Look: Tennessee football's opponents in the new-look SEC in 2024

Tennessee learned its 2024 SEC opponents Wednesday night when the league released its new-look 2024 football schedule, with Texas and Oklahoma officially joining the conference as it expands to 16 teams and moves away from East and West divisions.

The Vols currently have four non-conference games in 2024 scheduled against Chattanooga (August 31), North Carolina State (September 7 in Charlotte), Kent State (September 14) and UTEP (November 23).

The league during its spring meetings voted on an eight-game schedule moving forward before releasing the full slate of home and away games Wednesday. Game dates will be announced later this summer.

Road Games

At Arkansas

The two teams have played only 19 times dating back to 1907, with Tennessee winning 13 times. Arkansas has won three straight — the Hogs won 24-13 in Fayetteville during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the last time the two teams met — and four of the last five, though, going back to a 31-14 win over the Vols in Fayetteville in 2006. Tennessee won nine of the first 10 meetings, between 1907 and 1998. The 1998 game, a meeting between two undefeated teams in Knoxville on November 14, is by far the most memorable. Clint Stoerner stumbled and fumbled and the rest was history. 

At Georgia

Georgia, the defending back-to-back national champions, have won six straight against Tennessee. The Vols won back-to-back games in the series in 2015 and 2016, winning 38-31 in Knoxville in 2015 and 34-31 in 2016, when Jauan Jennings hauled in the Hail Mary touchdown from Joshua Dobbs on the last play of the game. The two teams started playing yearly in 1992. Georgia leads the all-time series 27-23-2.

At Oklahoma 

Tennessee had a non-conference game scheduled with Oklahoma for 2024, but the SEC told both schools to cancel the series with the Sooners set to join the league. The two teams have met only four times, with Oklahoma winning the last three. The Vols beat the Sooner 17-0 in the 1939 Orange Bowl, capping an 11-0 season in which the Tennessee defense allowed only 16 total points. Oklahoma won 26-24 in the 1968 Orange Bowl, won 34-10 in Norman in 2014 and won 31-24 in overtime at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville in 2016. 

At Vanderbilt

Tennessee has won four straight in the series after Vanderbilt had a run of five wins in seven years between 2012 and 2018. The Vols won 22 straight between 1983 and 2004, before Vandy came to Knoxville and won 28-24 in 2005. Tennessee won the next six, before the ‘Dores took advantage of the Derek Dooley and Butch Jones eras. Tennessee leads the all-time series 79-33-5 dating back to 1892. Vandy won 18 of the first 23 meetings (Tennessee won twice and the teams tied three times). The Vols hired General Robert Neyland to end Vandy’s early dominance in the series. Tennessee lost to Vandy only 10 times between 1926 and 2004.

Home Games

Alabama

Tennessee’s 52-49 over Alabama last October at Neyland Stadium broke the Crimson Tide’s streak of 15 straight wins in the series, dating back to a 16-13 win for the Vols in Knoxville in 2006. Tennessee won seven in a row between 1995 and 2001 and won 10 of 12 between 1995 and 2006. It’s been an annual rivalry since 1928 and was first played in 1901. Alabama leads the all-time series 58-39-7.

Florida

Tennessee’s 38-33 win at Neyland Stadium last September snapped five-game losing streak in the series that dated back to the 38-28 win in Knoxville in 2016. Before that, the Gators won 11 in a row, after Tennessee had won three of four between 2001 and 2004. It became an annual rivalry in 1990. Florida leads the all-time series 31-21.

Kentucky

Tennessee has won nine of its last 11 games against Kentucky, dating back to 2012. The Wildcats won at Neyland Stadium in 2020, their first win in Knoxville since 1984, and in Lexington in 2011 and 2017. The win in 2011 snapped Tennessee’s streak of 26 straight wins in the series, which dates back to 1893. The Vols have been dominant against the Cats, with an 83-26-9 all-time record in the border battle.

Mississippi State 

Tennessee is 29-16-1 in the all-time series against Mississippi State, dating back to 1907. The Vols have won 10 of the last 12, including a 20-10 win at Neyland Stadium in 2019, the most recent matchup. Tennessee hasn’t played in Starkville since 2012. The Vols beat Mississippi State 24-14 in the SEC Championship game in December 1998, en route to a 13-0 season and the BCS National Championship.