Tennessee opened the season in exactly the way Josh Heupel wanted: loud, clean enough, and with a 56-9 win over Furman that never felt in doubt once the Vols got rolling in Neyland Stadium.
The biggest takeaway from the opener was how quickly Faizon Brandon settled in. His debut wasn’t just about the arm.
Brandon looked even more dangerous as a runner, especially early, and Tennessee leaned into that more than many expected. He finished with five total touchdowns, adding two on the ground to go with three through the air, with two of those passing scores coming in the second half.
The freshman did have a few minor issues throwing the ball that still need cleaning up, but the legs were a real weapon. Brandon logged 68 rushing yards and found the end zone twice on the ground.
Tennessee also got a huge debut from Xavier Gilliam, the new defensive lineman who followed defensive coordinator Jim Knowles from Penn State. Gilliam made his presence felt immediately with three sacks.
That number stands out even more when you remember he had just 0.5 sacks all last season with the Nittany Lions. With Chaz Coleman having left the program, there was some understandable concern about the pass rush.
Early against Furman, though, Gilliam helped make that unit look strong.
On the outside, Mike Matthews answered a lot of noise with production. He posted a career day at Neyland, finishing with 132 yards and two touchdowns.
Both scores came on deep throws from Brandon, and both were delivered right on target. There had been plenty of offseason chatter about Braylon Staley as Tennessee’s WR1, and that conversation is still fair.
But Matthews made it clear he belongs in that discussion too, and he has the kind of talent that could put him in range of a 1,000-yard season in 2026.
And then there was the pregame talk from ESPN’s Jordan Rodgers, who put Tennessee on upset alert against an FCS opponent. That never came close to happening.
The offense was excellent, the defense under Knowles was sturdy, and the Vols handled Furman with ease. Rodgers raised concerns about Brandon and the new defense, but Tennessee answered both of those questions in a way that should leave the staff feeling good heading into Week 2 against Georgia Tech.
In Other News...
Tennessee Fans Still Found A Way To Keep Game Day Tradition Alive
Rain may have knocked out the full Tennessee Vol Walk before the Furman game at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 5, 2026, but it did not shut down one of the programs most familiar pregame traditions. With inclement weather forcing a cancellation, the scene outside the stadium still had the feel of a normal Saturday in Knoxville, only with ponchos, fans and a little more improvisation than usual.
Players and fans found a way to make the most of it with a modified walk that still brought both sides together before kickoff. The details were different, but the point of the tradition held up anyway, and for a fan base that treats game day as more than just the four quarters on the field, even a weather delay could not fully interrupt the ritual. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Found An Unexpected Defensive Tone-Setter In Its Debut Win
Xavier Gilliam made a memorable first impression in Tennessees opener, turning his debut into the kind of defensive spark that can change the tone of a season. The redshirt sophomore defensive lineman, a transfer from Penn State, finished with three sacks against Furman, giving the Volunteers a disruptive edge up front and immediately injecting some life into a unit looking for a tone-setter.
It was the most sacks by a Tennessee player in a single game since 2018, a noteworthy marker even against an overmatched opponent. More importantly for the Volunteers, Gilliams arrival added a new layer to the defensive line conversation and hinted at what kind of identity Jim Knowles may be trying to build on that side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Has An Early O-Line Concern Before Georgia Tech
Tennessee got through its season opener against Furman with a little less certainty in the middle of the line than it expected. Sam Pendleton, the Vols returning starting center, was held out after an injury was discovered following warm-ups, leaving the offense to make a quick adjustment before kickoff. Sophomore Nic Moore stepped into the spot and handled the assignment well, giving Tennessee a usable answer in a pinch.
Josh Heupel said Pendleton is expected to be ready for the next game against Georgia Tech, which should ease the immediate concern for a line that needs stability early in the year. Even with Moores solid outing, the Vols will be watching closely to see how quickly Pendleton gets back into rhythm, because center is one of the spots where timing and communication matter as much as raw talent. [Read more 🡒]