Week 4 is here, and the SEC quarterback picture already has a few clear headliners. Tennessee freshman Faizon Brandon and Texas senior Arch Manning both sit in the mix after three games, with ESPN’s updated Total QBR rankings giving a snapshot of where the league’s passers stand entering conference play.
Brandon has put together a strong start for No. 13 Tennessee.
In three starts, he has completed 41 of 64 passes for 552 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions listed in the source, while also adding 137 rushing yards and three scores on 26 carries. That production has him sixth in the SEC QBR rankings at 79.0.
Tennessee’s next test is a big one. The Vols, 3-0, open SEC play Saturday against No.
1 Texas, also 3-0. Kickoff is set for noon EDT at Neyland Stadium, with the game on ABC.
Manning, meanwhile, enters that matchup after compiling 60 completions on 97 attempts for 664 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also rushed for 80 yards on 20 carries. His QBR of 71.3 puts him ninth in the league.
At the top of the SEC list sits Georgia’s Gunner Stockton at 94.8, followed by Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor at 88.9 and Florida’s Aaron Philo at 88.6. Trinidad Chambliss is fourth at 81.4, and Alabama’s Keelon Russell rounds out the top five at 79.5.
The rest of the top 10 includes Missouri’s Austin Simmons at 75.8, LSU’s Sam Leavitt at 75.2, Auburn’s Byrum Brown at 69.5, and Oklahoma’s John Mateer at 66.0. Vanderbilt’s Jared Curtis checks in 12th at 53.9, followed by Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed at 51.3, Kentucky’s Kenny Minchey at 50.6, South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers at 50.4 and Arkansas’s KJ Jackson at 45.5.
In Other News...
Tennessee Fans Have A New Checker Neyland Twist For Texas
Checker Neyland is back in a big way this Saturday when Tennessee hosts Texas, and this time the Vols are putting a fresh spin on the familiar orange-and-white pattern. Fans have a new way to make sure they land in the right color block for Neyland Stadium, with seat information available online so everyone can check whether they are supposed to wear orange or white before heading through the gates.
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
Tennessees tight end room took a major hit at exactly the wrong time, with Ethan Davis set to miss the rest of the 2026 season after suffering an ACL injury. It is a frustrating loss for a player the Vols have leaned on, but there is at least one bit of good news for Tennessee moving forward: Davis has already said he plans to return for a fifth season in Knoxville.
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 🡒]
Tennessee's Biggest Home Games Are Creating A Brutal Knoxville Squeeze
The buzz around Tennessees home schedule is hitting Knoxville in a very real way, long before the first whistle. With the No. 1 Texas game set for Sept. 26 at Neyland Stadium, lodging close to campus has become scarce and expensive, with many hotels already sold out and nearby Airbnb prices climbing to two or three times their normal rates. Some properties are even pushing past $1,000 a night, a sign of just how much demand these marquee weekends are generating.
For Volunteers fans trying to make a trip out of it, the squeeze is only expected to tighten as the season goes on. The Tennessee-Alabama game is also drawing heavy attention, and the limited supply near the stadium means the familiar game-day scramble is starting earlier and costing far more than usual. In Knoxville, the biggest home games are turning into a planning test almost as much as a football event. [Read more 🡒]