A key early SEC matchup takes place Tuesday night as the Texas Longhorns head to Knoxville to face the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena. Both teams enter the game searching for their first conference win after opening SEC play with losses over the weekend.
Texas comes in at 9-5 overall and 0-1 in league play after an overtime loss at home to Mississippi State. Tennessee is also 0-1 in the SEC, falling on the road at Arkansas, and sits at 10-4 on the season.
Texas showed some momentum late in nonconference play with wins over Le Moyne and Maryland Eastern Shore, but that stretch came to an abrupt halt with the overtime loss to Mississippi State. The Longhorns have now dropped five games this season, with losses also coming against UConn, Virginia, Arizona State, and Duke.
Consistency has been the biggest issue. Texas has shown flashes of being competitive against high-level opponents, but execution late in games has been a problem. That margin for error only shrinks in SEC play.
The challenge does not ease after this one, either. Texas remains on the road following Tuesday night, with a difficult matchup looming against a Alabama Crimson Tide squad coached by Nate Oats.
Tennessee’s loss at Arkansas was a frustrating one. The Volunteers trailed by just one point late in the first half, but the second half swung decisively in the Razorbacks’ favor. That defeat marked Tennessee’s fourth of the season.
The Volunteers’ other losses have come against Kansas, Syracuse, and Illinois, all quality opponents. Still, starting SEC play 0-2 would put early pressure on a team with postseason expectations.
Head coach Rick Barnes knows this Texas program well, having spent years building it before moving on to Knoxville. Tennessee now begins a demanding stretch, with a road trip to face the defending national champion Florida Gators coming up this weekend.
Texas vs. Tennessee: When and Where
Date: Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Time: 8:00 p.m. CT
Location: Thompson-Boling Arena, Knoxville, Tennessee
Texas vs. Tennessee: TV and Streaming Info
TV: ESPN
Streaming: FuboTV
Texas vs. Tennessee Betting Odds
- Spread: Texas Longhorns +10.5, Tennessee Volunteers -10.5
- Moneyline: Texas Longhorns +470, Tennessee Volunteers -650
- Total: 152.5
Texas vs. Tennessee Series History
- All-Time Series: Tennessee leads 7-4
- Last Meeting: Tennessee won 83-72 on March 14, 2025
Projected Starting Lineups
Texas Longhorns
- #3 Dallyn Swain – 16.4 PPG, 7.4 RPG
- #14 Matas Vokietaitis – 16.1 PPG
- #0 Jordan Pope – 12.9 PPG
- #12 Tramon Mark – 12.1 PPG
- #5 Camden Heide – 6.2 PPG
Key note: Simeon Wilcher (#7) provides a scoring punch off the bench, averaging 9.1 points per game.
Tennessee Volunteers
- #0 Ja’Kobi Gillespie – 17.6 PPG
- #10 Nate Ament – 15.2 PPG
- #34 Felix Okpara – 7.4 PPG
- #3 Bishop Boswell – 5.9 PPG
- #6 Dewayne Brown – 5.2 PPG
Key note: J.P. Estrella (#13) leads Tennessee’s bench production at 10.4 points per game.
Game Outlook
The central question for Texas is whether this roster is ready to grind through a loaded SEC schedule. The talent is there, but the results have been uneven, and close losses are beginning to pile up.
For Tennessee, urgency is already present. Falling to 0-2 in conference play would be a tough position to climb out of, especially with another major road test ahead. Barnes understands the stakes and understands Texas better than most.
With the home crowd behind them and more consistency on the defensive end, Tennessee has a clear opportunity to reestablish itself Tuesday night. How Texas responds in this environment will say a lot about where the Longhorns are headed as SEC play continues.