No. 18 Tennessee heads to Atlanta on Saturday night with a key piece of its defense back in the mix, and the Volunteers are stepping into a rare meeting with Georgia Tech at just the right time.
Senior linebacker Arion Carter is eligible to return after serving a one-game suspension for accepting a $427 payment, which he repaid, from a sports agent to cover a flight while he was exploring entering the NFL draft last offseason. His comeback gives Tennessee a boost as it prepares for its first FBS opponent of the season after opening with a 56-9 win over Furman.
This will be only the second time Tennessee and Georgia Tech have played in almost 40 years, and the Vols are visiting the Yellow Jackets in their home stadium for the first time since 1986. Tennessee won the most recent matchup in Atlanta, 42-41, on Sept. 4, 2017, though that game was played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Volunteers lead the all-time series 25-17-2.
Tennessee’s defense flashed plenty of bite in its opener, piling up seven sacks in its first game under new coordinator Jim Knowles. Carter’s return only adds to that outlook, especially as the Vols try to improve on a unit that finished tied for 91st last season while allowing 28.8 points per game and ranked 96th in touchdowns allowed with 46.
Carter has also tied his season to a cause bigger than football. He recently said he will donate $427 for each tackle he makes this year to Nashville area charities to support cancer research. His girlfriend, Mariah Bryant, is battling breast cancer.
"He's grown tremendously as a football player, as a leader," Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said of Carter. "I look at his success off the field, that's in our community, graduating with honors and how much of an impact he has inside our program."
The Vols got an immediate spark from freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon in Week 1. Brandon accounted for five touchdowns - three through the air and two on the ground - while completing 13 of 17 passes for 226 yards and rushing for 68 yards. His performance earned him SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
Georgia Tech coach Brent Key came away impressed.
"His poise was phenomenal," Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said of Brandon. "I mean, I knew he was a great talent, having seen him come up through high school. But to see his poise in the game and how he was able to manage and control the offense in whatever mode they were in - that's what was most impressive."
Georgia Tech is trying to recover from a rough opening loss to Colorado, a 14-13 defeat at home. First-year quarterback Alberto Mendoza, the younger brother of last year's Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, completed 17 of 23 passes for 237 yards but did not throw a touchdown or interception.
The Jackets had a late chance to steal the game before Aidan Birr’s 45-yard field-goal attempt was blocked. Their lone touchdown came on a 100-yard kickoff return from Rahkeem Smith, who was later named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Specialist of the Week on Tuesday.
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel also noted Georgia Tech’s physical style, especially the way Justice Haynes ran the ball. Haynes finished with 64 yards on 19 carries, a 3.4-yard average, and Heupel said that number is one the Yellow Jackets likely need to improve if they want success this season.
Georgia Tech was also gashed for 183 rushing yards by a Colorado team that ranked 104th in rushing offense a year ago.
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Georgia Tech Fans Still Have One Painful Colorado Play To Revisit
A week after the opener, the sting is still there for Georgia Tech fans looking back at Colorados comeback win. One of the biggest reasons is Boo Carter, who seemed to be everywhere for the Buffaloes in that game, working multiple roles at cornerback, kick returner, punt returner and in the slot while helping swing momentum in a contest Colorado ultimately turned around.
Carters biggest moment came on special teams, where he helped deliver the game-sealing field goal block that finished off the rally. The former Tennessee transfer has already been handed a major role by Deion Sanders, who has talked up his athleticism and upside, and the early returns were enough to earn Carter Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Keeps Sending Georgia Tech A Tough Recruiting Reminder
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For Georgia Tech, the backdrop is familiar and a little frustrating. Wade, a 2028 quarterback who has been strong this season, remains committed to Georgia, while Ghea, a 2029 tackle and major Bulldogs target, is headed to campus as well. It is the sort of reminder that the Bulldogs are still landing in the middle of the recruiting conversation with the players Georgia Tech would love to keep closer to home. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Keys Reset Message Put Georgia Techs Standards Back In Focus
After a rough showing, Brent Key used his weekly reset to put Georgia Tech back on the same page about what this program is supposed to look like. He said the staff and team have to return to the standards and identity the Yellow Jackets have built around, and he made it clear the responsibility starts at the top. It was a familiar coachs move after an ugly performance, but also a pointed one, with the emphasis landing less on excuses and more on accountability.
Now the challenge shifts to Tennessee, where Georgia Tech is facing a matchup Key already views as a serious test. He pointed to defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and quarterback Faizon Brandon as central reasons the Volunteers will be difficult to handle, which only raises the pressure on a team trying to clean up its own operation in a hurry. The conversation around the Yellow Jackets is no longer just about correcting mistakes, but about whether they can do it fast enough to match the level of what is coming next. [Read more 🡒]