Tennessee’s 70-47 win over Radford on Monday night gave the Vols a second victory in the young 2026-27 season, but the game also made one thing clear: this team still has another level to find.
The late 16-0 burst that finally pulled Tennessee away from Radford finished off a slow-starting night, and the Vols still walked out with a comfortable margin. But the bigger story was less about the final score and more about which pieces are settling in - and which ones are not.
Juke Harris is the clearest example of that. Tennessee brought him in as the big transfer prize after he averaged 21.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game at Wake Forest last season, but through two games he has not looked like the player the Vols expected.
He opened the year with seven points and four rebounds against Wofford, then had a rough first half against Radford with three points on 0-for-4 shooting from the field and 0-for-2 from deep. All of those points came at the line.
His second half didn’t turn into a breakthrough, either. Harris finished with six points on 1-for-9 shooting overall and 1-for-6 from three, along with two assists, one rebound and one steal.
Tennessee made a major push in the transfer portal, and Harris was the headline addition. It’s still early, but he has yet to make the kind of impact the Vols need from him.
While Harris searched for rhythm, Terrence Hill Jr. kept looking like Tennessee’s most reliable weapon. The point guard has stood out in exhibitions, against Wofford, and again versus Radford.
He led the Vols with 18 points on 6-for-9 shooting and 2-for-4 from beyond the arc, while also going 4-for-4 at the free-throw line. He added two rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Tennessee also got solid work from several others in supporting roles. DeWayne Brown II didn’t give the Vols the same offensive pop he showed in the opener, but he was all over the glass with 12 rebounds to go with four points, three assists and a block.
Jalen Haralson continued to look more comfortable, showing improvement as a defender while also threatening the rim. He scored 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting and finished with six rebounds, three steals and a block.
Dai Dai Ames chipped in 13 points on 4-for-7 shooting as another scoring option, and Miles Rubin flashed real value around the basket with eight points, seven rebounds and three blocks. It wasn’t a night where every contributor lit it up, but it was the kind of balanced production that can matter over the course of a season.
Rick Barnes also appears to have a clearer handle on his rotation after this one. He used nine players in the game, starting Hill, Harris, Tyler Lundblade, Brown and Braedan Lue. Off the bench, Troy Henderson, Ames, Haralson and Rubin all saw action.
That left freshmen Manny Green, Marquis Clark and Chris Washington Jr., along with transfer forward Christian Fermin, on the outside of the main rotation. Fermin, Washington and Green did get a few late minutes once the game was already decided.
Hill logged the most minutes at 28. Brown and Rubin followed at 26 apiece. At the other end of the rotation, Lue played 16 minutes, while Haralson and Henderson each finished with 17.
In Other News...
Josh Heupels DaSaahn Brame Update Gives Vols Fans Some Relief
DaSaahn Brames exit against Kentucky briefly added another uneasy moment to Tennessees night, especially after the tight end went down following the controversial incomplete-pass ruling in the end zone. Anytime a player leaves with a head injury, the immediate concern is bigger than the result on the field, and for the Volunteers it was another reminder of how quickly a game can turn.
Josh Heupel eased some of that worry after the game, saying Brame is doing well and is expected to be in good condition for the upcoming matchup with Texas A&M. Tennessee still has to get through the first availability report, which comes Wednesday night, but for now the update gives Vols fans a little relief heading into a game week that already has plenty of attention on it. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Playoff Standing Suddenly Looks Less Comfortable Than It Seems
Tennessees spot in the latest College Football Playoff conversation looks secure on paper, but the broader SEC picture is starting to feel crowded. In ESPNs latest round of predictions, 11 of the networks 12 writers projected four SEC teams into the 2026 bracket, with Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Texas showing up most often as the leagues presumed heavyweights.
For the Volunteers, the takeaway is less about being in the mix and more about how little margin there may be if the conference keeps stacking contenders around them. Kentucky, despite sitting No. 6 in the initial CFP rankings, did not appear in any of the new projections, a reminder that early positioning can shift quickly once the selection debate starts to narrow. The full set of ESPN picks only reinforces how tightly the race is being judged at the top. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Defense Just Sent Texas A&M A Brutal Message
Tennessees defense kept rolling in a 34-6 win over Kentucky, and Arion Carter was at the center of it with 13 tackles, four for loss and two sacks. The Volunteers smothered the Wildcats from start to finish, forcing three turnovers and shutting down fourth-down chances as the game tilted decisively in Tennessees favor.
That kind of performance lands with extra force this week because Texas A&M is next on the schedule, and the Aggies are already in a precarious spot after a loss to South Carolina. They need to win two of their final three games to become bowl eligible, and now they have to do it against a Tennessee defense that just spent an afternoon sending a very clear message. [Read more 🡒]