Skip to main content
Volunteer Country

Tennessee Football Announces Kickoff Time for Long-Awaited Auburn Return to Neyland Stadium

Tennessee football’s kickoff time and TV details are set for its Oct. 3 showdown with Auburn at Neyland Stadium. Here’s what Vols fans need to know.
Josh Greer|
Students cheer during a game between Tennessee and Kennesaw State at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Sept. 19, 2026.
Students cheer during a game between Tennessee and Kennesaw State at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Sept. 19, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In this story:

Tennessee Volunteers

Auburn is finally coming back to Rocky Top, and now Tennessee fans know when to be in their seats.

Tennessee announced that its Oct. 3 matchup against Auburn at Neyland Stadium will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET, with the game airing on ABC or ESPN.

Auburn Finally Returns to Rocky Top

It has been a long time since Auburn made the trip to Knoxville.

The Tigers have not played Tennessee inside Neyland Stadium since Nov. 9, 2013, when Auburn left Knoxville with a 55-23 victory. Tennessee got some revenge five years later, defeating the Tigers 30-24 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in 2018. Auburn then won the most recent meeting, 30-17, during the 2020 season. Auburn currently leads the all-time series 29-22-3, according to Tennessee Athletics.

That makes Oct. 3 Auburn's first visit to Rocky Top in nearly 13 years.

There is another familiar storyline surrounding the Tigers. Auburn is in its first season under head coach Alex Golesh, who previously served on Josh Heupel's Tennessee staff before becoming the head coach at South Florida. That connection adds another layer to a matchup that already carries plenty of SEC history.

Tennessee Has Taken Care of Business

Before Tennessee can worry too much about Auburn, there is a rather large burnt-orange obstacle standing in the way.

The Vols are 3-0 after opening the season with wins over Furman, Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State. Tennessee defeated Kennesaw State 42-9 on Saturday after beating Georgia Tech 45-24 and Furman 56-9.

Tennessee football
Tennessee running back Daune Morris (17) returns a kickoff against Kennesaw State during a college football game on Sept. 19, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tennessee now turns its attention to Texas, which visits Neyland Stadium on Sept. 26 for the Vols' SEC opener. Auburn hosts Vanderbilt that same weekend before heading north to Knoxville.

So, yes, there is still some business to handle first.

Smokey Grey Meets the Tigers

The afternoon kickoff also means Tennessee fans now know when they'll get their first game-day look at one of the most anticipated uniforms in the program's recent history.

Tennessee previously announced that it will debut its Neyland Legacy "Smokey Grey" uniforms against Auburn. The special Adidas design celebrates the 100th anniversary of Gen. Robert Neyland's first season as Tennessee's head coach and incorporates details inspired by different periods of Neyland's career.

That should make for quite a scene: Smokey Grey uniforms, an old SEC rival returning to Knoxville for the first time since 2013, and a national television audience watching in the middle of the afternoon.

Tennessee. Auburn. Oct. 3. 3:30 p.m. ET. Neyland Stadium. ABC or ESPN.

Send your questions, comments, and hot takes to our email tennesseeonsi@gmail.com for the chance to be featured in an article!

Follow Our Social Media Accounts

• Follow Vols on SI on X (Click HERE)
• Follow Vols on SI on Facebook (Click HERE)
• Follow Vols on SI on Instagram (Click HERE)
• Subscribe to Vols on SI on YouTube (Click HERE)

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Josh Greer
JOSH GREER

Josh Greer is a sports journalist and educator from Paris, Tennessee, whose passion for sports has shaped a career spanning coaching, higher education, and sports media. Before entering journalism, Greer spent time as a Tennessee high school football coach and was part of two state championship-winning teams. His passion for sports eventually led him to higher education, where he spent more than a decade teaching sport management and providing students with hands-on experiences at major sporting events, including national championships, Super Bowls, and NFL Drafts. Greer brings a unique combination of coaching, teaching, and sports industry experience to his journalism. He takes pride in covering the stories, people, and trends shaping sports, with a particular interest in collegiate athletics.

Share on XFollow JSGreer731
Home/Football