Tennessee football season tickets sold out with Arch Manning, Lane Kiffin coming

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

Fans wait for the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

Fans wait for players to arrive during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

Players walk during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

Smokey greets a family during the Vol Walk, before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

The Volunteer waves the Power T flag during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

The Pride of the Southland Band performs during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

At right, VFL Alontae Taylor walks during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

Players huddle on the field after the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

A young fan asks Smokey to sign his football during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop (18) greets fans during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

David Sanders Jr. walks during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

Players sign autographs during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

A young fan reaches out for a high-five during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

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See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

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See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

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See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

Fans wait for the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

3 / 14

See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

Fans wait for players to arrive during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

4 / 14

See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

Players walk during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

5 / 14

See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

Smokey greets a family during the Vol Walk, before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

6 / 14

See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

The Volunteer waves the Power T flag during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

7 / 14

See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

The Pride of the Southland Band performs during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

8 / 14

See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

At right, VFL Alontae Taylor walks during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

9 / 14

See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

Players huddle on the field after the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

10 / 14

See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

A young fan asks Smokey to sign his football during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

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See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop (18) greets fans during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

12 / 14

See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

David Sanders Jr. walks during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

13 / 14

See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

Players sign autographs during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

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See Tennessee's Orange and White game, from the Vol Walk to the field

A young fan reaches out for a high-five during the Vol Walk before the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026.

Tennessee 2026 schedule features Arch Manning, Lane Kiffin

Tennessee will ride a 27-game streak of home sellouts into the season, which begins with the opener against Furman on Sept. 5. Some marquee matchups will follow as the Vols face an expanded nine-game SEC schedule.

UT plays quarterback Arch Manning and Texas on Sept. 26. Of course, he’s the nephew of former Vols quarterback Peyton Manning, which could create an interesting family dynamic at Neyland Stadium.

UT faces a pair of former Vols coordinators in the Auburn game on Oct. 3. Alex Golesh is Auburn’s first-year coach. Tim Banks, who was fired by UT in December, is Golesh’s co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach.

UT plays Alabama on Oct. 17 in its annual “Third Saturday in October” rivalry game. UT plays Kentucky, its oldest rival, on Nov. 7 for its 122nd meeting since 1983.

And Lane Kiffin, a former Vols coach and social media instigator, will lead LSU against the Vols on Nov. 21. His last trip to Neyland Stadium in 2021 ended in fans tossing trash onto the field in protest and a golf ball thrown at Kiffin.

Where Tennessee ranks in football attendance

In 2025, Tennessee ranked fourth nationally and second in the SEC in total attendance with 713,405 over seven home games at Neyland Stadium. Its average attendance of 101,915 ranked sixth behind Michigan (110,842), Penn State (107,093), Texas A&M (106,159), Ohio State (104,105) and Texas (102,367).

UT’s season-ticket sales surge coincides with the tenures of White and coach Josh Heupel, beginning in the 2021 season.

Heupel has a 29-7 record at Neyland Stadium. That included a 14-game home winning streak from 2021-2023, the longest since the Vols won 23 straight from 1996-2000. But UT slumped to a 5-3 home record in 2025.

Here are the season ticket sales figures from the past 12 seasons and the coach that year:

• 2015: 67,257 (Butch Jones)
• 2016: 73,116 (Jones)
• 2017: 69,073 (Jones)
• 2018: 65,435 (Jeremy Pruitt)
• 2019: 62,560 (Pruitt)
• 2020: Limited capacity due to pandemic (Pruitt)
• 2021: 52,236 (Heupel)
• 2022: 61,490 (Heupel)
• 2023: 70,500 (Heupel)
• 2024: 70,500 (Heupel)
• 2025: 70,500 (Heupel)
• 2026: 70,500 (Heupel)

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter*@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.*

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This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee football season tickets sold out for 2026 at Neyland Stadium