Tennessee is heading into SEC play with its freshman quarterback still in the Heisman conversation, but Faizon Brandon’s odds took a hit this week.
After three starts, Brandon sits at +10000 on FanDuel to win the Heisman Trophy, down from +6500 when the numbers were last refreshed. Tennessee is 3-0 through the first three games of the 2026 regular season, with home wins over Furman and Kennesaw State and a road victory at Georgia Tech helping Brandon build an early résumé.
His latest outing came in Tennessee’s 42-9 win over Kennesaw State, when he completed 18 of 26 passes for 178 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. He also added 47 rushing yards and a score on 11 carries.
“I feel like I’m at a pretty good spot right now,” Brandon said after the game. “Definitely a lot of things I can work on, but I just need to continue to not try to do anything extra and take what the defense gives me and continue to try to extend plays when things aren’t there. But I feel like there’s certain things I can work on, but I feel like I just need to keep on taking what the defense is giving me.”
Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop is still listed on the Heisman board as well, sitting at +22500 on FanDuel. That number is unchanged from the start of the week.
Against Kennesaw State, Bishop carried the ball nine times for 42 yards and a touchdown while also catching one pass for 15 yards. He was injured late in the second quarter, came back for two carries in the third, then left again after absorbing a hit and did not return.
The Vols now shift to their biggest test of the weekend. Tennessee will host No. 1 Texas at noon ET on ABC Saturday.
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The concept has become one of Tennessees most recognizable gameday traditions, and it has taken on extra weight in the Josh Heupel era as the Vols have continued to lean into the atmosphere it creates. With Texas coming to town, the visual inside the stadium should be as much a part of the night as the football itself, and Tennessee supporters will be watching closely to see how the latest Checker Neyland setup looks once the crowd fills in. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Just Lost A Trusted Piece At The Worst Possible Time
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Now the attention shifts to how the Vols absorb that blow in the short term, starting with their upcoming game against Texas. Tight ends coach Alec Abeln said he believes the rest of the group is ready to handle the extra load, and Tennessee will need that confidence to show up quickly with a trusted option suddenly out of the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessees Freshman QB Faces His First Real SEC Measuring Stick
Through three games, Faizon Brandon has given Tennessee plenty to feel good about in the opening stretch of the 2026 season. The freshman has looked steady and explosive, throwing for 552 yards and six touchdowns while adding 137 rushing yards and three more scores, production that has already put him on the national radar and helped the Volunteers enter SEC play with a real sense of momentum.
The first conference test, though, arrives in a hurry, and it comes with an awfully bright spotlight attached. ESPNs updated Total QBR rankings place Brandon sixth in the SEC with a 79.0 rating, and Tennessees opener against No. 1 Texas will immediately show how that early success translates against a defense and opponent built for the biggest stage. Arch Manning has been sharp for the Longhorns, and for Brandon, this is the kind of measuring stick that can say a lot without answering everything. [Read more 🡒]