Fresh off a dominant opener against Furman, Tennessee has a quick turnaround and a tougher assignment waiting in Atlanta. Josh Heupel’s team gets Georgia Tech next, and while the Vols showed plenty in Week 1, this matchup brings a different kind of stress test on both sides of the ball.
There are still a few things Tennessee hasn’t fully answered yet, and Saturday should reveal more. Three of the biggest questions center on the offensive line, the quarterback’s first road start and how often the Vols lean on their running game.
Sam Pendleton’s status is one of the first things to watch. The starting center was absent against Furman, and it later came out that Pendleton was arrested and charged with a DUI earlier this year, resulting in a one-game suspension to begin the season.
Heupel told reporters Pendleton will be "ready to go" against Georgia Tech, but it’s still possible he could miss a series or two. If that happens, Nic Moore would be in line to start again.
A full return, though, would be the expectation.
Then there’s Faizon Brandon, who could hardly have asked for a cleaner debut in a Tennessee uniform. He threw three touchdown passes and added two more scores on the ground against Furman, finishing with 294 total yards.
Georgia Tech is a different animal, and this will be the true freshman’s first road game. Playing in Atlanta won’t be easy, and the Yellow Jackets will try to make the environment uncomfortable from the opening snap.
Even so, there’s plenty of reason to think the 5-star quarterback can handle it and produce again, even if the numbers don’t look the same as they did against an FCS opponent.
The biggest workload question may belong to DeSean Bishop. Tennessee’s ground game should be a major part of the plan, especially after Colorado rushed for nearly 200 yards against Georgia Tech despite not having the same talent level in its running back room or offensive line.
That gives the Vols a clear blueprint. Bishop looks like the main piece of that approach, and a heavy dose of touches feels likely.
A range of 20 to 25 carries makes sense, with his career high sitting at 24. If that happens, a new personal best and somewhere in the neighborhood of 120 to 140 yards could be in play.
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The move also brings a personal wrinkle, because she will now be playing in the same city as her husband, Grant Hurst, who is an assistant coach for the Kansas City Monarchs. For a player who has had to keep adjusting to new surroundings, this gives her next stop a different kind of significance as she joins a program in a familiar city. [Read more 🡒]
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Tennessee Just Entered A Recruiting Battle Fans Need To Watch
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The race around Gibbs is a good reminder that early commitments can get complicated fast when the nations biggest programs start applying pressure. Tennessee now finds itself in a battle that also includes Notre Dame, Auburn, Ohio State and Alabama, and the Volunteers will have to make a strong impression if they want any real shot at pulling the No. 302 overall prospect in the 2028 class away from his current pledge. [Read more 🡒]