Top 4 confirmed opponents on Tennessee Basketball's 2025-26 non-con schedule

Last season was another outstanding campaign for the Tennessee Basketball Team, with a total of 30 wins and a run to the Elite Eight. They had some big wins, including in the non-con slate against the likes of Louisville, Baylor, and Illinois.

The Vols are poised to be an SEC contender once again, and they have another strong non-conference slate, including a three-game appearance in the Players Era Festival. Along with some rematches from last year, here’s a look at the top four confirmed opponents for the Vols to face.

4. Syracuse Orange (A)

Next year could be a breakthrough year for the Orange, as they bring back key starters such as Donnie Freeman and JJ Starling, along with adding Georgia Tech point guard transfer Naithan George. If incoming top-30 guard prospect Kiyan Anthony can give them some quality scoring production, Syracuse could be a darkhorse contender in the ACC.

3. Illinois Fighting Illini (N)

Despite losing a couple of eventual first-round NBA Draft picks, Illinois will still have plenty of firepower. Starting center Tomislav Ivisic is joined by his brother and Arkansas transfer, Zvonimir Ivisic. Cal transfer Andrej Stojakovic averaged nearly 18 ppg at the ACC level, while Kylan Boswell is back as one of the better two-way guards in the Big Ten. If freshmen Mihhailo Petrovic and David Mirkovic can provide some production, then the Illini will remain top-25 caliber.

2. Louisville Cardinals (H)

As good as Louisville was in Coach Pat Kelsey’s first year with the program, a case can be made that they could be even better next year. They landed two of the top transfers in the portal in sharpshooters, Isaac McKneely (UVA) and Ryan Conwell (Xavier). 5-star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. could be a new star, while Kasean Pryor returns after last year’s season-ending injury. Look for this team to be one of the most potent offenses in the nation.

1. Houston Cougars (N)

The national championship runner-up brings back the starting backcourt duo of Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp. There’s also an incoming top-3 overall class, led by 5-star prospects Chris Cenac Jr. and Isiah Harwell. Coach Kelvin Sampson always has Houston as a national contender, and with even more raw talent, they’re going to be as hard to defeat as ever.