Tennessee’s opener against Furman has already spawned plenty of hand-wringing, but that noise figures to get drowned out quickly if the Vols handle business the way they should at Neyland Stadium. A projected 66-10 win would go a long way toward calming the chatter and sending Tennessee into Week 2 against Georgia Tech with a little more swagger.
One of the loudest overreactions has been the idea that Tennessee could somehow be on upset alert against an FCS opponent. ESPN’s Jordan Rodgers raised that possibility, pointing to Faizon Brandon’s potential growing pains and the risk of the Vols “beating themselves” in a game they’re expected to control.
That outlook doesn’t hold much water here. Tennessee is being framed as too strong on both sides of the ball to stumble against Furman, and anything short of a win would be treated as a shock.
Brandon’s debut is another topic drawing outsized concern, even though the freshman arrives with a massive résumé. The 18-year-old true freshman piled up nearly 9,000 total yards and 114 touchdowns in high school, which helps explain why he signed with Tennessee as the No.
3 QB in the country for 2026. Against Furman, he should have room to work through the early bumps.
A big night is well within reach, and a line like 300 yards and three touchdowns wouldn’t be a surprise.
The final worry centers on Jim Knowles and whether Tennessee made the right call bringing him in. Some have started to wonder if the defensive coordinator has lost a step, but the expectation is that he’ll quiet that talk fast.
Tennessee did lose 5-star transfer Chaz Coleman, who was expected to help lead the pass rush, and that is a real setback. Even so, one departure won’t derail Knowles’ plan.
His reputation was built on adjustments, and Ohio State’s 2024 national title run featured exactly that kind of in-game management. Tennessee is counting on more of the same in Knoxville.
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 🡒]