The long offseason finally gives way to game week in Knoxville, and Tennessee opens with a matchup that should tell us a little bit about the Vols without forcing them to show too much. Furman is first up, with Georgia Tech looming on the road next weekend, and the early number from Fanduel Sportsbook has Tennessee as a 48.5-point favorite.
There’s no mystery about the headline attraction: Faizon Brandon is making his first career start. The 5-star true freshman won the job over George MacIntyre after a strong spring, and by all accounts his offseason work helped him separate in a real competition.
At 6-3 and 225 pounds, he’ll get his first taste of Neyland Stadium with the spotlight squarely on him. Josh Heupel will probably keep the offense pretty basic, but there’s at least a chance Tennessee lets Brandon push the ball downfield a bit against a heavy underdog.
On the other side of the ball, Jim Knowles is set for his Tennessee debut as he takes over a defense that was plainly a problem last season. Heupel moved on from Tim Banks and went in a new direction, and Saturday should offer the first look at how the new pieces fit together. Expect a conservative approach early, but there are still a few spots worth watching closely.
One of those is the LEO position, where Tennessee has depth questions after Chaz Coleman’s departure. Jordan Norman is expected to carry a big load, and the real curiosity is who comes after him as the Vols try to build some depth there.
Safety is another spot to keep an eye on after Edrees Farooq’s season-ending injury. Michigan transfer TJ Metcalf and Penn State transfer Dejaun Lane are the names to know, though several other players should get snaps as well.
George MacIntyre also figures to be part of the story. Even after losing the quarterback battle, he should see plenty of action in this one, and Tennessee still doesn’t really know exactly what it has in him. He appeared in two games last season and completed seven of nine passes for 69 yards, but this could be a chance for him to nearly double those numbers if the game unfolds the way Tennessee expects.
Another interesting subplot sits at wide receiver, where the top two spots appear settled with Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews. The question is who claims the third role in three-receiver sets.
Radarious Jackson looks like the default answer, but TK Keys and Travis Smith have both pushed for a look. In a game like this, all of them should get opportunities, and each has a chance to make a case that carries beyond Week 1.
As for the result, this is not an upset-alert spot. Tennessee should be able to control the game from start to finish, even if there are a few rough edges with a true freshman quarterback getting his first start. Furman already beat Anderson University 20-3 last week, but the Paladins are walking into a much tougher assignment here.
Prediction: Tennessee 59, Furman 10. The Vols should lean on an offensive line that looks tough to handle, and DeSean Bishop should have a productive day, likely with his work coming in about a half of action.
In Other News...
Former Tennessee Transfers Are Turning Up In Some Awkward Places
When Tennessee turned over so much of its roster through the portal, the next step was always going to be seeing where all those former Volunteers landed. A sizable chunk stayed in the Power Four, and a notable number remained in the SEC, which is part of what makes the offseason so oddly familiar around Knoxville. The programs departures are scattered across the country now, and for Tennessee fans, the connections do not disappear just because the jerseys changed.
Peyton Lewis added another layer to that familiar feeling by showing up in a Week Zero game for Virginia, a reminder that the portal rarely keeps old ties at a distance for long. For Tennessee, the broader picture is bigger than any single move, with former players popping up in places that can feel a little awkward when the new season starts and old opponents suddenly include faces that once wore orange. [Read more 🡒]
Rick Barnes Has A Huge Recruiting Opportunity This Weekend
Tennessee is turning a football weekend into a full-court recruiting showcase, with the mens basketball staff set to host several elite prospects on official visits while the Vols have the campus spotlight. Among the visitors are five-star point guard Cayden Daughtry and four-star point guard Micah Gordon from the 2027 class, along with five-star forward Bentley Lusakueno from the 2028 class, giving Rick Barnes and his staff a chance to put the program in front of some of the nations most intriguing young talents.
The timing matters because these trips line up with football game weekends, when Knoxville is at its liveliest and the athletic department can lean into the atmosphere. Tennessee is not the only program trying to make an impression, but the Vols will also have the Lady Vols welcoming five-star point guard Cece Dennis, adding another notable recruiting stop to what could be a busy and important stretch for the school across both programs. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Is Already Chasing A Massive Lineman For Its Future
Tennessee is already looking well down the road in its offensive line recruiting, and the latest name on the board is Rex George-Taylor, a 2028 prospect from Darlington, Ga. The Volunteers extended a scholarship offer to the towering junior, who checks in at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, adding him to a growing early list that also includes offers from Cincinnati, Mississippi State and Connecticut.
George-Taylors reaction to the Tennessee offer was part of the story, but the bigger takeaway for Vols fans is how aggressively the staff is approaching future line prospects this far out. Recruiting for players still years away from signing day is all about getting in early and staying present, and Tennessee appears to have done just that, with more developments expected as his recruitment continues to build. [Read more 🡒]