College Football Is Back, But Not for Tennessee Football

The Tennessee Volunteers may not be back, but college football is.

Jul 20, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tennessee Volunteers have yet to play the first game of their season, but the game is inching closer. They will begin on Sep 5, but luckily for fans of the sport, the game slate has finally started, and college football is finally back.

The following games are set to be played on Thursday.

Thursday's Game Day Slate

Sep 18, 2021; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; A general view of a Furman Paladins helmet during the second half at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

• Maine at Towson (6:00 PM EDT)
• Stony Brook at Delaware State (6:00 PM EDT)
• Mercyhurst at Youngstown State (6:00 PM EDT)
• Glenville State at Elon (7:00 PM EDT)
• Eastern Illinois at Murray State (7:00 PM EDT)
• Lafayette at Georgetown (7:00 PM EDT)
• Gardner-Webb at Austin Peay (7:00 PM EDT)
• Charleston Southern at Lindenwood (7:00 PM EDT)
• Northwestern (IA) at Western Illinois (7:00 PM EDT)
• Chattanooga at West Georgia (7:00 PM EDT)
• UVA Wise at Presbyterian (7:00 PM EDT)
• Winona State at St. Thomas (7:00 PM EDT)
• Houston Christian at SE Louisiana (7:00 PM EDT)
• Anderson (SC) at Furman (7:00 PM EDT)
• Mississippi Valley State at Nicholls (7:00 PM EDT)
• Southern Illinois at West Florida (7:00 PM EDT)
• Concord at Davidson (7:00 PM EDT)
• Central Arkansas at UT Martin (7:30 PM EDT)
• South Dakota Mines at Drake (7:30 PM EDT)
• Long Island University at North Dakota (8:00 PM EDT)
• Louisiana Christian University at Northwestern State (8:00 PM EDT)

This is a great chance for the Vols to get a look at Furman, who is set to play against the Vols on Sep 5. While Tennessee is expected to be miles ahead of a team like Furman in talent level, it doesn't mean that Tennessee won't do their fair share of scouting. It doesn't matter if it's a team like Furman or a team like Alabama; film and scouting are 100% important, as it is the cheat sheet that will show all of the answers on game day, prior to kickoff.

This will give the Vols an advantage that Furman simply doesn't have. Tennessee won't play a contest prior to their game against the Paladins, but the Paladins will play in this contest prior to playing against the Vols.

Even with Tennessee football, fans have the chance to see Furman. It is also a great opportunity for fans to be able to get their first taste of college football in the year of 2026 following the national championship. This is something that fans crave and wait for, and finally they will have the chance to get their first dose of what is set to be an impactful season.