Heading into year two of the Josh Heupel era, Tennessee has a full slate of SEC opponents as well as some strong non-conference games. The Vols returned to bowl eligibility last season, and they’ll look to have similar success and more this season.

Let’s take a look at the Vols’ 2022 opponents.

Ball State – Sept. 1

A season ago, Ball State head coach Mike Neu led the Cardinals to their second best record since rejoining the team in 2016. Ball State reached its second bowl game under Neu, losing to Georgia State.

Before that, Ball State went 7-1 in a COVID-shortened season. It’s safe to say that the Cardinals are trending upward.

The matchup between Tennessee and Ball State will mark the first time the two teams have played one another in football.

Tennessee at Pitt – Sept. 10

Pitt got the best of Tennessee in Knoxville last season and went on to have a very successful 11-3 season. Pitt won the ACC Championship and lost its bowl game to Michigan.

Just like last season, Tennessee’s matchup with Pitt is its toughest non-conference game and will be an early test for Heupel’s squad.

Likely coming off a win in week one, this early road test will give the Vols a chance to see where their team is at and possibly prove itself as top team in the SEC before their first conference game.

Akron – Sept. 17

Akron won just two games last season, marking its fourth straight losing season. Needless to say, the Zips are looking to turn things around under new head coach Joe Moorhead.

Moorhead brings Power Five experience that could help point Akron in the right direction this season, and he will be tested early. Akron will face Michigan State and Tennessee in back-to-back weeks.

The Vols matchup with the Zips is the first time the two teams have played in a decade, and it should be a confidence booster for Tennessee heading into its first SEC matchup in week four.

Florida – Sept. 24

The Tennessee-Florida rivalry is undoubtedly one of the biggest in college football, but it hasn’t gone the Vols’ way for most of this century. Florida has won 16 out of the last 17, and last season’s matchup was a blowout win for the Gators.

To say that a win for Josh Heupel would be huge is an understatement.

Not only would a win earn Heupel a lot more respect around the SEC, it would also give the Vols a chance to potentially be 4-0 heading into a huge matchup in week five against LSU.

Tennessee at LSU – Oct. 8

Tennessee’s road matchup with LSU is game two of a brutal three game stretch. It is a game that could go either way.

The Tigers are coming off of a forgettable two year stretch, looking to return to the glory days of Joe Burrow in 2019 under new head coach Brian Kelly.

The Vols and Tigers are in similar boats heading into the 2022 season. Both are mid-level SEC teams looking to get over the hump and prove themselves in the league. This game will be a big one for both teams.

Alabama – Oct. 15

The Tennessee-Alabama rivalry, similar to Florida, is one that has not gone well for Tennessee this century. Alabama has won the last 15, and only a few games in that span have been close.

Tennessee showed some promise in last year’s contest, trailing by just a touchdown heading into the fourth quarter. However, Alabama kept its win streak alive going on a 28-7 run to close out the game.

Vol fans are always hopeful heading into the Third Saturday of October, but this year there could be a good reason for that. Alabama has the edge in this one, but expect the Vols to hold their own.

UT-Martin – Oct. 22

Tennessee will get a brief reprieve from a tough SEC stretch in its homecoming matchup with UT-Martin, the second all-time meeting between these two schools. Tennessee won the first matchup by a lopsided 50-0 final at Martin in 2010.

Tennessee should not expect a 50-point win — the Skyhawks won 10 games a year ago and finished first in the Ohio Valley Conference — but it is the homecoming matchup for a reason. As long as the Vols do not hurt themselves, they should have no trouble dispatching Martin on a festive weekend in Knoxville.

Kentucky – Oct. 29

The Vols will end a three-game homestand with their closest rival Kentucky to close the month of August. Tennessee’s matchup with the Wildcats a year ago was one of its most memorable of the season, as the Vols edged out a three-point victory over a ranked Kentucky team in Lexington.

The Vols have been historically good against Kentucky at home, owning a lifetime 43-11-6 record versus the Wildcats in Knoxville. This matchup will be one of a handful for the Vols that will determine whether or not they surpass last year’s seven wins. On paper it’s a winnable game, but will Tennessee take advantage? Only time will tell.

Tennessee at Georgia – Nov. 5

One of the two hardest games on the schedule, Tennessee opens the month of November at Sanford Stadium in Athens. The Vols played surprisingly well against Georgia last season — they were one of only a handful of teams to score multiple touchdowns against an historic Georgia defense — but the Bulldogs went on to win the National Championship, blowing past rival Alabama in the title game.

Despite the Vols’ upward trend, they are not where they need to be as a program to realistically consider an upset over Georgia. Tennessee has lost its last five meetings with the Bulldogs, including its last two in Athens.

Missouri – Nov. 12

Tennessee will host Mizzou in its final home game of the 2022 season. After what will almost certainly be a road loss to Georgia to end the most challenging stretch of the year, the Vols can coast the rest of the way against the SEC bottom feeders, starting first with Mizzou and third-year head coach Eli Drinkwitz.

Tennessee blew out Mizzou in Columbia early last season, one of its two 28-point first quarter showings. The Vols ran for over 450 yards and five touchdowns in the win, easily dispatching an inferior team for its first SEC win of 2021.

The Vols have played only 10 games against Mizzou since it joined the SEC, but history is on their side. Tennessee has won the last three meetings and should have no trouble making it four in a row.

Tennessee at South Carolina – Nov. 19

A road trip to South Carolina will be an interesting matchup for the Vols in mid-November. The Gamecocks finished 2021 with the same 7-6 record that Tennessee did, but they were also under .500 in the SEC. Tennessee cruised past South Carolina in its SEC home-opener a season ago with a 25-point win.

Things are looking up, however, in Columbia, highlighted by the addition of redshirt junior quarterback Spencer Rattler. In an unpredictable offseason, Rattler transferred to South Carolina from Oklahoma after its head coach Lincoln Riley went west to USC. Rattler joins former Sooner assistant and current Carolina head coach Shane Beamer in Columbia.

Rattler has as much potential as any quarterback in the conference, but it will be a question as to whether or not he lives up to it. If he does, this will be a matchup to circle on Tennessee’s schedule.

Tennessee at Vanderbilt – Nov. 26

Dawned with a new logo and plans to renovate Vanderbilt Stadium after 100 years of operation, the Commodores welcome the Vols in what is one of college football’s oldest — though not exactly most competitive — rivalries.

Tennessee has owned its in-state rival over the 129 years of meetings, currently leading the all-time series 78-32-5. Most recently, the Vols trounced the Commodores 45-21 in their regular-season finale a year ago, putting on the final touches for their first bowl berth in two seasons.

Vanderbilt has exceeded expectations early by dispatching Hawaii to open its season, but the Commodores have been at the bottom of the SEC for years for a reason. Come the final week of the season, there should be a clear talent gap between these two teams, and the Vols can put the finishing touches on what looks to be a promising campaign.