Legend Bey’s first month at Ohio State has gone from promising to puzzling, and Tennessee fans have every reason to be watching closely.
The freshman wideout opened his career with a touchdown catch in Week 1, a flash of the speed that made him such a coveted recruit. Since then, though, his role has nearly vanished.
He didn’t play a single snap in Ohio State’s blowout win over Illinois this past weekend, even though he was healthy enough to suit up. That was a sharp turn after he had also been suspended early in fall camp.
Bey’s path to Columbus already carried plenty of twists. He first committed to Tennessee, flipped to Ohio State, flipped back to Tennessee and signed with Josh Heupel, then ultimately ended up with Ryan Day and the Buckeyes after all. Now, after a start that looked like it could go somewhere, he’s suddenly in a spot no one expected this early in the season.
Scarlet & Game site expert Ryan Stano raised the possibility after Ohio State’s Week 4 win that Bey is in Day’s “doghouse” and could even be on transfer watch moving forward. That kind of talk would have sounded far-fetched in September, but the way his usage has dried up has made it part of the conversation.
Day has already publicly taken Bey to task once. After the Week 1 win, he called him out for taking out two kickoff returns after being told to take a knee. Bey then wasn’t back on kickoff return duty in the Week 2 loss to Texas, with Day clearly unhappy about what happened in the opener.
The ankle issue that affected Bey in Week 3 wasn’t the explanation this time. A video posted before the Illinois game showed him moving well and appearing ready to contribute. Instead, he spent the day on the sideline while Ohio State rolled.
For Tennessee, the whole situation has naturally brought back the what-if game. Heupel was ready to welcome him to Knoxville, and Bey’s big-play ability would have fit into a game like the heartbreaking loss to No.
1 Texas at Neyland Stadium. Instead, he chose Big Ten country, and now the question is whether that move lasts beyond this season.
It’s too early to call anything certain, but if Bey keeps disappearing from Ohio State’s offense, the idea that he could be one and done with the Buckeyes will only grow louder. For now, his opening stretch in Columbus has not gone according to plan, and Vols fans probably aren’t surprised to see the story unfold this way.
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 🡒]