Tennessee got a scare it did not need on Saturday night, and it came with Texas looming.
DeSean Bishop left the first half against Kennesaw State after landing awkwardly on a run that was wiped out by holding. The hip injury had him in obvious pain, and for a while it looked like Tennessee might have to get through the rest of the game without its top back.
Bishop did make it back, though only briefly. He returned midway through the third quarter and logged two carries.
On the second one, he was slow to rise again, grimaced on the turf, and immediately headed back to the sideline. That kind of sequence is exactly what Tennessee did not want to see with No.
1 Texas next on the schedule.
“And DeSean Bishop subs right back out after two carries. https://t.co/ziICYnU1qA”
- Mike Wilson (@ByMikeWilson) September 20, 2026
The timing makes this a major concern for Tennessee’s offense. Bishop just turned in a career-high 147 rushing yards in the Week 2 win over Georgia Tech, and after a 1,000-yard season, he has become a central piece of the plan and a veteran voice for a young group.
That matters even more with Faizon Brandon still sorting through freshman mistakes. Brandon has looked strong early, but Tennessee has leaned on Bishop to take some of that weight off the 5-star quarterback. Against Texas, that safety valve is going to be needed again.
The good news for Tennessee was that Daune Morris handled the extra work well. He broke loose for a 42-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and showed exactly why the staff trusts his talent. But Morris does not bring Bishop’s experience, especially in a game of this size.
So now Tennessee is waiting. Bishop’s availability, and more importantly his health, is suddenly one of the biggest questions heading into Week 4.
If he can get right, the offense looks a lot more stable. If not, the pressure on Brandon and the rest of the unit gets heavier in a hurry.
In Other News...
Lane Kiffin Just Changed The SEC Race For Tennessee Fans
Lane Kiffins move from Ole Miss to LSU instantly shifted the SEC conversation in a way Tennessee fans will recognize right away. The reported seven-year, $91 million deal is a major swing in the coaching market, and Kiffin pointed to advice from mentors and the chance to take over a program with a national-title pedigree as central to his choice.
For the Volunteers, the ripple effect matters because it reshapes the league landscape around them and changes the path Ole Miss now has to navigate. With Kiffin gone, Ole Miss turned to defensive coordinator Pete Golding as its head coach for the College Football Playoff, a sudden transition that leaves one of Tennessees conference rivals adjusting at the biggest possible moment. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Still Has Tennessee Fans Doing The Unthinkable
Seven Tennessee fans made the trip to Oxford, Miss., on Saturday night, not to pull for Ole Miss but to make their feelings about Lane Kiffin unmistakable. The group bought seats for $600 apiece and showed up in Tennessee gear for the Rebels game against LSU, a small but pointed reminder that Kiffin still draws a reaction from Vols fans years after his brief Knoxville stint.
The scene had an extra layer of irony at halftime, with Ole Miss up 24-7 on LSU while Tennessee held a 21-3 lead over Kennesaw State back home. It was the kind of crossover moment that keeps Kiffin attached to both SEC scoreboard watching and Tennessees long memory, with a handful of fans still willing to spend real money to make the point in person. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Fans Just Got Another Reason To Be Excited About Georges
David Gabriel Georges keeps showing why Tennessee fans are so eager to see him in orange. The 5-star running back commitment for the Volunteers turned heads again in a high school game for Baylor School, breaking loose for an 80-yard touchdown on a screen pass that showed off the kind of open-field burst and playmaking ability that made him such a coveted recruit in the first place.
For Tennessee, the clip is another reminder that the backfield future could be in good hands. DeSean Bishop has also given the Vols a boost with his recent play, and the running back room will stay under the microscope as the schedule moves ahead. Georges is still on the way rather than already part of the rotation, but moments like this only sharpen the anticipation around what he could bring once he gets to Knoxville. [Read more 🡒]