Tennessee is down to its last nonconference tune-up, and all eyes are on freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon as the Vols get ready to roll into SEC play.
Kennesaw State comes to Knoxville this weekend, and after that, the schedule tightens fast. Tennessee opens its nine-game conference slate against No. 1-ranked Texas in Neyland Stadium, so this final game is the last real chance for Brandon to keep settling in before the pressure ramps up.
Head coach Josh Heupel made clear what he wants to see from his young quarterback before that stretch begins.
“Continued growth and fundamentals…” Heupel said. “Continuing growth and communication, understanding situational football.
But I really like a lot of what he’s done. I said it a week ago, I think he’s gonna get better every rep, every series, every game.
He’s continuing to grow and catalog information, and he’s getting better from it.”
Brandon has already given Tennessee a strong early sample. In Saturday’s 45-24 road win at Georgia Tech, he went 10-of-21 for 148 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also added five carries for 22 yards and helped the Vols move the chains on key third downs.
That followed his debut against Furman, when he completed 13-of-17 passes for 226 yards, three touchdowns and no picks. He also ran 10 times for 68 yards and two touchdowns.
The Georgia Tech performance earned Brandon his second straight SEC Freshman of the Week honor to open his career.
Tennessee’s game against Kennesaw State is set for 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
The matchup with Texas comes the following week at noon ET on ABC, with a ‘Checker Neyland’ crowd expected. The Longhorns opened as 4.5-point favorites.
In Other News...
Tennessee's Loaded Offense Could Have One More Freshman Problem Soon
Tennessees offense already has the look of a unit built to stay dangerous for a while, but ESPN thinks the Vols may not be done adding playmakers to the picture. The latest name to watch is five-star running back recruit David Gabriel-Georges, who checks in at No. 13 overall in the SC Next ESPN 300 and arrives with the kind of power, balance and explosiveness that can make a freshman hard to keep off the field.
For Tennessee, the appeal goes beyond simply landing another elite recruit. Gabriel-Georges has the traits to contribute early and eventually grow into a featured role, which matters for an offense that could be looking ahead to a post-2026 backfield if DeSean Bishop moves on to the NFL. Even in a loaded room, the Vols have a chance to turn a highly rated newcomer into the next major piece of the attack. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee-Texas Just Added More Intrigue For Frustrated Vols Fans
Kenny Chesney helped put Tennessees Sept. 26 matchup with Texas back in the spotlight during an appearance on ESPNs First Take, where the Knoxville native was on hand to promote his new tour and ended up talking football instead. The Volunteers are set to host the Longhorns at Neyland Stadium in the annual Checker Neyland game, with ABC carrying the broadcast and a Noon ET kickoff currently on the books.
For fans already frustrated by the timing, the attention only added another layer to a game that already carries plenty of weight on the schedule. Stephen A. Smith raised the possibility the kickoff could still be changed, leaving Tennessee supporters with one more wrinkle to monitor as the date draws closer and the buildup to one of the seasons biggest home games keeps growing. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Fans Have One Reason To Expect A Stress-Free Saturday
Knox News took a different route in previewing Tennessees upcoming game against Kennesaw State, running 100 simulations of the matchup on EA Sports College Football 27. The results pointed to what Vols fans probably hope to see on a fall Saturday: Tennessee controlling the game early and often, with the model projecting an average score around 51-17 and plenty of room for the offense to settle in.
The simulations leaned heavily toward a comfortable finish for Tennessee, which fits the broader sense that this is a game the Vols should handle without much drama. There were statistical trends worth watching in the breakdown, along with reporter notes on how the matchup could play out, but the larger takeaway was hard to miss: if the real game follows the video-game script, Tennessee should spend most of the afternoon in command. [Read more 🡒]