Duke's exhibition game at Tennessee basketball can be watched by fans everywhere

The Duke Blue Devils have one of the most impressive (and challenging) schedules ahead of them as they fly closer to the upcoming college basketball season.

Before the season actually starts, though, the Blue Devils have a few exhibition games, including a home matchup against the UCF Knights as well as a road trip to Knoxville to take on the Tennessee Volunteers.

When Duke visits the Vols at the end of the month, it will be broadcast on national television, an uncommon practice for an exhibition game (even between two blue-blood programs).

How to watch Duke vs. Tennessee men's basketball

• Date & Time: Sunday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. ET
• Location: Food City Center, Knoxville, TN
• TV & Streaming: ESPN2

Despite the game not carrying any actual weight in the 2025-26 season, the matchup between the two powerhouse men's basketball teams will be aired on ESPN2, one of the baseline channels included with any ESPN subscription.

The two teams haven't played since the 2022-23 season, when they met in the NCAA Tournament and the Volunteers walked away with a 65-52 victory to move on to the Sweet 16.

Throughout their history, Duke and Tennessee have split games, winning eight apiece, with the first game going the way of the Blue Devils in 1911.

While preseason polls have yet to be finalized, when ESPN released its latest Top 25 rankings, Duke was No. 12 and Tennessee was No. 23 in the country, a far cry from where the two teams finished last season.

At the end of the 2024-25 season, the Blue Devils were No. 3 in the country after making a trip to the Final Four and finishing 35-4 overall. The Volunteers finished last year at No. 5 in the nation with a 30-8 overall record.

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer has built one of the most difficult non-conference schedules of the year, and it only just begins with the Blue Devils' exhibition games against UCF and Tennessee.