Tennessee and Texas will square off in the first regular-season matchup as conference foes when the No. 3/4 Longhorns visit Lindsey Nelson Stadium for a three-game series this weekend starting on Friday night at 6:30 p.m.
This weekend will mark the final home series of the regular season for the Volunteers as they travel to Oklahoma next week for their final weekend series of the year before the SEC Tournament begins in Hoover the following week.
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Game 1 – Friday (6:30 pm on SEC Network+): UT: RHP Tegan Kuhns (11 GS, 3-4, 3.46 ERA)TX: LHP Dylan Volantis (11 GS, 7-0, 1.87 ERA)Game 2 – Saturday (6 pm on SEC Network+):UT: LHP Evan Blanco (12 GS, 5-3, 4.36 ERA)TX: RHP Ruger Riojas (12 GS, 5-2, 3.71 ERA)Game 3 – Sunday (12 pm on ESPN2):UT: RHP Landon Mack (12 GS, 4-4, 4.67 ERA)TX: LHP Luke Harrison (12 GS, 5-2, 4.35 ERA)
SERIES HISTORY
Vols vs. Longhorns
Overall: Tennessee leads, 3-2 in Knoxville: No Meetingsin Austin: No Meetings at Neutral Sites: Tennessee leads, 3-2
Last Meeting: May 22, 2025 (W, 7-5 in 12 inn. – Hoover, Ala.)
All five of the prior meetings between the Vols and Longhorns have come at neutral sites, including an instant classic in the quarterfinals of the last year's SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama.
Tennessee rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the middle innings and outlasted top-seeded Texas in a 12-inning thriller for a 7-5 victory, powered by an incredible relief outing from Brandon Arvidson and a clutch two-run double by Gavin Kilen in extra innings.
OPPONENT SCOUT
No. 3/4 Texas Longhorns (36-10, 15-8 SEC)
- 2025 Record: 44-14 (22-8 SEC)
- 2025 Postseason: NCAA Austin Regional (2-2)
- 2026 SEC Preseason Poll: 2nd
- Head Coach: Jim SchlossnagleOverall Record: 1,026-479 (25th year)Record at Texas: 80-24 (2nd year)
- Overall Record: 1,026-479 (25th year)
- Record at Texas: 80-24 (2nd year)
- Preseason All-Conference Selections (3):SP Dylan Volantis (1st Team) | C Carson Tinney (2nd Team) | 2B Ethan Mendoza (2nd Team)
- SP Dylan Volantis (1st Team) | C Carson Tinney (2nd Team) | 2B Ethan Mendoza (2nd Team)
The Longhorns have been one of the nation's most consistent teams since the start of the season and enter this weekend's series tied for second in the SEC standings with Texas A&M. Texas is bolstered by one of the country's deepest pitching staffs that ranks 11th in the NCAA and second in the SEC with a 3.83 ERA.