Halfway through Tennessee’s 2026 regular season, the Vols have plenty to feel good about at 5-1 overall and 2-1 in SEC play. Wins over Furman, Kennesaw State and Auburn have come at home, while Tennessee has also gone on the road to beat Georgia Tech and Arkansas.
The only blemish is a three-point loss at home to then-No. 1 Texas.
That kind of start makes this a natural checkpoint for handing out midseason honors, and Tennessee has no shortage of players who’ve pushed themselves into the spotlight through six games.
Xavier Gilliam has been the headliner on defense, and maybe in the whole sport. The defensive tackle is putting together a season that has him climbing draft boards fast, with 22 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. His impact has shown up from the inside week after week, and his strip-sack and fumble recovery on Arkansas’ opening drive in Tennessee territory was another example of how disruptive he’s been.
On offense, DeSean Bishop has delivered exactly what Tennessee expected and then some. The running back entered the year fresh off a 1,000-yard season, and he’s already up to 678 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 107 carries. His biggest showing came against Auburn, when he ripped off 220 yards and three touchdowns in the second half alone on 34 carries.
One of the clearest leaps on the roster has come from tight end DaSaahn Brame. Tennessee needed him to grow even with Ethan Davis healthy to start the season, and Davis’ season-ending injury only made that development more important.
Brame has answered as both a blocker and receiver. The biggest change has been in the run game, where he’s gone from last year’s big slot look to a more complete tight end.
He has also caught nine passes for 130 yards, including a three-catch, 87-yard performance at Arkansas that featured a rushing touchdown.
The other most noticeable step forward on offense has come from another tight end, Trent Thomas. Even before Davis went down, Thomas was starting in 12 personnel packages, and he’s settled in as a dependable part of the unit.
He’s been especially strong as a blocker, showing veteran polish in the run game and standing out as Tennessee’s best pass protector among the tight ends. At Arkansas, he also caught his first career touchdown.
Defensively, Mariyon Dye has carved out a bigger role as a sophomore edge rusher. He’s been coming off the bench, but his production has looked like that of a starter. Dye has nine tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks and a forced fumble, giving Tennessee important help off the edge.
The other transfer making a major defensive impression is safety Dejuan Lane. With Edrees Farooq injured in the preseason and out for the year, Lane seized a starting opportunity that wasn’t guaranteed before the season. The Penn State transfer has produced 23 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and two interceptions, with one of those picks going back for a touchdown.
Freshman DT JJ Finch has been the one true first-year player consistently working into the mix. He’s been part of the rotation behind the first wave of interior linemen with Ethan Utley and Isaiah Campbell, and he’s handled the role well, showing smart play and help in the middle while recording one tackle.
A pair of linebackers also deserve mention. Jeremiah Telander has moved around the field effectively in a crowded linebacker room and has been a real factor in his new role. Amare Campbell, meanwhile, has been on the field for every snap and has done it at a high level in the middle of the defense.
At right guard, Donovan Haslam has also earned notice. The West Virginia transfer wasn’t in the starting lineup to open the year, but with Wendell Moe Jr. out for the season, he has locked down the job and given Tennessee steady play.
In Other News...
Tennessee Fans Have A New Reason To Be Furious Before Saturday
As Tennessee turns its attention to Saturday, the Vols are dealing with an off-field incident that has already drawn plenty of disgust around campus. The University of Tennessee Police Department charged Beckett E. Nachtman, a 19-year-old from New Jersey, with felony vandalism after the Smokey statue outside Gate 21 was damaged on Oct. 10 near Neyland Stadium. Nachtman was not affiliated with the university and was on campus visiting individuals when the incident occurred.
For Tennessee fans, the statue is more than just a piece of campus decor. Smokey has long been one of the programs most recognizable symbols, so the reported beheading of the statue struck a nerve in a place where traditions matter. With the case now in the hands of police, the damage has already become one more unwelcome storyline hanging over a week that was supposed to be about football. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Just Lost A Huge Piece Before Tennessee Showdown
Alabama enters the Tennessee showdown without one of its most important playmakers, with Ryan Coleman-Williams already ruled out because of a lower-body injury and a head injury suffered against Georgia. The receiver has been the Crimson Tides top target this season, leading the team in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns, so his absence changes both the look and the rhythm of Alabamas passing game heading into one of the SECs biggest rivalry dates.
Kalen DeBoer said Coleman-Williams is dealing with both a knee issue and the head injury, leaving his status uncertain beyond this week as Alabama waits to see how he responds. For Tennessee, it is the kind of development that can reshape a game plan before kickoff, even if the full ripple effect will only become clear once the Vols see how the Tide chooses to replace their most productive receiver. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Has One Clear Edge Entering Alabama Game That Could Matter
Tennessee and Alabama meet this week in the Third Saturday in October with matching 5-1 records, and the numbers suggest a tight game despite the oddsmakers leaning toward the Crimson Tide. ESPNs FPI Matchup Predictor gives the Vols a 28.4% chance to win, while DraftKings has them installed as a 7.5-point underdog, a spread that reflects both Alabamas reputation and the challenge of winning in this rivalry setting.
Still, a look at the SEC rankings shows Tennessee does have one area where it can tilt the field, especially when the game gets into the kind of phase that usually decides marquee conference matchups. The Vols have been compared with Alabama across scoring, rushing and passing on both sides of the ball, along with sacks, and that one clear edge could end up mattering more than the pregame forecast suggests. [Read more 🡒]