Michigan State at Tennessee Date Announced as Spartans' Brutal Non-Conference Schedule Takes Shape

We already knew the Spartans were heading to Tennessee to take on the Volunteers. While we knew the matchup was being set up between the two programs, the biggest question was when it would take place. Where would it fall on an already crazy fall schedule that will see Michigan State's basketball, football and hockey teams all playing throughout the season?

Now we know.

And Michigan State's schedule continues its yearly tradition of seeing just how difficult Tom Izzo can make things on his team before the NCAA Tournament even begins.

It was announced Friday morning that the matchup between the Michigan State Spartans and Tennessee Volunteers is set to be played in Knoxville on Nov. 17. It marks another true road test for Michigan State against a projected top-30 opponent.

Tennessee is coming off a fantastic NCAA Tournament run after entering on shaky ground as the No. 6 seed in the Midwest Region. The Volunteers defeated one of the hottest teams in the country in Miami (OH) before upsetting No. 3 seed Virginia and No. 2 seed Iowa State. Their season finally came to an end against the eventual national champion Michigan Wolverines.

The Spartans made it to the Sweet 16 before falling to eventual runner-up UConn, but Michigan State did retain Jeremy Fears Jr., its outstanding point guard who enters the season as the betting favorite to win Big Ten Player of the Year and the Wooden Award, given annually to the nation's top college basketball player.

This true road matchup will provide Michigan State with another early measuring stick in the middle of November. It's elite television, another elite opponent, and one more opportunity for the Spartans to test themselves against one of the nation's best. Tennessee joins a daunting list that already includes Duke, Arkansas, Illinois, Michigan, Purdue and several other top programs on the schedule.

So let's take a quick look at the non-conference dates that have been finalized for Michigan State so far.

Things get underway in late October when the Spartans face another projected top-30 team, Marquette, in an exhibition on Sunday, Oct. 25. It may not count in the standings, but these two programs have enough history that both sides will likely treat it with a little more intensity than the typical exhibition game.

The first regular-season matchup we know of comes against the preseason No. 2 team in the country, the Duke Blue Devils.

The annual Duke-Michigan State showdown is scheduled for Nov. 10, giving fans one of the biggest games of the season almost immediately. In fact, the matchup comes just two days after the Michigan-Michigan State football rivalry game on Nov. 7. Spartans fans will have two of the biggest events on the athletic calendar packed into one short stretch, and it could either send excitement through East Lansing or make for a long week.

Now we know that just one week after facing Duke, Michigan State will head to Knoxville to take on Tennessee on Nov. 17.

Nine days later, Thanksgiving week brings another marquee matchup as the Spartans take on John Calipari and the Arkansas Razorbacks on Nov. 26. Turkey, Lions football and Michigan State basketball has become a pretty great holiday tradition.

Less than a month later, the Spartans travel to California to face the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Dec. 19.

We also know there will be a game around Christmas between Michigan State and Oakland, where Tom Izzo and Greg Kampe will likely continue their annual tradition of wearing Christmas sweaters on the sidelines.

The final exhibition date has not yet been announced, but we know it will feature a rematch with UConn after last season's Sweet 16 meeting.

Tom Izzo has never believed in giving his team a cakewalk before Big Ten play begins. Instead, he builds his teams by throwing them into the fire, letting them battle through adversity, and watching them come out stronger.

It's been that way for years, and it doesn't look like it's changing anytime soon. Iron sharpens iron, and there's no doubt the Spartans will once again be tested by an iron-clad group of opponents throughout the 2026-27 season.