Tennessee gets another SEC measuring stick on Saturday, and this one comes with a familiar face on the other sideline. Auburn arrives in Knoxville for the renewal of a rivalry that used to be one of the conference’s best, and now Alex Golesh is back in town trying to beat the program where he once helped build one of its best offenses.
Golesh spent two seasons at Tennessee as offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, and he was a major part of the 2022 team that put together the best offense in Tennessee football history. Now he’s Auburn’s head coach, and the Tigers come in after a 21-15 win over Vanderbilt, their first home SEC victory in 671 days.
That win didn’t exactly announce a finished product. Auburn’s offense still hasn’t fully found its rhythm, but the defense took a step forward by holding Vanderbilt to 311 yards after giving up nearly 500 in the loss to Florida the week before.
The quarterback leading the Tigers is Byrum Brown, who followed Golesh to Auburn after four seasons at South Florida. Brown is completing 65% of his passes and averaging 224 yards through the air, while also leading Auburn on the ground with 237 rushing yards, or 59.3 per game. Jeremiah Cobb is right behind him with 228 rushing yards.
Brown’s top receiving targets are Keshaun Singleton, another transfer from South Florida, and Chas Nimrod, who played for Golesh at both Tennessee and South Florida. Each has 22 catches. Golesh also brought 13 players from his 2025 South Florida roster to Auburn, including five wide receivers.
On defense, Auburn is being led by sophomore linebacker Elijah Mendez, who has 34 tackles. Junior linebacker Xavier Atkins has a team-high seven tackles for loss, including three sacks.
Tennessee, meanwhile, is trying to bounce back from a 20-17 loss to Texas in a game where the Vols were battered at the line of scrimmage. The offensive line gave up 10 sacks, and true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon had a rough afternoon, throwing for 145 yards while holding the ball too long and creating a string of negative plays.
The run game never got going either. DeSean Bishop managed 34 yards, and Tennessee finished with just 70 rushing yards as a team at 1.6 yards per carry.
Defensively, though, the Vols did plenty right against Texas. They sacked Arch Manning six times, limited the Longhorns to 262 total yards and just 61 rushing yards, and held Texas to 3-of-12 on third down. Tennessee simply ran out of gas late in the fourth quarter.
Senior linebacker Arion Carter now leads the Vols with 27 tackles, even though he missed the opener because of NCAA suspension.
There were also some encouraging signs from Tennessee’s special teams in the Texas game. Qua Moss returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 10 in the third quarter. Jackson Ross averaged 46.1 yards per punt, Cooper Ranvier is perfect on all four field goal attempts and all 19 extra points, and Tennessee even recovered an onside kick, though the SEC later ruled it wasn’t legal.
The Vols’ path the rest of the way is not as punishing as some others in the conference. Arkansas, South Carolina and Texas A&M all look shaky, and Tennessee avoids Georgia and Florida in the new setup after divisional play ended. Alabama and LSU are still on the schedule, though, and if Tennessee wants any shot at playoff relevance, it has to take care of the games it should win.
Golesh is still searching for that signature victory, and Saturday gives him a shot at one. Still, the roster he brought into Knoxville doesn’t look deep enough to pull the upset in a place he knows well.
In Other News...
Tennessees Auburn Game Will Look Very Different At Neyland
Saturdays matchup with Auburn is going to have a different look at Neyland Stadium, and Tennessee has leaned all the way into the throwback feel. The Volunteers announced they will wear the Neyland Legacy version of their Smokey Grey alternates, a uniform set built around historical touches like a leather-style helmet, stencil number font and other nods to Gen. Robert Neyland and his impact on the program and the stadium that bears his name.
The field will carry the theme, too, with a vintage interlocking UT logo at midfield in place of the usual Power T. It is the kind of game-day detail that gives an already significant SEC matchup a little extra atmosphere, especially with ESPN carrying the broadcast and Neyland Stadium serving as the backdrop for a tribute that ties the present-day Vols to one of the most important figures in school history. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Got A Faizon Brandon Scare At The Worst Time
Tennessee breathed easier after Faizon Brandon took a scary hit to his throwing shoulder against Texas, because the freshman quarterback was checked by medical staff, cleared to return and then finished the game. For a team trying to keep its season on track, the timing of any quarterback concern could hardly be worse, especially with the Volunteers heading into another SEC test.
Brandons status only looked better when Tennessee released its initial SEC Student Athlete Availability Report for Auburn and his name was not on it, a strong sign the staff expects him to be available. Josh Heupel also said Brandon was healthy and ready to play, which should calm the immediate worry, even if the episode served as a reminder of how quickly the position can change for a young quarterback. [Read more 🡒]
Tyree Weathersby Is Giving Tennessee A Pass Rush Boost Fans Craved
Tennessees defensive front has been doing the kind of work that changes games, and Tyree Weathersby has been right in the middle of it. The Volunteers have piled up sacks at a national-best pace while staying near the top in tackles for loss, and the recent performance against Texas was another sign of how disruptive this group can be, with six sacks helping hold the Longhorns to 20 points.
Weathersby has earned extra notice inside that success, with LEOs coach Andrew Jackson pointing to his toughness and focus as traits that fit what Tennessee wants up front. With Auburn next on the schedule, the Volunteers will again be looking for that same edge from a defensive line that has become a real source of momentum, and Weathersbys role keeps growing as the pass rush continues to carry weight. [Read more 🡒]