100 Days to Kickoff: Opponent Previews – Tennessee
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Hopefully Georgia Tech doesn’t empty the tank Thursday night against Colorado, because an even bigger primetime showdown awaits. Just nine days later, the Yellow Jackets will welcome the Tennessee Volunteers for an SEC vs. ACC night game. The last time they came down from Knoxville nine years ago, it was an overtime thriller that ended in despair. Much has changed since that memorable night, and both programs have undergone significant identity changes. As the 2026 season begins, Tennessee and Georgia Tech find themselves in remarkably similar positions, each entering the year with plenty of new faces and even more unanswered questions. Let’s take a closer look at the Volunteers and see what we can expect from them in 2026.
Quarterback Carousel
Tennessee has been in the headlines for quite some time now regarding the quarterback position. After failing to pick up a QB in the transfer portal and losing their starter from last year, the Volunteers were not left with any blockbuster options. In 2025, App State transfer Joey Aguilar started for the Volunteers and had a good year, totaling 3,565 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Aguilar fought hard for another year of eligibility, but a Knoxville judge ultimately denied his request for a preliminary injunction. This leaves Tennessee with two young quarterbacks competing for the starting job: redshirt freshman George MacIntyre and true freshman Faizon Brandon. While Brandon is the newcomer, he has quickly emerged as a possible favorite. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, the five-star freshman has impressed throughout camp and is now the frontrunner to earn the starting role. At 6’4” and 215 pounds, Brandon has the large frame and elite talent to lead the Volunteers’ offense. The reigning Gatorade Player of the Year threw for 7,490 yards and accounted for 90 touchdowns during his three seasons as the starting quarterback at Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina.
MacIntyre, meanwhile, spent all of last season developing behind Tennessee’s veterans and is eager for his opportunity in 2026. The 6’6”, 195-pound redshirt freshman was also a highly rated recruit coming out of high school, and before spring practice began, many expected his extra year of experience to give him the boost he needed to win the starting role. However, Brandon has turned heads, and now this is one of the most intriguing quarterback battles in the country.
Colorado transfer QB Ryan Staub could also be a name to look out for, but he will likely be the third string unless chaos ensues. Staub was the third string for Colorado in 2025, but saw some playing time and totaled 427 yards and three touchdowns.
With uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position, Tennessee will likely lean heavily on the talent around its signal-caller. Fortunately for the Vols, that supporting cast is one of the best in the SEC. All-SEC running back DeSean Bishop returns to lead the ground game, while wide receivers Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley are back after combining for 1,650 receiving yards in 2025. Tennessee also brings back four out of five offensive line starters along with several experienced reserves, giving them an edge in the trenches. While the quarterback position may take a step back from last season, there will be plenty of other strengths on the offense. Expect Tennessee to establish the run behind Bishop, especially against a Georgia Tech defense that struggled to contain the run in 2025. This will be a great test to see just how much the Tech defense has improved under Jason Semore.
Defensive Changes
After a shaky defensive showing in 2025, head coach Josh Heupel relieved defensive coordinator Tim Banks of his duties and made an incredible hire, stealing Jim Knowles from Penn State. Knowles also served as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator during its 2024 championship run. Knowles certainly has the resume to succeed, but the question is how quickly he can transform Tennessee’s defense. He brought several trusted assistants with him from Penn State and Ohio State, including co-defensive coordinator Anthony Poindexter, LEOs coach Andrew Jackson, and cornerbacks coach Michael Hunter Jr. Like Tech, Tennessee underwent significant changes on its defensive coaching staff this offseason, but Knowles appears to be well-equipped to lead this transition. With 38 years of coaching experience and four defenses that finished in the nation’s top 15 over the past six seasons, he has consistently proven that he can build elite units.
Tennessee made headlines this offseason by landing former Penn State edge rusher Chaz Coleman, who was the number one edge in the transfer portal. They made headlines again in March when it was announced that Coleman had stepped away from the program for personal reasons. Reports later surfaced that he had been medically disqualified, though nothing has truly been confirmed. This is a big loss for the Vols, but they still have loads of talent defensively, especially at the linebacker position. UNC transfer Amare Campbell, Arion Carter, Jeremiah Tealander, and Edwin Spillman will cause fits for an inexperienced Georgia Tech offensive line. This position is getting the most attention out of any unit for Tennessee, and they will likely wreak havoc on many offenses this year. The winner of the matchup between these linebackers and Georgia Tech’s stellar run duo in Justice Haynes and Malachi Hosley could very well determine the outcome of this game.
As of July 29th, linebacker Arion Carter is now suspended for the first two games of the season for accepting a $427 flight from his agent after he declared for the NFL Draft. Carter needed surgery on his foot in the offseason; therefore, he decided to return to Tennessee for another year. While it benefits us, this is an absolutely ridiculous punishment and is just another reason why the NCAA has been taking a lot of heat lately.
Tennessee’s secondary is filled with transfers, much like the Jackets. Miami DB Jadais Richard and Auburn DB transfer Kayin Lee come in at cornerback, and Kansas State transfer Qua Moss and Michigan transfer TJ Metcalf are projected as starters at safety. This defense seems to be loaded and is poised to make a big jump after a letdown of a year in 2025. This will be a difficult matchup for the Jackets and will be one of their biggest tests of the year early on. As mentioned earlier, Justice Haynes and Malachi Hosley will truly have to play lights out to have success against this defense.
The Matchup
This one is hard because we really are not sure what to expect from either group. Both teams have a lot of unknowns, and we really won’t know what to make of Tennessee in Week One because they face FCS opponent Furman. Head coach Josh Heupel has done an incredible job in Knoxville, and he will definitely be ready for the Jackets come Week Two. This will be a matchup of two first-time quarterback starters, experienced running backs, new defensive coordinators, and a myriad of transfers on defense. There is no doubt the Volunteers have the edge in this game, but their question marks and inexperience at quarterback make them vulnerable. Georgia Tech has even more unknowns, but if things go well, they will be a dangerous team.
Two things will need to happen for Georgia Tech to win this game.
- The run defense under new defensive coordinator Jason Semore needs to be drastically improved to stop Bishop and put pressure on a first-time starter under center
- We must run the ball (well) and control the clock
If those two things are accomplished, you can count us in for a dog fight.
It’s a night game at Bobby Dodd, and Brent Key loves being the underdog. Both teams have a lot of unknowns, but that makes this game all the more exciting. Tennessee will be favored to win, but we all know you can never count out the Jackets.
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