The programs
Vanderbilt
Nashville's only Power Four program, coming off a 10-3 season and the school's highest national ranking in 77 years. 2026 is the first year of a nine-game SEC schedule.
7 home · FirstBank Stadium
MTSU
About 35 minutes down I-24 in Rutherford County. 2026 brings MTSU's first-ever meeting with Kansas and three midweek home games.
6 home · Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium
Tennessee State
Nashville's own HBCU program. The John A. Merritt Classic opens the season at FirstBank Stadium; the rest of the home slate is at Nissan.
6 home · Nissan Stadium
Austin Peay
Clarksville, about 50 minutes northwest. The Sep 5 trip to Vanderbilt is the crossover date for Nashville-area fans.
7 home · Fortera Stadium
Every game
Swipe the table sideways for venue, time and TV →
| Date | Home or away | Matchup | Venue | Kickoff | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Aug 27 | HOME | Austin Peay vs Gardner-Webb | Fortera Stadium Clarksville, TN | TBA | — |
| Sat, Aug 29 | HOME | Tennessee State vs Jackson State John A. Merritt Classic | FirstBank Stadium Nashville, TN | 7:30 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Sep 5 | HOME | Vanderbilt vs Austin Peay | FirstBank Stadium Nashville, TN | 6:00 PM CT | SEC Network+ |
| Sat, Sep 5 | HOME | MTSU vs Murray State | Floyd Stadium Murfreesboro, TN | 6:00 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Sep 5 | AWAY | Tennessee State at Georgia First-ever meeting | Sanford Stadium Athens, GA | 2:00 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Sep 5 | AWAY | Austin Peay at Vanderbilt In Nashville — crossover date | FirstBank Stadium Nashville, TN | 6:00 PM CT | SEC Network+ |
| Sat, Sep 12 | HOME | Vanderbilt vs Delaware | FirstBank Stadium Nashville, TN | 3:15 PM CT | SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 12 | AWAY | MTSU at Marshall | Joan C. Edwards Stadium Huntington, WV | 6:00 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Sep 12 | AWAY | Tennessee State at Alabama A&M Legacy Series | Louis Crews Stadium Huntsville, AL | 6:30 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Sep 12 | HOME | Austin Peay vs Morehead State | Fortera Stadium Clarksville, TN | TBA | — |
| Sat, Sep 19 | HOME | Vanderbilt vs NC State | FirstBank Stadium Nashville, TN | 11:45 AM CT | SEC Network |
| Sat, Sep 19 | HOME | MTSU vs Nevada | Floyd Stadium Murfreesboro, TN | 6:00 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Sep 19 | AWAY | Tennessee State at Florida A&M | Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL | 6:00 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Sep 19 | AWAY | Austin Peay at West Florida | Pen Air Field Pensacola, FL | TBA | — |
| Sat, Sep 26 | AWAY | Vanderbilt at Auburn | Jordan–Hare Stadium Auburn, AL | TBA | — |
| Sat, Sep 26 | AWAY | MTSU at Jacksonville State | AmFirst Stadium Jacksonville, AL | 6:00 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Sep 26 | HOME | Austin Peay vs UT Martin | Fortera Stadium Clarksville, TN | TBA | — |
| Sat, Oct 3 | AWAY | Vanderbilt at Georgia | Sanford Stadium Athens, GA | TBA | — |
| Sat, Oct 3 | AWAY | MTSU at Kansas First-ever meeting | David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium Lawrence, KS | TBA | — |
| Sat, Oct 3 | AWAY | Tennessee State at Western Illinois | Hanson Field Macomb, IL | TBA | — |
| Sat, Oct 3 | HOME | Austin Peay vs New Haven | Fortera Stadium Clarksville, TN | TBA | — |
| Sat, Oct 10 | HOME | Vanderbilt vs Ole Miss Khaki Bowl | FirstBank Stadium Nashville, TN | TBA | — |
| Sat, Oct 10 | HOME | Tennessee State vs UT Martin | Nissan Stadium Nashville, TN | 2:30 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Oct 10 | HOME | Austin Peay vs Tarleton State | Fortera Stadium Clarksville, TN | TBA | — |
| Tue, Oct 13 | HOME | MTSU vs Delaware Weekday CUSA — Tuesday | Floyd Stadium Murfreesboro, TN | 6:00 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Oct 17 | HOME | Vanderbilt vs Arkansas | FirstBank Stadium Nashville, TN | TBA | — |
| Sat, Oct 17 | HOME | Tennessee State vs Morgan State | Nissan Stadium Nashville, TN | 5:30 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Oct 17 | AWAY | Austin Peay at West Georgia | University Stadium Carrollton, GA | TBA | — |
| Tue, Oct 20 | AWAY | MTSU at FIU Tuesday | Pitbull Stadium Miami, FL | 6:00 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Oct 24 | AWAY | Vanderbilt at Kentucky | Kroger Field Lexington, KY | TBA | — |
| Sat, Oct 24 | HOME | Tennessee State vs Charleston Southern | Nissan Stadium Nashville, TN | 2:30 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Oct 24 | AWAY | Austin Peay at North Alabama | Bank Independent Stadium Florence, AL | TBA | — |
| Wed, Oct 28 | HOME | MTSU vs Kennesaw State Weekday CUSA — Wednesday | Floyd Stadium Murfreesboro, TN | 6:00 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Oct 31 | AWAY | Tennessee State at Lindenwood | Harlen C. Hunter Stadium St. Charles, MO | 1:00 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Nov 7 | AWAY | Vanderbilt at Mississippi State | Davis Wade Stadium Starkville, MS | TBA | — |
| Sat, Nov 7 | HOME | MTSU vs Western Kentucky Homecoming — 75 all-time meetings | Floyd Stadium Murfreesboro, TN | 2:30 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Nov 7 | HOME | Tennessee State vs Southeast Missouri | Nissan Stadium Nashville, TN | 2:30 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Nov 7 | HOME | Austin Peay vs Eastern Kentucky | Fortera Stadium Clarksville, TN | TBA | — |
| Sat, Nov 14 | HOME | Vanderbilt vs Alabama | FirstBank Stadium Nashville, TN | TBA | — |
| Sat, Nov 14 | AWAY | MTSU at Liberty | Williams Stadium Lynchburg, VA | 2:30 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Nov 14 | HOME | Tennessee State vs Eastern Illinois | Nissan Stadium Nashville, TN | 2:30 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Nov 14 | HOME | Austin Peay vs Abilene Christian | Fortera Stadium Clarksville, TN | TBA | — |
| Sat, Nov 21 | AWAY | Vanderbilt at Florida | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Gainesville, FL | TBA | — |
| Sat, Nov 21 | AWAY | MTSU at Sam Houston | Elliot T. Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX | 1:00 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Nov 21 | AWAY | Tennessee State at Gardner-Webb | Ernest W. Spangler Stadium Boiling Springs, NC | 12:30 PM CT | — |
| Sat, Nov 21 | AWAY | Austin Peay at Central Arkansas | Estes Stadium Conway, AR | TBA | — |
| Sat, Nov 28 | HOME | Vanderbilt vs Tennessee Rivalry finale — played annually since 1946 | FirstBank Stadium Nashville, TN | TBA | — |
| Sat, Nov 28 | HOME | MTSU vs New Mexico State Senior Day | Floyd Stadium Murfreesboro, TN | 1:00 PM CT | — |