How Tennessee football's 2024 opponents fared this season

Tennessee football’s 2024 schedule started to leak Monday night, first with ESPN’s Chris Low reporting dates for games against Oklahoma, Florida and Alabama, while Volquest’s Austin Price reported other dates for Arkansas, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.

While the wait continues for the release of the full schedule, here’s a look at how the 12 teams the Vols will face next year fared this season:

Chattanooga (8-4): The Mocs are in the second round of the FCS Playoffs after winning on the road at Austin Peay 24-21 on Saturday and will go to Furman this week. Chattanooga went 7-4 in the regular season with losses at North Alabama, Western Carolina, Furman and at Alabama.

N.C. State (9-3): North Carolina State was ranked No. 22 in the College Football Playoff Top 25 last week and is ranked No. 35 overall in ESPN’s Football Power Index. The Wolfpack closed the regular-season schedule with five straight wins, beating Clemson, Miami, Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and North Carolina. NC State started with a 4-3 record with losses at home against Notre Dame and Louisville and on the road at Duke. 

Kent State (1-11): Kent State was one of the worst Football Bowl Subdivision teams this season, finishing 1-11 and the lone win coming in week three against Central Connecticut. The Golden Flashes in their 11 losses lost by an average of 24.2 points per game. Kent State is ranked last, at No. 133 overall, in the FPI.

Oklahoma (10-2): Oklahoma started the season 7-0 including a win over Texas in the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, but lost back-to-back games at Kansas and Oklahoma State.Offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby over the weekend was hired by Mississippi State as head coach after the Sooners finished third in scoring offense this season, averaging 43.2 points per game. Tennessee goes to Oklahoma on September 21 to open SEC play as the Sooners make their debut in the conference. 

Arkansas (4-8): Arkansas beat Western Carolina and Kent State to start the season, then loss six straight — BYU, at LSU, Texas A&M, at Ole Miss, at Alabama and Mississippi State. The Razorbacks snapped the losing streak at Florida, then lost to Auburn and Missouri over the final three weeks of the season. Head coach Sam Pittman will reportedly return next season.

Florida (5-7): Florida beat Tennessee 29-16 on September 16 in Gainesville and started the season with five wins over the first seven games. Then the Gators lost five straight — Georgia, Arkansas, at LSU, at Missouri, Florida State. The Gators will reportedly come to Neyland Stadium on October 12 next season.

Alabama (11-1): Alabama won 10 straight after losing at home to Texas in Week 2. The Crimson Tide will play No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship on Saturday. Alabama will play at Tennessee on October 19 next season, with the Third Saturday In October rivalry continuing to live up to its name.

Kentucky (7-5): Kentucky started 5-0 before losing three straight and five of its final seven games. Georgia, Missouri and Tennessee beat the Cats in consecutive weeks and Alabama and South Carolina won in back-to-back weeks in November. Mark Stoops is back after flirting with the Texas A&M opening. 

Georgia (12-0): Georgia has won 29 straight games and 44 of its last 45, including back-to-back national championships. A date for the Tennessee-Georgia game has not been reported, but the Vols will visit Sanford Stadium in Athens in November next season. 

Mississippi State (5-7): Mississippi State lost four of five to close the regular season and fired first-year head coach Zach Arnett on November 13. New head coach Jeff Lebby worked with Josh Heupel at UCF as his quarterbacks coach (2018) and offensive coordinator (2019). The Bulldogs are expected to come to Knoxville in November. Tennessee hasn’t played Mississippi State since 2019. 

UTEP (3-9): UTEP wnet 3-9 and finished sixth in Conference USA. The Miners will bring another first-year head coach to Knoxville on November 23 next season after firing head coach Dana Dimel on Sunday. UTEP’s only wins this season came against Incarnate Word, FIU and Sam Houston.

Vanderbilt (2-10): Vanderbilt finished the season with 10 straight losses, ending with the 48-24 loss at Tennessee on Saturday. Josh Heupel in three games against the ‘Dores has won by a combined score of 149-45. Head coach Clark Lea will reportedly return next season.