESPN's Matchup Predictor projected each game for SEC schools during the 2026 regular season.
The Vols are projected to defeat Furman, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, Auburn, Arkansas, South Carolina, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
Tennessee's first projected loss in 2026 is against Texas on Sept. 26. The Longhorns have a 75.5% chance to win at Neyland Stadium.
Below are when SEC schools are projected to lose their first game in 2026, according to ESPN's Matchup Predictor.
More: 2026 SEC football schedules for every team
More: 2026 Tennessee football win percentage chances each game
Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Every SEC football team's first projected loss in 2026
Continue reading...
Each league school will have three permanent opponents and six rotating opponents for the next four years. Beginning in 2026, Tennessee will play Alabama, Kentucky and Vanderbilt as permanent opponents.
Tennessee will host Furman, Kennesaw State, Texas, Auburn, Alabama, Kentucky and LSU this season, while playing at Georgia Tech, Arkansas, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
ESPN's Matchup Predictor projected each game for SEC schools during the 2026 regular season.
The Vols are projected to defeat Furman, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State, Auburn, Arkansas, South Carolina, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
Tennessee's first projected loss in 2026 is against Texas on Sept. 26. The Longhorns have a 75.5% chance to win at Neyland Stadium.
Below are when SEC schools are projected to lose their first game in 2026, according to ESPN's Matchup Predictor.
Every SEC football team's first projected loss in 2026
| School | First projected loss | Opponent win % |
| Alabama Crimson Tide | Georgia (Oct. 10) | 58.1% |
| Arkansas Razorbacks | at Utah (Sept. 12) | 71.1% |
| Auburn Tigers | at Tennessee (Oct. 3) | 65.3% |
| Florida Gators | at Auburn (Sept. 19) | 51.6% |
| Georgia Bulldogs | Projected to win every game | N/A |
| Kentucky Wildcats | Alabama (Sept. 12) | 82.5% |
| LSU Tigers | Texas (Nov. 14) | 64.0% |
| Mississippi State Bulldogs | at South Carolina (Sept. 19) | 77.3% |
| Missouri Tigers | Texas A&M (Oct. 10) | 66.0% |
| Ole Miss Rebels | LSU (Sept. 19) | 55.9% |
| Oklahoma Sooners | at Michigan (Sept. 12) | 52.2% |
| South Carolina Gamecocks | at Alabama (Sept. 26) | 78.8% |
| Tennessee Volunteers | Texas (Sept. 26) | 75.5% |
| Texas Longhorns | Projected to win every game | N/A |
| Texas A&M Aggies | at LSU (Sept. 26) | 56.6% |
| Vanderbilt Commodores | at Auburn (Sept. 26) | 65.2% |
More: 2026 SEC football schedules for every team
More: 2026 Tennessee football win percentage chances each game
Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Every SEC football team's first projected loss in 2026
Continue reading...
