According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the upcoming home and home football series between Nebraska and Tennessee is being canceled. The series was scheduled to be played in Lincoln in 2026 with the return game in Knoxville in 2027, but will no longer happen.
Nebraska reportedly wanted eight home games in 2027, which was the main issue for the cancellation, as the Huskers are expecting reduced stadium capacity because of renovations.
Tennessee athletic director Danny White made sure to clear up any confusion that this was something that both programs wanted.
Major Future Home-and-Home Football Series Cancelled
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the highly anticipated home-and-home football series between Nebraska and Tennessee has been canceled. Initially scheduled to take place in 2026 in Lincoln, with the return game in Knoxville in 2027, the matchup will no longer occur.
The cancellation stems from Nebraska’s request to have eight home games in 2027, a demand linked to expected stadium capacity reductions due to ongoing renovations. Tennessee athletic director Danny White quickly addressed the issue, clarifying that Nebraska made the final decision.
“Correction: Tennessee is not canceling this series. Nebraska did,” White tweeted on Friday morning. “We are very disappointed that they didn’t want to play these games, especially this close to 2026.”
This cancellation leaves Tennessee with just one nonconference game on the 2026 schedule, a September 5 matchup against Furman. In 2027, their schedule now only includes a September 18 game against Western Michigan.
For Nebraska, however, their schedules remain largely unaffected. Their 2026 conference slate is set, along with nonconference games against Ohio on September 5 and North Dakota on September 19. Additionally, the 2027 schedule still features a Big Ten lineup and a nonconference game against Northern Illinois on September 4. Despite the cancellation, Nebraska’s plans remain intact, leaving Tennessee to adjust their future plans for 2026 and beyond.
“Correction: Tennessee is not canceling this series. Nebraska did,” White tweeted on Friday morning. “We are very disappointed that they didn’t want to play these games, especially this close to 2026.”
The cancellation leaves Tennessee with just one scheduled nonconference game in 2026, as the Furman Paladins are scheduled to come to Knoxville on September 5 of that year. In 2027, the Volunteers now just have a September 18 matchup against Western Michigan on the schedule.
As for Nebraska, the slate is still pretty full. Their entire 2026 conference schedule is already in place, and their nonconference games against Ohio (September 5) and North Dakota (September 19) are still intact. In 2027, they’ve got the Big Ten slate and now one planned nonconference matchup against NIU (September 4).
