Faizon Brandon wasted no time making his first college start count.
In Tennessee’s 56-9 win over Furman at Neyland Stadium in Week 1 of the 2026 season, the freshman quarterback put together a debut that already landed him in rare SEC company. No. 18 Tennessee opened 1-0 behind Brandon’s five-touchdown night, and the numbers told the story: 13 completions on 17 attempts for 226 yards and three passing scores, plus 68 rushing yards and two more touchdowns on 10 carries.
SEC Network noted that Brandon became the first SEC player with three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in his first FBS start since Cam Newton, a fourth-year collegian, did it on Sept. 4, 2010 for Auburn against Arkansas State.
Afterward, Brandon talked through how the game opened up for him and when he decided to take off and run.
"I feel like it just comes with the flow of the game. When something wasn’t there, just getting outside and trying to get a positive play, not taking any negative.
I’m very confident. I’ve been doing a lot of stuff with DO (Derrick Owens), just helping me put on weight, get stronger and faster, so now I feel very confident when I get outside of the pocket."
He also said the speed of the moment eased up once he settled in.
“At first, it kind of felt fast. Not too fast, but it definitely slowed down after the second drive, just felt very smooth, and started coming all together."
And Brandon said he went into the game already picturing how it could unfold.
“I thought something like that, just looking over a call sheet and envisioning all the plays we had on there. Just seeing all the big plays in my head the night before, and really just trying to go out there and execute everything that we did. I ended up doing that."
In Other News...
Tennessee Must Deal With A Familiar Threat In Georgia Tech's Backfield
Georgia Tech is bringing a familiar kind of stress test to Tennessee this weekend, and it starts in the backfield with Justice Haynes. The senior running back arrived in Atlanta after stops at Alabama and Michigan, then made his Georgia Tech debut in the season opener, giving the Yellow Jackets a veteran option who already knows what life looks like in big games and bigger environments.
Josh Heupel has already flagged Haynes as the sort of runner that can force a defense to stay disciplined, pointing to his dynamic style, physicality and vision. For Tennessee, the challenge is less about discovering who Haynes is and more about handling a back who has seen plenty of top-level football and now gets another chance to matter in a high-profile matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Arion Carters Return Adds Intrigue To Tennessees First Road Test
Tennessees first road test arrives Sept. 12 at Bobby Dodd Stadium, where Georgia Tech will get the Volunteers in a nationally televised matchup on ESPN. Josh Heupel has spent the build-up talking about preparation and the way the team is handling leadership, and one of the more notable threads is Arion Carters role as the lone captain while he serves his NCAA suspension.
Carters absence stems from an agent paying for a flight during the pre-draft process, a situation that has kept him on the sideline but not entirely out of the conversation around the defense. He also plans to donate money to cancer-related charities based on his defensive performance this season, adding another layer to a return that already gives Tennessee extra intrigue heading into its first trip away from home. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Made An Early Move On A Lineman Vols Fans Should Track
The opening weekend visit scene in Knoxville included more than just the action on the field, as Tennessee used the Furman game to host a group of high school visitors, including 2028 Westlake (Ga.) offensive tackle Nassah Williams. The early offer to Williams gave the Vols a quick foothold with a prospect who is already drawing attention on the recruiting trail, and his first trip to campus gave him a firsthand look at the atmosphere around the program.
Williams came away with a positive impression of both the game-day setting and Tennessees coaching staff, which is exactly the kind of early momentum schools look for with an underclassman lineman. The Vols will have competition, though, with Boston College, Georgia, Duke and Wake Forest also among the schools that have offered, so Tennessee's next step will be turning that first visit into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]