Do Tennessee, Florida football play in 2026? Vols, Gators' SEC schedules, rivals

This year's matchup between Tennessee football and Florida may have a completely different feeling.

The No. 20 Vols (7-3, 3-3 SEC) will travel to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, Nov. 22, in Gainesville, Florida, to take on rival Florida (3-7, 2-5).

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With the Vols eliminated from College Football Playoff contention and Florida ineligible for a bowl game, this year's matchup has lost some luster on paper. However, there shouldn't be any love lost on the field, as this year's matchup will mark the end of the teams facing off annually — at least, through the 2029 season.

Much to the chagrin of both fanbases, Tennessee and Florida are not scheduled to play one another in 2026. Here's what you need to know about the matchup between the Vols and Gators moving forward:

Do Florida and Tennessee play in 2026?

No, the Vols and Gators will not face off in 2026 or in 2028, marking the first time since the 1989 college football season the two programs won't play.

The reason for the game being taken off the schedule as a permanent game is due to the SEC going from eight conference games to nine in a single season, starting in 2026. Each team will be assigned three "permanent rivals" which they play each year, and six opponents that rotate on the schedule.

Tennessee football permanent rivals, SEC schedule

• Tennessee: Alabama, Kentucky, Vanderbilt

The Vols' three permanent opponents are Alabama, Kentucky and Vanderbilt. The Vols have a noted and heated history with Alabama in the "Third Saturday in October," which serves as one of the most historic rivalries in the SEC. Tennessee also has its in-state rivalry with Vanderbilt, though the Wildcats is perhaps a confusing addition to the Vols' permanent SEC rivalries.

Here's a look at Tennessee's SEC schedule from 2026 through 2029, which features the Gators visiting Knoxville in 2027 and a Vols return trip to Gainesville in 2029:

Florida football permanent rivals, SEC schedule

• Florida: Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina

Meanwhile, the Gators' annual opponents are Georgia, Kentucky and South Carolina. All three teams are traditional SEC East teams, each of which Florida has a long-standing rivalry. South Carolina is perhaps the odd team out among the Gators' trifecta, though the two do have the shared history of being led by College Football Hall of Fame coach Steve Spurrier.

Here's Florida's SEC schedule from 2026-29, in which the Gators play at Tennessee in 2027 and in Gainesville in 2029:

When was last time Tennessee won in Gainesville?

The last time Tennessee beat Florida at The Swamp in Gainesville was on Sept. 20, 2003, the second year of Ron Zook serving as head coach of the Gators. The Vols have lost 10 straight at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

In that game, Tennessee outscored Florida 17-7 in the second half to walk out of Gainesville with a 24-10 win. Jabari Davis had 20 rushes for 85 yards and two scores in the Vols' victory. If Tennessee is unable to pick up a win over Florida this year, the streak will reach 26 years, as the Vols will not return to Florida until the 2029 season.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Do Tennessee, Florida play in 2026? Vols, Gators' SEC schedules