The college basketball season has only been over for a month now, but Tennessee fans are already stoked for the 2026-27 season. Rick Barnes has been busy loading up on talent in the transfer portal, and this could end up being the coach’s most talented roster ever.
The 2026-27 season is also setting up to have a very interesting slate of games for the Vols. On Wednesday night, Barnes revealed that the Vols will take on the Michigan State Spartans at home in a non-conference clash. Barnes announced the matchup during the Big Orange Caravan in Nashville.
We don’t know yet when the game will take place, as the full schedule hasn’t been revealed, but we do know about a few other non-conference matchups as well.
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We already know the Vols will play a road game at Purdue, will play three games in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, will play one game in the ACC-SEC Challenge, and will have a matchup against NC State, and former assistant coach Justin Gainey, in Nashville.
This Michigan State clash could be the biggest non-conference game of the season, though. Tom Izzo’s squad is coming off a 27-win season and is perpetually in the mix come March. Barnes and Izzo are also known to be close friends, so you know both coaches would love to pick up a signature win in this one.
The Vols and Spartans have not played since the 2010 Elite Eight. Overall, the two stories programs have met seven times, with the Spartans winning five of those, including the most recent three.
