Faizon Brandon didn’t just make his Tennessee debut look comfortable on Saturday. He made it look explosive.
The true freshman quarterback, making his first start for the 20th-ranked Volunteers, kept turning a routine afternoon against Furman into a highlight reel at Neyland Stadium. Early in the third quarter, Brandon dropped back and uncorked a 57-yard touchdown strike to Mike Matthews, pushing Tennessee’s lead to 42-0.
That play came on the heels of another deep connection between the two. Just 1:06 into the second half, Brandon and Matthews hooked up for a 55-yard touchdown, setting the tone for what became a runaway.
Brandon’s third-quarter bomb arrived with 11:38 left and was every bit as clean as the first two. He hit Matthews in stride, Matthews secured the ball around the 10-yard line, and the rest was easy. By then, Tennessee had already turned a 28-0 halftime advantage into a 42-0 cushion, and the margin grew to 49-3 by the end of the quarter.
Brandon was done for the day after that, and the numbers backed up the eye test. He finished 13 of 17 for 226 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He also added 68 rushing yards and two more scores, giving Tennessee a first glimpse of a quarterback who can beat defenses with both his arm and his legs.
It was about as strong an opening statement as Tennessee could have asked for from its new starter.
In Other News...
Tennessee Fans Still Found A Way To Keep Game Day Tradition Alive
Rain may have knocked out the full Tennessee Vol Walk before the Furman game at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 5, 2026, but it did not shut down one of the programs most familiar pregame traditions. With inclement weather forcing a cancellation, the scene outside the stadium still had the feel of a normal Saturday in Knoxville, only with ponchos, fans and a little more improvisation than usual.
Players and fans found a way to make the most of it with a modified walk that still brought both sides together before kickoff. The details were different, but the point of the tradition held up anyway, and for a fan base that treats game day as more than just the four quarters on the field, even a weather delay could not fully interrupt the ritual. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Found An Unexpected Defensive Tone-Setter In Its Debut Win
Xavier Gilliam made a memorable first impression in Tennessees opener, turning his debut into the kind of defensive spark that can change the tone of a season. The redshirt sophomore defensive lineman, a transfer from Penn State, finished with three sacks against Furman, giving the Volunteers a disruptive edge up front and immediately injecting some life into a unit looking for a tone-setter.
It was the most sacks by a Tennessee player in a single game since 2018, a noteworthy marker even against an overmatched opponent. More importantly for the Volunteers, Gilliams arrival added a new layer to the defensive line conversation and hinted at what kind of identity Jim Knowles may be trying to build on that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Has An Early O-Line Concern Before Georgia Tech
Tennessee got through its season opener against Furman with a little less certainty in the middle of the line than it expected. Sam Pendleton, the Vols returning starting center, was held out after an injury was discovered following warm-ups, leaving the offense to make a quick adjustment before kickoff. Sophomore Nic Moore stepped into the spot and handled the assignment well, giving Tennessee a usable answer in a pinch.
Josh Heupel said Pendleton is expected to be ready for the next game against Georgia Tech, which should ease the immediate concern for a line that needs stability early in the year. Even with Moores solid outing, the Vols will be watching closely to see how quickly Pendleton gets back into rhythm, because center is one of the spots where timing and communication matter as much as raw talent. [Read more 🡒]