Tennessee Volunteers HC Josh Heupel Reportedly Could Be Pursued By Big 12 Program in CFB Coaching Carousel
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There’s plenty of buzz in Knoxville right now with the Tennessee Volunteers coming off a blowout win in the regular-season opener that featured a lot of promise from true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon. Amid all the excitement regarding the program’s future, some new college football rumors have emerged regarding head coach Josh Heupel.
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman wrote that there have been whispers around college football that perhaps Heupel could be an option. While it would likely require the SEC coach seeking a “reset” scenario if he has another disappointing season in Knoxville, it is viewed as a possibility.
“Another possible scenario we’ve heard is if Baylor comes open, would the Bears make a move to bring Tennessee’s Josh Heupel back to the Southwest? Heupel did a really good job dragging the Vols out of a big ditch and into the Playoff in 2024, but if the former Oklahoma quarterback has another 8-5 type of year, does he look for a reset in a Power 4 conference that isn’t as loaded as the SEC?”
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman on Tennessee Volunteers HC Josh Heupel potentially being an option for the Baylor Bears
Related: College Football Coaches Hot Seat After Week 1, including Baylor’s Dave Aranda
Aranda is one of the likeliest college football coaches to be fired in 2026. Brought in by Baylor in 2020, his peak came in a 12-2 season in 2021 that ended with a victory in the Sugar Bowl. Since then, the Bears are 22-29 (.431) with only two appearances in bowl games over the last four years.
Given the opponents on Baylor’s schedule and how the team looked in its Week 1 loss to Auburn, a second consecutive season with a losing record is squarely on the table. That would almost certainly result in Aranda being fired, with the Bears coaching search potentially focusing on more offensive-minded coaching candidates.
Related: Bold Predictions for Tennessee Volunteers vs Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The question is whether Heupel would be in a position where leaving is even under consideration. Brandon, a 2026 five-star recruit, is the youngest starting quarterback in Volunteers history and has shown some of the physical tools that could one day make him one of the best quarterbacks in the SEC. In addition, the team currently has an in-state commitment from five-star running back David Gabriel Georges for 2027.
Heupel boasts a career 46-20 record as Tennessee’s head coach and led the program to the College Football Playoff in 2024 for the first time. Outside of his first year in Knoxville, when the team finished 7-6, the Volunteers have won at least eight games in every full season under his watch.
Given the young talent on the Volunteers roster, it seems highly unlikely that Heupel would bolt to rebuild Baylor’s football program in 2027. If Tennessee does win nine-plus games this season with an 18-year-old starting quarterback, Heupel’s agent could float his name out there purely to land his client a raise as part of another contract extension.
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