Tennessee’s latest win wasn’t exactly a beauty pageant, but it was enough to move the Vols up in the Coaches Poll.
After beating Auburn 24-14 on Saturday, Tennessee climbed three spots to No. 14 in the updated rankings. The result pushed the Vols to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC play as the season moves past its opening stretch.
That ranking puts Tennessee sixth among SEC teams in the poll. The Vols are behind No.
1 Texas, No. 2 Georgia, No.
7 Alabama, No. 10 LSU and No.
11 Ole Miss. Elsewhere in the conference, No.
15 Florida, No. 16 Missouri, No.
20 Mississippi State and No. 25 Kentucky also cracked the rankings, while Texas A&M picked up one vote.
The Auburn game followed a rough offensive first half for Tennessee before the ground game helped settle things down after halftime. A quarterback switch from freshman Faizon Brandon to sophomore George MacIntyre helped spark the turnaround.
“I thought George did some positive things early when he went in the ballgame in the first half, too,” UT head coach Josh Heupel said. “Situationally, there’s some things all of us got to be better at.
It’s the second straight week we got a sideline play where we don’t ultimately get out of bounds. But George’s ability to throw the football in the second half allowed us to create a big play, in particular the one to Mike (Matthews) early.
But in general, it allowed us to take advantage of some of the things that they were giving us.”
Heupel didn’t say after the game whether the quarterback move would carry into next week. He said he wanted to look at the film first.
Tennessee’s next stop is its first road SEC game of the season, a trip to Fayetteville to face Arkansas. Kickoff is set for 4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
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Alex Golesh Had A Telling Read On How Neyland Shifted This Game
Auburn left Neyland Stadium with a 24-14 loss to Tennessee, but head coach Alex Golesh came away talking as much about the shift in his own offense as the final score. After a slow start and some penalties that hampered the Tigers early, Golesh said the group found better rhythm in the second half, with the run game helping settle things down and the passing attack starting to look more efficient.
For Tennessee, that kind of midgame adjustment is exactly the sort of wrinkle Neyland has a way of amplifying. The Volunteers were able to lean on the atmosphere and the flow of the game as Auburns offense began to click more cleanly, but Goleshs comments suggested his team left with a clearer sense of where the execution improved and where the early mistakes made the difference. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Offense Just Sparked A Debate Fans Can't Ignore
Tennessee got the result it needed against Auburn, but the way it got there left plenty to sort through. The Vols pulled out a 24-14 win to move to 4-1, and the offenses first-half unevenness put an immediate spotlight on true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon before the ground game took over and steadied things.
DeSean Bishop was the difference-maker, putting together a career-best outing with 220 rushing yards and three touchdowns to carry Tennessee through a tense finish. Even as the offense searched for consistency, the defense helped close the door, with Dejuan Lane adding an interception and a sack in the second half to keep Auburn from mounting a late push. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Heupel Faces A Vols QB Decision That Could Echo Beyond Arkansas
Tennessees quarterback picture has tightened at just the right time for Josh Heupel to feel the pressure of making a call that could shape more than one game. With Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre still competing for the job, the Vols are sorting through recent performances and trying to determine who gives them the best chance against Arkansas. MacIntyre, based on recent observations, appears to be the more ready option right now, which only adds more weight to what Heupel does next.
The decision matters because it is not just about the Razorbacks. Around the fan base, there is already some chatter about what a loss in the competition could mean for Brandon, including the possibility that he could enter the transfer portal if he does not win the starting role. For a program trying to keep its quarterback room steady while building toward the stretch ahead, this is one of those choices that can settle an immediate problem and create a bigger one at the same time. [Read more 🡒]