Three home games to start, then the schedule turns on a dime. The 2026 Vanderbilt football schedule opens soft in Nashville before sending the Commodores to Auburn and Georgia back to back — a two-week gut check that lands before October even gets going.
2026 Vanderbilt Football Schedule
| Day | Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | Sep. 5 | Austin Peay Governors | FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN | 7:00pm ET | SECN+ |
| Saturday | Sep. 12 | Delaware Blue Hens | FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN | 4:15pm ET | SECN |
| Saturday | Sep. 19 | NC State Wolfpack | FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN | 12:45pm ET | SECN |
| Saturday | Sep. 26 | at Auburn Tigers | Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, AL | 3:30-4:30pm ET | TV TBA |
| Saturday | Oct. 3 | at Georgia Bulldogs | Sanford Stadium, Athens, GA | 12:00-1:00pm ET | TV TBA |
| Saturday | Oct. 10 | Ole Miss Rebels | FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN | 3:30-8:00pm ET | TV TBA |
| Saturday | Oct. 17 | Arkansas Razorbacks (HC) | FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN | 3:30-8:00pm ET | TV TBA |
| Saturday | Oct. 24 | at Kentucky Wildcats | Kroger Field, Lexington, KY | 6:00-8:00pm ET | TV TBA |
| Saturday | Oct. 31 | OFF | |||
| Saturday | Nov. 7 | at Mississippi State Bulldogs | Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville, MS | 3:30-8:00pm ET | TV TBA |
| Saturday | Nov. 14 | Alabama Crimson Tide | FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN | 12:00-1:00pm ET | TV TBA |
| Saturday | Nov. 21 | at Florida Gators | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, FL | 12:00-1:00pm ET | TV TBA |
| Saturday | Nov. 28 | Tennessee Volunteers | FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN | 6:00-8:00pm ET | TV TBA |
| Saturday | Dec. 5 | SEC Championship | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA | 4:00pm ET | ABC |
A Soft Open, Then a Reality Check
Austin Peay, Delaware, and NC State — three home games to open the year, and only the Wolfpack really counts as a Power Four test. It’s about as gentle a September as this program gets. Then it isn’t gentle at all. Auburn on the road, followed immediately by a trip to Athens against a Georgia team ranked nationally. Two true road tests against SEC competition in back-to-back weeks, right after three home wins that may or may not mean much.
October Doesn’t Let Up Either
Ole Miss comes to Nashville ranked in the top 10, and Vanderbilt’s own Homecoming crowd shows up the following week against Arkansas — no easy assignment there either. Then it’s back on the road to Lexington to face Kentucky before the bye finally arrives on Oct. 31. Four ranked-or-rival games inside a five-week stretch is a brutal ask for any program still finding its footing in this league.
Alabama at Home, Tennessee to Close
Mississippi State on the road opens November, then Alabama — ranked, at home, in front of what should be a loud FirstBank Stadium crowd looking for the kind of win that changes a program’s trajectory. A trip to Florida follows, and the regular season wraps against Tennessee back in Nashville. Split those last four and this is a bowl-eligible team. Lose most of them and it’s a long offseason in Nashville.
The Bottom Line
Georgia, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Tennessee — four ranked opponents dot the Vanderbilt SEC schedule 2026, and Auburn adds a fifth quality test even without a number next to its name. Seven Vanderbilt football home games in 2026 include Ole Miss, Arkansas, and Alabama, which gives this team a real shot to build a case at FirstBank Stadium. The road trips to Auburn, Georgia, and Kentucky in a compressed stretch will say the most about where this program actually stands.
FAQ
Q: When does Vanderbilt football play its first game in 2026?
A: Vanderbilt opens the 2026 Vanderbilt football schedule at home against Austin Peay on Saturday, September 5, at FirstBank Stadium.
Q: When is Vanderbilt vs Alabama 2026?
A: Vanderbilt vs Alabama 2026 is set for Saturday, November 14, at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, with Alabama entering as the team per source rankings.
Q: How many home games does Vanderbilt play in 2026?
A: Vanderbilt has seven Vanderbilt football home games in 2026 at FirstBank Stadium: Austin Peay, Delaware, NC State, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Alabama, and Tennessee.
Q: What is Vanderbilt’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The three-week run from Auburn on the road through Georgia on the road and into a home date against Ole Miss — September 26 through October 10 — is the toughest stretch on the Vanderbilt SEC schedule 2026, with Arkansas and Kentucky still to come immediately after.
