Tennessee trimmed the freshman rotation a bit for Saturday’s SEC opener against top-ranked Texas, but the Vols still leaned on youth in a game that came down to the final snap.
In a 20-17 loss at Neyland Stadium, 11 true freshmen saw the field for Tennessee. Most of them were limited to special teams, but a handful got meaningful work on offense and defense as the Vols pushed the No. 1 Longhorns to the edge.
Freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon made his fourth career start and his first against an SEC opponent. The former five-star prospect from Greensboro, N.C., was forced out briefly by an apparent upper-body injury that kept him on the sideline for more than one offensive possession, but he returned and finished 17-of-29 for 145 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. He also rushed for 2 yards on 23 carries.
Texas’ defense hit him often. Brandon was sacked 10 times, but Tennessee still had life late after his 30-yard touchdown pass to Mike Matthews cut into the deficit and gave the Vols their first offensive touchdown with 1:22 left. Tennessee recovered the onside kick and had one last shot to steal it, but Brandon’s final throw to Travis Smith Jr. in the end zone was broken up by Jelani McDonald.
A few other freshmen made small but notable contributions. Wide receiver TK Keys played six offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, though he did not catch a pass. Defensive lineman JJ Finch logged 20 snaps on defense, the sixth-most among Tennessee’s defensive linemen, without showing up in the stat sheet.
Joel Wyatt’s day included a tackle at the end of a first-quarter punt by Jackson Ross, and later he delivered a key block in punt coverage that helped spring Qua Moss for a 57-yard touchdown return to tie the game at 10. Jamyan Theodore, Brayden Rouse, Kedric Golston II, TJ White, Gabriel Osenda, Luca Wolf and Hezekiah Harris also saw action, but none of them recorded statistics.
Tennessee’s freshman usage this season now includes a long list of players who have already gotten on the field. Brandon leads that group with four games and 186 snaps.
Keys has played in four games and logged 52 snaps, while Luca Wolf has appeared in four games with 44 snaps. JJ Finch has been the busiest freshman up front with 58 snaps across three games.
Other freshmen who have played include Gabriel Osenda, TJ White, Joel Wyatt, Carter Gooden, Brayden Rouse, Breeze Carter, Dereon Albert, Tyreek King, Hezekiah Harris, Keded Golston II, Darryl Rivers, KJ McClain, Ed Baker, Jamyam Theodore, Jeremy George-El and Nuk Simmons.
There are still 10 freshmen who have yet to appear for Tennessee this season, and their 247Sports rankings out of high school are as follows: Kamari Blair, No. 114 overall prospect and No. 13 offensive tackle; Zach Groves, No. 210 overall prospect and No. 23 edge; Zay Anderson, No. 16 cornerback and No. 9 player from Tennessee; CJ Edwards, No. 54 edge and No. 8 player from New Jersey; Javonte Smith, No. 55 cornerback and No. 16 player from Tennessee; Jowell Combay, No. 44 safety and No. 59 player from Georgia; Luke Thompson, No. 53 athlete and No. 22 player from Tennessee; Will Rajecki, No. 74 running back and No. 131 player from Georgia; JaColby Cooper, No. 205 wide receiver and No. 53 player from Tennessee; and Brayden Carroll, No. 326 wide receiver and No. 74 player from Tennessee.
In Other News...
Tennessee Texas Finish Just Got An Official Officiating Twist
The Southeastern Conference added an officiating wrinkle to Tennessees loss to Texas, saying the Volunteers drop-kick onside attempt was handled incorrectly. The league said the kick should have drawn a five-yard penalty and a replay of the down because it was taken from behind the required 35-yard line, a violation of free-kick rules.
Even so, the correction does not change the result of Texas 20-17 win over Tennessee. For the Volunteers, it leaves one more frustrating detail attached to a game already decided by a narrow margin, even if the official ruling stops short of altering the final scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Secondary Just Took Another Brutal Hit Before Auburn
Tennessees secondary is dealing with another setback heading into Auburn, with sophomore defensive back Dylan Lewis expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 season because of a foot injury he suffered against Kennesaw State. Lewis had already been listed as out in SEC availability reports before the Texas game, and he was later seen in a walking boot, a clear sign the injury was serious enough to keep him sidelined for an extended stretch.
For a defense already managing other season-ending injuries in the back end, losing Lewis only tightens the margin for error. The Vols have had to keep adjusting their depth and rotations in the secondary, and now they head into the Auburn matchup with another important piece unavailable, leaving the coaching staff to sort out how to patch together a group that has been hit hard. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Fans Are Stuck On One Faizon Brandon Debate
Tennessees loss to Texas left plenty of fingerprints on the offense, but the loudest postgame debate has centered on Faizon Brandon and how much of the struggle was really on the quarterback. Brandon finished 17 of 29 for 145 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions, yet the bigger number was the sacks, with Tennessees protection breaking down often enough to make the whole night feel hurried and uneven.
Film analyst Brooks Austin pushed back on the idea that Brandon alone was responsible, pointing to a shaky run game and the lines problems up front as part of the picture. Josh Heupel sounded similarly measured, saying Brandon may have been sped up and stressing that the answer has to come from more than one player. For Tennessee, the uncomfortable part is that the debate is still open, and the film may only deepen it. [Read more 🡒]