KNOXVILLE (AP) — Tennessee has released a 2018 football schedule that includes a demanding five-game stretch of Southeastern Conference matchups that begins in late September and runs through the end of October.

The Volunteers will host Florida and Georgia on successive Saturdays in late September. After an off week, Tennessee will return to action by visiting Auburn, hosting Alabama and traveling to South Carolina on consecutive weekends.

Tennessee opens the 2018 season Sept. 1 against West Virginia in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The Vols' 2018 home opponents are East Tennessee State (Sept. 8), UTEP (Sept. 15), Florida (Sept. 22), Alabama (Oct. 20), Charlotte (Nov. 3), Kentucky (Nov. 10) and Missouri (Nov. 17).

Tennessee's road foes in 2018 are Georgia (Sept. 29), Auburn (Oct. 13), South Carolina (Oct. 27) and Vanderbilt (Nov. 24).