Tennessee baseball‘s first season under coach Josh Elander starts with Nicholls, rolls through a Texas tournament and includes marquee matchups with Vanderbilt and LSU early in SEC play.

UT announced its full 2026 schedule Nov. 6, including its three nonconference series against Nicholls (Feb. 13-15), Kent State (Feb. 20-22) and Wright State (March 6-8). Wright State reached the NCAA tournament in 2025 and eliminated No. 1 seed Vanderbilt.

Tennessee faces a pair of NCAA tournament teams in midweeks games in ETSU and USC Upstate.

UT has midweek matchups with in-state opponents Tennessee Tech, Lipscomb and Belmont. It also plays midweek games against Bellarmine, Oakland, Eastern Kentucky, Austin Peay, Northern Kentucky, West Georgia and Presbyterian. It plays UNC Asheville on Feb. 17 and April 14.

Tennessee has biggest nonconference game vs UCLA in Texas

The Vols play three games in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

They play UCLA, which could be the nation’s preseason No. 1 team, on Feb. 27 (4 p.m. ET) then play Arizona State on Feb. 28 (noon) and Virginia Tech on March 1 (11:30 a.m.).

Tennessee, LSU clash in Knoxville in 2026 SEC schedule

Tennessee and LSU play in Knoxville from April 3-5 as part of its SEC schedule. UT and LSU have won the past three nationals titles. The Vols won the program’s first title in 2024. The Tigers won in 2023 and 2025.

UT plays at Vanderbilt from March 27-29, the series prior to hosting LSU.

Tennessee plays both Texas and Oklahoma after facing neither in 2025, the first season of the 16-team SEC. UT will host Texas from May 8-10. The Vols play at Oklahoma in Oklahoma City from May 14-16 to close the regular season.

UT opens SEC play at Georgia from March 13-15. It plays Missouri from March 20-22. The Vols play at Mississippi State from April 10-12 before back-to-back home series against Ole Miss (April 17-19) and Alabama (April 24-26). They play at Kentucky from May 1-3.

Nine of Tennessee’s 10 conference opponents reached the NCAA tournament last season, including five of the top-16 seeds. Missouri is the lone team that did not reach the postseason.

Tennessee baseball’s 2026 schedule weekend seriesFeb. 13-15: NichollsFeb. 20-22: Kent StateFeb. 27-March 1: Amergy Bank College Baseball series vs UCLA, Arizona State, Virginia TechMarch 6-8: Wright StateMarch 13-15: at GeorgiaMarch 20-22: MissouriMarch 27-29: at VanderbiltApril 3-5: LSUApril 10-12: at Mississippi StateApril 17-19: Ole MissApril 24-26: AlabamaMay 1-3: at KentuckyMay 8-10: TexasMay 14-16: at Oklahoma (in Oklahoma City)

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.