Tennessee will have freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon available when the Vols face Auburn on Saturday, despite the punishment he took in last week’s loss to Texas.
Brandon was sacked 10 times in that 20-17 defeat, and he was shaken up during the game as well. He exited for the rest of that drive and the next possession before returning and finishing the night without missing any additional time.
Still, after that kind of beating, there was at least some uncertainty about his status heading into this week. That question was answered on Wednesday, when Brandon was not listed on Tennessee’s availability report.
The Vols do have several players ruled out for the matchup: Wendell Moe Jr. Ethan Davis, Joakim Dodson, Jaedon Harmon, Edreeq Farooq, Dylan Lewis and Kedric Golston. Running back Javin Gordon is doubtful, offensive lineman Sham Umarov is questionable and defensive lineman Nathan Robinson is probable.
Against Texas, Brandon went 17-of-29 for 145 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. The box score shows just two rushing yards on 23 attempts, a reflection of how often he was under pressure and hit behind the line.
“First of all, he wants to play at a high level,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said on Monday. “He knows that he can and he needs to play better than he did Saturday.
But that’s a young guy that, since he’s gotten here, has taken ownership, takes correction, incorporates it into his game and improves. Certainly expect that from him this week.
You know, I said at the beginning of the year, too, you got a young quarterback, the 10 other guys around him got to do their job at a high level to alleviate unforeseen circumstances for that guy, too. And that’s part of the ownership that everybody on the offensive side of the ball has to have.”
For the season, Brandon has completed 62.4% of his passes for 697 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. He has also carried the ball 49 times for 139 yards and three scores.
Tennessee and Auburn are set for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff at Neyland Stadium, with the game airing on ESPN.
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Got A Left Side O-Line Problem It Can't Ignore
The opening drive against Texas left Tennessee with an immediate problem on the left side of its offensive line, and it is one the Volunteers are now expected to live with for the rest of the 2026 season. Starting left guard Wendell Moe Jr. is expected to miss the remainder of the year after sustaining an injury in that game, and head coach Josh Heupel has not offered any specifics on the injury itself.
In the meantime, Tennessee has already started to reshuffle up front, moving Sham Umarov to left guard and inserting Donovan Haslam at right guard. It is the kind of in-game adjustment that can solve one issue for a night, but for the Volunteers it also underscores how much strain one absence can put on the interior of the line as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Just Lost A Proven Starter At The Worst Possible Time
Wendell Moe Jr. was supposed to be one of the steadying pieces of Tennessees season, the veteran guard who brought preseason All-American recognition and returned as an All-SEC pick. Instead, the Volunteers are bracing for life without him after he was injured against Texas, a blow that lands especially hard because of how much value he provided on an offensive line that already needed continuity and reliability.
The timing makes it even tougher for Tennessee, which now has to sort through its depth and identify the next linemen up for the coming stretch of games. Losing a proven starter in the middle of the season changes the look of the line immediately, and for a team with big ambitions, the absence of a player with Moe Jr.s experience is the kind of setback that can ripple well beyond one position group. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Got A Faizon Brandon Scare At The Worst Time
Faizon Brandons brief injury scare against Texas gave Tennessee a tense moment at the worst possible time, but the freshman quarterback was evaluated and cleared by medical staff to return and finish the game. For a Volunteers offense already trying to settle in around a young passer, getting him back on the field was a relief in the moment and a sign that the shoulder issue did not linger long enough to knock him out of the lineup.
Brandon also did not appear on Tennessees initial SEC Student Athlete Availability Report for the upcoming Auburn game, which points to the staff expecting him to be available. Josh Heupel added to that optimism by confirming Brandon was healthy and ready to play, a reassuring update for a Tennessee team that can ill afford another setback at quarterback as conference play keeps tightening. [Read more 🡒]