Vol football is back at Neyland Stadium, and Tennessee opens its 2026 home slate on September 5 against Furman.
The Vols and Paladins will kick off at 3:30 p.m. in what will be their third meeting ever. Tennessee has won the first two matchups at home, rolling past Furman 32-6 in 1941 and 52-7 in 1942. This will also be the first time the teams have played since World War II ended.
Fans watching from home will be able to find the game on SEC Network+ and ESPN+.
A big part of the spotlight in Knoxville will fall on Tennessee’s new starting quarterback, freshman Faizon Brandon. The Greensboro, North Carolina native enrolled at Tennessee in January and was named the starter as the Vols head into the opener. In high school, Brandon was a top-five overall prospect in the nation and committed to Tennessee ahead of his junior season in 2024.
At Grimsley High School, Brandon completed more than 72 percent of his passes and was described by the Vols roster as someone who does whatever it takes to win. Even after missing part of his senior season with a thumb injury, he came back for the playoffs and didn’t miss a beat, throwing three first-half touchdowns and going 12-of-14 for 227 yards in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs.
Tennessee will also begin the season without senior linebacker Arion Carter for one game. The NCAA originally handed Carter a two-game suspension in July after an agent paid for a $427 flight to an NFL training facility for him during the pre-draft process after he had declared for the NFL Draft.
Carter later withdrew from the draft after needing surgery on his foot and deciding it was in his best interest to return to Tennessee for one more season. After that, Heupel said Carter disengaged with the agent in connection to the NFL and paid back the cost of the flight in January.
In late August, the NCAA cut the suspension down to one game.
Tennessee enters the year ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press’ Top 25 Poll. It marks the fourth straight season the Vols have appeared in the preseason poll, though this year’s ranking sits below the Top-15 spots Tennessee earned in the 2023 and 2024 preseason polls.
In Other News...
Vols Mourn Respected Assistant Who Helped Shape Tennessee Across Eras
Charles Kippy Browns death at 71 closes the book on a remarkable football life that touched Tennessee from multiple angles. Before he became a respected assistant in Knoxville, Brown had already broken ground as the first Black quarterback at Sweetwater High School and the University of Memphis, then built a coaching rsum that stretched from college sidelines to a 22-season NFL career, including a Super Bowl title with the Seattle Seahawks.
For Tennessee, Brown was the kind of figure whose influence spanned eras, serving as an assistant under three different head coaches and even stepping in briefly as interim head coach. His path also took him to the XFL, where he coached the Memphis Maniax, another stop in a career defined by adaptability and staying power. The Volunteers are mourning not just a former staff member, but a trailblazer who helped shape the game at multiple levels. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Just Crossed A Uniform Line Fans Will Debate
Tennessees latest business move is a big one, and it goes well beyond the usual scoreboard talk. Tennessee Athletics has signed a 10-year jersey patch sponsorship deal with First Horizon Bank that reportedly tops $120 million, a pact that will put the banks name on football uniforms and across multiple Olympic sports while leaving mens and womens basketball out of the arrangement.
The patch is set to appear starting in the 2026 season, giving Vols fans plenty of time to get used to the idea of a sponsor sitting on the uniform. For a program that has long sold itself on tradition and pageantry, this is the kind of change that will invite debate as much as it does revenue, especially with the deal stretching a full decade and reaching so many corners of the athletic department. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Knowles Just Revealed Tennessees Early Defensive Concern
Jim Knowles met the media ahead of Tennessees 2026 season opener against Furman and offered an early look at how the Volunteers are sorting through preseason work on defense. The new coordinator talked through the teams preparation, his impressions of several key defenders and the ongoing effort to get everyone lined up and comfortable before the games start to count.
One of the more notable themes in his update was how Edrees Farooqs injury has affected the depth chart and forced Tennessee to be flexible with its personnel. Knowles said the staff has been cross-training players to handle multiple spots, while also noting progress in tackling and sharing observations about quarterback Faizon Brandons style as the Vols continue building toward the opener. [Read more 🡒]