Tennessee left Auburn with a win, but not the kind that makes anybody breathe easy.
The Vols improved to 4-1 after grinding out a 24-14 victory, and the second half belonged to the running game once the offense finally found its footing. Still, the biggest question coming out of the night is the one that will hang over next week: who starts at quarterback against Arkansas in Week 6?
Josh Heupel made the move to bench true freshman Faizon Brandon after a brutal first half against Tim Banks’ defense, and that decision will shape the conversation all week.
Brandon’s night was rough from the start and never really got better. Before Heupel pulled him, the five-star freshman was 3-of-8 passing for zero yards and an interception.
His confidence looked shaken, and it was a tough follow-up to his struggles against Texas. Whether he keeps the QB1 job against the Razorbacks is now up in the air, and that call belongs to Heupel.
If Tennessee’s passing game was going nowhere, DeSean Bishop made sure the ground attack carried the load.
The power back turned in a career-best performance, finishing with 34 carries for 220 yards and three touchdowns. He also had another score wiped away, but that doesn’t change the fact that he was the engine for Tennessee’s offense. After being held in check by Texas, Bishop came back with his best showing yet, topping his previous career high of 147 yards against Georgia Tech.
Braylon Staley had a moment he’ll want back in a hurry, even if it didn’t end up costing Tennessee.
Bishop broke loose for a 40-yard touchdown in the first half, only for the play to be erased by an illegal block in the back on Staley. The wideout sprinted into an Auburn defensive back in a wild-looking mistake, and the penalty killed the score.
Staley’s day got quieter from there, too, with just three catches for eight yards. It was a frustrating outing, but one that at least came in a win.
On the other side of the ball, Dejuan Lane delivered one of the biggest performances for Tennessee.
Normally Arion Carter gets the defensive spotlight, but Lane earned it against Auburn. The defensive back made a huge second-half interception that helped set up Bishop’s 44-yard touchdown, then later added a sack of Brown. He was everywhere for Jim Knowles’ defense and played like a man on a mission.
Auburn’s Alex Golesh also made a decision Tennessee was happy to see.
Midway through the fourth quarter, deep in his own territory, Golesh passed on a tush-push with Byrum Brown, the 6-foot-3, 235-pound dual-threat quarterback, and instead went with a pitch. Tennessee stuffed it. The choice backfired, and Bishop soon added another touchdown to help slam the door.
George MacIntyre may not have put up eye-popping numbers, but he was ready when Tennessee needed him.
After losing the QB1 battle in fall camp, MacIntyre stepped in and handled the job well enough to steady the offense. He completed 7 of 8 passes for 82 yards, and while he didn’t take big risks or make a bunch of splash plays, he also didn’t blink. MacIntyre stayed prepared, kept the right attitude, and now there’s at least a chance he could be the starter against Arkansas too.
In Other News...
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 Just Added More Fuel To A Debate Fans Can't Ignore
Tennessee left Auburn with a 24-14 win that nudged the Vols to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in SEC play, and the reward on the national side was just as notable. The coaches moved Tennessee up three spots to No. 14 in the latest poll, placing the Vols sixth among SEC teams and keeping them in the thick of a conference race that still feels wide open in October.
The bigger conversation, though, is happening under center. Josh Heupel addressed the quarterback change during the game but stopped short of naming a starter for next week, leaving Tennessee to head into Arkansas with the position still unsettled. For a team that has already shown it can win while sorting through that question, the next week now feels like another test of both timing and trust. [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 🡒]