No. 15/14 Tennessee put together a clean, balanced performance Saturday night at Neyland Stadium, rolling past Kennesaw State 42-9 to move to 3-0 on the season.
The Volunteers leaned on a ground game that kept churning all night, with four different players reaching the end zone on the ground. Sophomore running back Daune Morris had the biggest night of the group, finishing with 116 yards on 14 carries. Senior running back DeSean Bishop, fifth-year running back Hunter Barnes and freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon also scored rushing touchdowns as Tennessee piled up 268 yards on the ground.
Brandon added to the damage through the air and with his legs. He ran for 47 yards and a touchdown, then completed 18 of 26 passes for 178 yards and a scoring strike to junior wide receiver Braylon Staley. Tennessee scored on seven of its nine drives and opened the game by finding the end zone on its first two possessions, then finished by scoring touchdowns on its last three.
The defense held Kennesaw State to 102 rushing yards and 291 total yards, and the Owls managed only three points in the first quarter and six in the fourth. Senior linebacker Arion Carter was all over the field with eight tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry. Junior linebacker Edwin Spillman and senior corner Kayin Lee each finished with five tackles, and Spillman also broke up a pass.
Tennessee struck first on its opening drive. Bishop finished an eight-play, 75-yard march with a three-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 with 11:32 left in the first quarter.
Kennesaw State answered on its first possession with a 35-yard field goal from Daniel Kinney, cutting the lead to 7-3 with 3:51 remaining in the opening period.
The Vols quickly stretched the margin again. Brandon capped another 75-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Staley, and freshman tight end Luca Wolf ran in the two-point conversion to push Tennessee ahead 15-3 with 26 seconds left in the quarter.
Tennessee added two more scores in the second quarter, though both ended in field goals. Junior Cooper Ranvier connected from 40 yards out with 10:34 left, then hit from 43 yards with 23 seconds remaining to send the Vols into halftime up 21-3. The second kick came after senior defensive end Tyree Weathersby recovered a Rickie Collins fumble at the Kennesaw State 45 with 1:10 left in the half.
The third quarter belonged to Tennessee as well. After forcing a three-and-out to open the period, the Vols needed just four plays to score, with Morris breaking loose for a 42-yard touchdown run that made it 28-3 with 11:17 left. On Tennessee’s next possession of the quarter, Brandon kept it himself for a five-yard touchdown and a 35-3 lead with 4:25 remaining.
Kennesaw State opened the fourth quarter with a 25-yard field goal from Kinney, but Tennessee answered again. Barnes scored on a three-yard run for his first career touchdown, making it 42-6 with 8:49 left. Kinney added a 20-yard field goal with 2:45 to play for the final points of the night.
In Other News...
Tennessee Fans Have A New Checker Neyland Twist For Texas
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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 🡒]