Tennessee’s loss to Texas on Saturday came with a little bit of everything, and the grade sheet reflected that. Some units held up well under pressure.
Others got buried. And one group, more than any other, took the brunt of the damage.
The offensive line was the clear low point. Tennessee allowed 10 sacks, and there wasn’t much debate about where the biggest breakdowns came from.
The front was beaten repeatedly in the moments that mattered most, and it was the kind of performance that leaves no room for sugarcoating. That group has to be better before Auburn.
Quarterback play was mixed, with both George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon seeing the field. Brandon was steady enough and worked with what he had, though the offense around him didn’t give him much to work with.
On the first drive, he had an open look for Trent Thomas and didn’t let it go, one of his bigger mistakes on the day. Still, most of the problems around him traced back to the protection in front of him rather than his own play.
The running backs didn’t have much room to operate. The ground game never really found space, and the overall output was rough.
Even so, the backs did come through in a couple of spots when the offense needed them most. It wasn’t a good day for that group, though, and it ranked among the weakest performances of the week.
At receiver, Tennessee got a solid enough effort without much flash. There were no major drop issues, and the group made the most of what it got in the open field. Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews handled their business, but the Vols are still going to need more from the depth behind them.
The tight ends had a mixed afternoon. They were fine in the passing game and helped where they could, but the blocking wasn’t strong enough when Tennessee tried to run the ball. It was a unit that needed more consistency across the board.
Defensively, Tennessee gave itself a chance. The Vols were in Arch Manning’s face all day, and that kind of pressure showed up over and over. If that level of play holds up through the first four games of the season, Tennessee should be in good shape on that side of the ball.
The linebackers turned in one of the cleaner outings on the team. They weren’t perfect, and there were some second-down issues that made things more manageable for Texas, but the overall production was strong. It was a productive day for a group that stood out in a good way.
The secondary held up well too. It wasn’t flawless, but it was more than good enough to win.
The defensive backs battled against one of the better wide receiver groups in the country, and that effort shouldn’t get overlooked. Guarding Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo is no easy assignment, and Tennessee handled that challenge well enough.
The safeties were especially sharp. Texas didn’t get much from the tight ends, and the Vols limited the deep ball to just one play. That was a big part of why the defense looked so strong overall.
Special teams also delivered in key moments. The punt unit wasn’t perfect, but Tennessee made its biggest splash there anyway, with Qua Moss taking a punt return into the end zone.
The onside kick that gave Tennessee another chance was another major swing. That side of the game earned an A.
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 🡒]