Tennessee
Early 2026 Tennessee High School Football 2026 Predictions
With spring practice lurking just beyiond the horizon, the high school football regular season is still more than four months away. As teams around the state of Tennessee prepare to officially start the 2026 season, High School on SI writer Jay Pace predicts which teams will bring home a state championship in each of Tennessee’s nine classifications.
The Quest For The Golden Ball
Class 1A
South Pittsburg Pirates
South Pittsburg doesn’t just win in Class 1A—it dominates. With a loaded roster and no real challenger in sight, the Pirates aren’t defending a title as much as they’re chasing history. Led by Florida St, commit, Dayon Cooper and a typically nasty Pirate defense, SPHS makes history in 2026, as it wins back-to-back state titles for the first time ever.
Class 2A
Marion County Warriors
The Warriors return to championship form in 2026 after falling short in their bid to win back-to-back state titles, following a 20-7 loss to Huntingdon in last season’s BlueCross Bowl 2A championship game.
The return of senior quarterback Zaiden Humphreys and an experienced roster still smarting from that loss will be the difference in 2026.
Class 3A
Westview Chargers
Is there really any question here? Quarterback Graham Simpson and running back Asa Barnes return after record-setting seasons that ended with a perfect 15-0 record and a state championship. With the addition of some key transfers this off-season, the 2026 edition may be better than the 2025 group that outscored its opponents 707-177. Chargers roll again in 2026.
Class 4A
Alcoa Tornadoes
Death, taxes and Alcoa. The Tornadoes have won 11 straight state titles and 19 overall in the past 22 seasons. Alcoa is without peer in the state of Tennessee when it comes to championship programs. Classified as a 4A school, Alcoa could compete for a championship in Class 6A — and that is not an exaggeration.. QB Thomas Manu and WR Jamir Dean return as Alcoa roars to a 12th straight state title.
Class 5A
Page Patriots
After four straight losses in the 5A championship game, coach Charles Rathbone and the Patriots finally exorcised their championship-game demons to claim their first state title in school history by knocking off defending 5A champion Sevier County 21-14.
Page proved it can close the deal and with that barrier now gone, the Patriots don’t stall, they build on it
Class 6A
Oakland Patriots
For the most dominant 6A program in state history, the beat rolls on in 2026 for Coach Kevin Creasy’s Patriots. Oakland has won two straight class 6A titles and eight of the last 11. Creasy, who enters his 19th season as a head coach, has won nine state championships across three different programs, beginning with Trousdale County in 2008.
Despite losing several key contributors from last years title team, no one appears capable of stopping an Oakland three-peat in 2026.
Division II
Class 1A
Nashville Christian Eagles
Despite losing the Gatorade Player of the Year in five-star quarterback Jared Curtis (Vanderbilt), and all-state running back TJ Ward (TCU), the Eagles are the favorites to bring home a gold ball once again in 2026.
Led by junior quarterback Tate Mathis and senior RB/WR Kaden Grigsby, the Eagles remain a formidable foe in Year 1 of the post-Jared Curtis era. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best — and until that happens, Nashville Christian remains the favorite.
Class 2A
Battleground Academy Wildcats
When Bobby Bentley arrived in Franklin three years ago, he inherited a program that hadn’t finished above .500 in nearly five years. The Wildcats were bad.
How bad was it? Bentley once recalled a waitress at a local restaurant openly mocking the program shortly after he took over.
Heading into his third season at Battleground Academy, the Wildcats have gone from a punchline to a perennial powerhouse. In two seasons under Bentley, they are 24-4 and the reigning champions in Division II-AA.
The roster is loaded with elite talent hungry to prove last year was no fluke. Right now, II-AA is Battleground Academy’s world, and everyone else is just living in it.
Class 3A
Brentwood Academy Eagles
With apologies to Baylor, Brentwood Academy is the team to beat in the state’s most competitive classification.
After losing a 28-24 heartbreaker in last year’s BlueCross Bowl to Baylor, Brentwood has spent the offseason significantly upgrading an already loaded roster.
The message is clear: It’s championship or bust for coach Paul Wade’s Eagles in 2026. Anything less will be considered a failure.
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Fingerprints of enslaved person found in brick at Blount Mansion
Fingerprints of enslaved person found in brick at Blount Mansion
Knoxville News Sentinel
Much to-do is being made of America’s 250th birthday, as well it should.
But did you know June 1 is Tennessee’s 230th birthday?
It was on June 1, 1796, that President George Washington signed a bill granting Tennessee immediate admission as the 16th state. Gov. John Sevier was chosen to lead the new state, and Knoxville was picked as its first capital.
A decade before, settlers west of the Appalachian mountains had sought admission to the union for the state of Franklin. But despite four years of existence, Franklin never gained federal approval.
Tennessee’s first official state constitution – drafted by 55 delegates in Knoxville in 1796 – is on display at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.
It was drafted in the home of William Blount, which still stands on West Hill Avenue in downtown Knoxville.
Tennessee actually has three state constitutions: the first, adopted in 1796, a revision adopted in 1834 to update the taxation and court systems, and the 1870 constitution, adopted after the Civil War.
The 1870 constitution permanently abolished slavery in Tennessee and remains the state’s fundamental charter.
Celebrate Tennessee’s birthday in Knoxville
Marble Springs State Historic Site, home of Gov. John Sevier, will have a two-day free party for Tennessee’s Statehood Day.
Tennessee Field Day for kids (or kids at heart) is noon-5 p.m. May 29 and Statehood Day is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 30. Field Day explores history through many aspects and activities, and Statehood Day focuses more on lectures, demonstrations, music, line dancing and food.
The historic buildings and learning center are at 1200 W. Gov. John Sevier Highway in Knoxville.
Look back at how Tennessee was founded
1785-1789: Settlers establish independent systems of government and petition to become a state, but they fail to gain recognition for the state of Franklin. The territory is again under the control of North Carolina.
1789: North Carolina ratifies the United States Constitution and cedes its Tennessee lands to the federal government. It is designated as the “Territory of the United States, South of the River Ohio,” more commonly known as the “Southwest Territory.” William Blount is appointed by George Washington to be governor. Early governance of the territory is focused on making treaties with Native Americans, securing settlers from attacks and encouraging settlement. Warfare with Native American tribes increases through the 1790s.
1792: Knoxville is selected as the capital of the Southwest Territory.
January 1796: Gov. William Blount calls for a constitutional convention in Knoxville to begin the process of joining the Union. The delegates form an organized government and constitution before applying to Congress for admission to the Union. The delegates select John Sevier as governor, William Blount and William Cocke as senators and Andrew Jackson as representative.
June 1, 1796: Tennessee becomes the 16th state in America. Knoxville remains the capital until 1812.
1812: Tennessee earns its nickname “The Volunteer State” during the War of 1812 because it sends 1,500 volunteer soldiers.
1812-1816: Nashville is Tennessee’s capital.
1817-1818: Knoxville is Tennessee’s capital again.
1818-1826: Murfreesboro is the capital of Tennessee.
1826-present day: Nashville becomes – and remains – the capital of Tennessee.
The Tennessee Volunteers are constantly getting players in the MLB and the MILB farm system, which is the developmental program that all rookies and young players (a.k.a. prospects) start off in. One of the players who has been in the farm system since being drafted is Nate Snead, who was with the Tennessee Vols just last season as a pitcher, and one of the better pitchers on the Tennessee roster.
Nate Snead is one of the better players to come through the Tennessee program as a reliever, and he is one of the better pitchers when it comes to his fastball, as he throws what many would confirm to be “gas.”
Nate Snead Gets Called Up
Snead was in Single-A to start his career, but he is now on his way up, as he is moving up to Double-A after a great start to his career. He is heading to the Rocket City Trash Pandas, which is an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. This would mean he is in the same farm system that both Christian Moore and Ben Joyce recently had to come through, and is one of the better players in the farm system for the Angels, anyway.
He currently holds an ERA of 2.80, which is great considering he has pitched 35.1 innings. He holds a win-loss record of 3-3, and also has a total of 39 strikeouts, which would mean he is averaging more than a strikeout every inning he pitches. He is also giving up less than a hit an inning, which is where he should be in order to get called up.
This decision doesn’t seem rushed, and it doesn’t seem that this is going to backfire. He will likely finish his season in Double-A, although a great stretch could lead to him being fast-tracked to Triple-A, the final team before the majors.
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Patrick Murphy is confident in Alabama softball underclassmen on big stage at WCWS
Patrick Murphy is confident in his Alabama softball underclassmen on the big stage at the Women’s College World Series.
Two teams who feel fated to face off will play each to open each other’s respective Women’s College World Series.
The Texas Longhorns and Tennessee Lady Vols square up in a battle of block Ts and oranges, with two of the sport’s eminent aces potentially facing off in Teagan Kavan and Karlyn Pickens.
Texas, the defending national champions, defeated the Lady Vols 2-0 in last year’s semifinals to advance to the Women’s College World Series final. It’s a massive game for Tennessee, which is looking to avoid dropping into the loser’s bracket as it did in 2023 and 2025. The goods news? Oklahoma isn’t in this field, which is the team that dropped Tennessee in both of those showings.
With that being said, Texas is a softball superpower in its own right. Led by Katie Stewart, the Longhorns have some big bats. Tennessee will need production from its bats if it is to win this opening matchup.
Watch Texas vs Tennessee live with Fubo (free trial)
Here’s how to watch Texas-Tennessee in a high-profile matchup.
What channel is Texas vs Tennessee softball on today?
Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series will air on ESPN. Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app (with a cable login) and Fubo, the latter of which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
Watch 2026 NCAA Softball Tournament live with Fubo (free trial)
Texas vs Tennessee softball start time today
- Date: Thursday, May 28
- Time: 2:30 p.m. ET, 1:30 p.m. CT
- Location: Devon Park (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series is set to begin Thursday, May 28 at 2:30 p.m. ET.
WCWS bracket, schedule 2026
All times Eastern
Thursday, May 28
- Game 1: No. 11 Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State | Noon | ESPN (Fubo)
- Game 2: No. 7 Tennessee vs. No. 2 Texas | 2:30 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
- Game 3: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 8 UCLA | 7 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
- Game 4: No. 5 Arkansas vs. No. 4 Nebraska | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
Friday, May 29
- Game 5: 7 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
- Game 6: 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
Saturday, May 30
- Game 7: 3 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
- Game 8: 7 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
Sunday, May 31
- Game 9: 3 p.m. | ABC (Fubo)
- Game 10: 7 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
Monday, June 1
- Game 11: Noon | ESPN (Fubo)
- Game 12 (if necessary): 2:30 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
- Game 13: 7 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
- Game 14 (if necessary): 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2 (Fubo)
Wednesday, June 3
- WCWS finals Game 1: 8 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
Thursday, June 4
- WCWS finals Game 2: 8 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
Friday, June 5
WCWS finals Game 3 (if necessary): 8 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo)
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