Tennessee has settled its quarterback race, and the Vols are turning the offense over to freshman Faizon Brandon.
The No. 20 team in the country picked Brandon to start with less than two weeks left before the season opener against Furman, according to sources who spoke to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. It’s a significant call for a player who arrived with plenty of buzz and won the job by outplaying sophomore George MacIntyre in scrimmages throughout the offseason and fall camp.
Brandon comes in with a heavy resume for a freshman. He was a five-star recruit and the No. 2 quarterback in the 2026 signing class, per 247Sports.
In high school, he led Grimsley (N.C.) to back-to-back state titles in 2024 and 2025 and finished with a 35-1 record as a starter. Over his prep career, he threw 90 touchdown passes against just 10 interceptions, with four of those picks coming as a freshman in a backup role.
There’s no soft landing waiting for him once the opener passes. Brandon will get his first start on Sept. 5 against Furman, then Tennessee heads to Georgia Tech on Sept. 12 before returning home for Kennesaw State on Sept.
- After that, the pressure ramps up fast with No.
5 Texas coming to Knoxville on Sept. 26 for the SEC opener.
And that’s just the start of a brutal run. Tennessee’s schedule includes Auburn, Arkansas, No.
13 Alabama, South Carolina, Kentucky, No. 8 Texas A&M, No.
11 LSU and Vanderbilt after that. The Vols face four teams ranked in the top 15 of the preseason AP poll, and even some of the games that look more manageable - Arkansas and South Carolina - come on the road.
That matters because Tennessee has already been burned in those spots. The 2022 Volunteers were upset by South Carolina, and the 2024 College Football Playoff team lost at Arkansas.
For a quarterback making his first college start, that’s a steep ask. Tennessee may end up living or dying by how quickly Brandon adjusts.
The one thing working in his favor is the supporting cast around him. On paper, the offense looks built to help a young quarterback settle in.
Tennessee brings back 74% of its offensive line snaps, and that group could be among the best in the nation. David Sanders Jr., an SEC All-Freshman honoree last season, is set to protect the blind side at left tackle, while center Sam Pendleton brings 20 career starts.
The skill talent is there too. Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley both went over 800 receiving yards last season, and five-star freshman TK Keys joins that room in 2026. In the backfield, DeSean Bishop is back after putting up 1,211 yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns a year ago.
Overall, Tennessee returns 61% of its offensive snaps from last season, which ranks ninth nationally. That doesn’t erase the challenge of handing the offense to a first-time starter in the middle of a nine-game SEC schedule, but it gives Brandon a real chance to grow into the job.
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Georgia Tech May Be Getting A Bigger Tight End Boost Than Expected
Kevin Roche arrived at Georgia Tech last season as a freshman tight end and saw only limited action, but the spring and offseason gave him a chance to make a quieter kind of leap. Working with tight ends coach Nathan Brock and offensive coordinator George Godsey, Roche focused on the parts of the position that often decide whether a young player stays on the field: blocking technique, footwork and strength.
The early signs are encouraging because Roche did not have to go through the adjustment alone. Senior teammates helped bring him along, and the extra work has left him more confident heading into his second season. For a Georgia Tech offense that values tight end contribution in more than just name value, Roche now looks like a player who could offer more than expected. [Read more 🡒]