Vanderbilt will play host to CFP participants Alabama and Ole Miss, and rival Tennessee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt’s 2026 football schedule was officially announced on Thursday, with the slate next fall including three matchups against teams included in this season’s College Football Playoff field and a rivalry home game to end the campaign.
The Commodores will travel to Georgia (Oct. 3) and then return home to take on Ole Miss (Oct. 10) on back-to-back weekends to open October and also play host to Alabama Nov. 14. Vandy will conclude the regular season with a Nov. 28 contest against Tennessee at FirstBank Stadium in a series that has seen the two schools play every fall since 1945.
The Dores will begin 2026 with three consecutive nonconference home games, beginning with the opener Sept. 5 against Austin Peay. Vanderbilt will also take on Delaware (Sept. 12) and NC State (Sept. 19) during that stretch, as the Commodores face a current member of the Atlantic Coast Conference for the sixth time in as many years after the 2020 season saw them only play SEC games that fall.
Conference action gets underway with a Sept. 26 trip to Auburn before the matchups with Georgia and Ole Miss. The Dores will then play Arkansas (Oct. 17) at home and visit Kentucky (Oct. 24) before the only open date of the season. The final month begins with a contest at Mississippi State (Nov. 7), and after taking on Alabama the Commodores will also go to Florida (Nov. 21).
Game time and television information will be released next year.
This will mark the first season that the SEC features a nine-game conference schedule. Vanderbilt fans who had season tickets for the 2025 campaign may renew their season tickets now, with those who do so prior to Dec. 31 earning extra National Commodore Club priority points. Individuals who are not already season ticket holders can submit an interest form to receive purchase information. There is also a group ticket interest form available for select game games next fall.
The Dores will conclude the 2025 campaign against Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl, with the contest set to get underway at 11 a.m. CT on Dec. 31 on ESPN. Vandy fans can get the most up-to-date information on the program’s Postseason Central page, and individuals who have not already done so are able to purchase tickets for the game by visiting the ReliaQuest Bowl website.
2026 VANDERBILT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Opponent |
|---|---|
| Sept. 5 | Austin Peay |
| Sept. 12 | Delaware |
| Sept. 19 | NC State |
| Sept. 26 | at Auburn* |
| Oct. 3 | at Georgia* |
| Oct. 10 | Ole Miss* |
| Oct. 17 | Arkansas* |
| Oct. 24 | at Kentucky* |
| Oct. 31 | Open Date |
| Nov. 7 | at Mississippi State* |
| Nov. 14 | Alabama* |
| Nov. 21 | at Florida* |
| Nov. 28 | Tennessee* |
| Note: | Home games in bold; * denotes Southeastern Conference game |
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