ATLANTA - Faizon Brandon’s first road start for Tennessee didn’t come with a fireworks show, but it did come with exactly what the Vols needed.
The freshman quarterback was steady in Tennessee’s 45-24 win over Georgia Tech on Sept. 12, throwing two touchdown passes, staying away from disastrous mistakes and letting a big running game and a disruptive defense do plenty of the heavy lifting. The 18th-ranked Vols improved to 2-0 at Bobby Dodd Stadium, while the Yellow Jackets fell to 0-2.
Brandon finished 10 of 21 for 148 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for 22 yards.
That followed a much louder debut against Furman, when he produced 294 yards of total offense and five touchdowns. This time, Tennessee asked for something different, and Brandon delivered a controlled, conservative outing.
His first throw of the game was a 25-yard touchdown to tight end Ethan Davis on a clean play-action look. His 14th pass went for another score, a 20-yard strike to Braylon Staley down the sideline.
Between those plays, Brandon never unraveled. He had moments where pressure sped him up, where coverage fooled him and where a few throws missed their mark. But he never handed Georgia Tech a gift.
That mattered in a game where Tennessee also needed him to handle the tense spots. On a field goal drive, Brandon came through on third-and-12 with a 45-yard completion to Radarious Jackson, then followed it with a 3-yard scramble on fourth-and-2.
What stood out most was his restraint. He didn’t force throws into traffic or chase plays that weren’t there. Some drives stalled, and he accepted that instead of trying to rescue them with a reckless decision.
For Tennessee, that was enough. Brandon produced the scoring plays when they were there and protected the ball when they weren’t. Grade: B-
The Vols are back in action Sept. 19 against Kennesaw State at Neyland Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
In Other News...
Josh Heupel Is Closing In On Another Tennessee Coaching Milestone
Josh Heupel keeps stacking up the kind of wins that matter in Knoxville history, and his latest milestone pushed him past Doug Dickey for sixth on Tennessees all-time coaching list. Since taking over in 2021, Heupel has built a 47-20 record and continued to give the Volunteers the kind of steady success that has made his tenure one of the more productive stretches in the programs modern era.
The next landmark is within reach, too, with Bowden Wyatt sitting just ahead of him in fifth place. Heupels perfect mark against opponents with losing records has helped Tennessee stay on pace, and with three more wins this season he could climb again on a list that still carries plenty of weight around the program. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees First Road Win Still Left Vols Fans With One Concern
Tennessee left Bobby Dodd Stadium with its first road win of the season and a 45-24 result that gave the Vols a 2-0 start, but the box score still told a story of a team easing into its identity. Freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon helped settle things early enough, and Tennessee spent much of the middle stretch of the game in control while both sides of the ball found a groove away from home.
Even so, the finish left a familiar unease for fans who watched Georgia Tech keep pressing late. Tennessee backed off into a more conservative approach as the Yellow Jackets tried to chip away at the margin, and for a moment it felt like the game might get tighter than it had any business being. The Vols still handled the comeback push, but the way the closing minutes unfolded offered a reminder that there is still a little polishing left to do. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Heupel Sent Tennessee Fans A Message After Atlanta Takeover
Tennessee walked into Atlanta and found a familiar feel waiting for it, with a heavy orange presence in the stands helping turn a road game into something closer to a showcase. The Volunteers handled Georgia Tech 45-24, and Josh Heupel made a point of acknowledging the fan support afterward, a nod to the kind of traveling base that can change the tone of an early-season game.
On the field, the Vols had plenty to build on as well. Freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon made his second career start and threw two touchdown passes, while DeSean Bishop and DeJuan Lane helped keep the offense moving and the game in Tennessees control. For a team trying to keep momentum rolling, the combination of on-field production and a packed contingent of supporters was about as clean a start as Heupel could have wanted. [Read more 🡒]