KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee announced the football schedule for the 2014 season, with the Vols scheduled to host seven games at Neyland Stadium next fall. This announcement coincides with the Southeastern Conference’s release today of the 2014 conference schedule.
The Vols will open league play at Georgia on Sept. 27, the first time the Bulldogs have served as UT’s SEC opener since 1995. UT opened SEC play vs. Georgia in four consecutive seasons from 1992-95.
For the first time since 2001, Florida will not be the first conference game on the Tennessee schedule. The Gators will serve as UT’s conference home opener the following week, on Oct. 4, the latest meeting on the calendar between Florida and Tennessee since a rescheduled game on Dec. 1, 2001 at Florida. The game was originally scheduled for Sept. 15 that year but was moved to the season-ending contest after the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Tennessee opened SEC play at Arkansas that season (Sept. 8, 2001).
Additionally, Tennessee will end the regular season with an opponent other than Kentucky for the first time since Florida in 2001, as the Vols will travel to Nashville for a Nov. 29 game at Vanderbilt. Tennessee is ending the season with the Commodores for the first time since a 28-26 Tennessee win at Nashville’s LP Field (then known as Adelphia Coliseum) on Nov. 25, 2000. The Vols ended the season against the Commodores in 25 consecutive seasons from 1976-2000.
Other SEC home games include Alabama (Oct. 25), Kentucky (Nov. 15), and Missouri (Nov. 22), while Tennessee travels to Ole Miss (Oct. 18) and South Carolina (Nov. 1). The 2014 schedule has 14 playing weekends, giving the Vols two open weeks: Sept. 20 and Nov. 8.
The Vols open with their first-ever matchup against Utah State, at Neyland Stadium on Aug. 30, followed by a Sept. 6 game at home against Arkansas State. Tennessee’s first road game of the season will be on Sept. 13 at Oklahoma, marking the first-ever game for the Vols in the Sooner State. The final non-conference game in 2014 for UT will be at Neyland Stadium, an Oct. 11 contest against Chattanooga that is the 42nd in the series history and the first since 1966.
The 2014 season marks the first regular-season matchup against Oklahoma. The Vols and Sooners previously opposed each other in the Orange Bowl twice: a 17-0 win by the 1938 national champion Vols on Jan. 2, 1939, and a 26-24 Oklahoma win over the 1967 national champion UT squad on Jan. 1, 1968.
Tennessee previously played Arkansas State in 2007, a 48-27 win by the Vols on Sept. 22 at Neyland Stadium.
In terms of the SEC schedule, Tennessee will be making its first trip to Oxford, Miss. to play the Ole Miss Rebels since 2009. The Vols defeated Ole Miss the following year in the last matchup of any variety between the two schools, 52-14 on Nov. 13, 2010. The Vols are 44-19-1 all-time vs. Ole Miss, including a 3-1 mark in Oxford.
Information regarding game times and television broadcast information is typically released two weeks before each individual game. Additionally, information related to season and individual-game tickets will also be released in 2014.
