Calls Mount Against Aaron Rodgers' Brother After "Petty" College Football Prediction

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During a Sept. 2 appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter, Aaron Rodgers brother Jordan Rodgers was asked to identify a game that could produce an upset along the lines of Appalachian State beating Michigan in 2007. He admitted none of the options looked particularly appealing. Then he landed on Furman at Tennessee.

“I don’t think any of them are too likely,”Rodgers said. “But if there was one that I could maybe sell you that this one could get interesting, it’d be Furman at Tennessee.” That was enough to send Vols fans after the former Vanderbilt quarterback.

“Stevie Wonder has a better chance of finding Waldo,” wrote a user on X. Another user relayed how dominantJosh Heupel’s team could be if they desired. “Tennessee could win 70-0 if they wanted to,” wrote the user.

The timing made the prediction even easier to mock. Tennessee enters Saturday’s game ranked No. 18 and sitting as a 46.5-point favorite. Furman, an FCS program, opened its season with a 20-3 win over Division II Anderson. The Paladins now have to walk into Neyland Stadium for their first game against Tennessee since 1942. Tennessee has also won both previous meetings. The Vols beat Furman 32-6 in 1941 and 52-7 the following year.

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“He must have got some peyote from Aaron [Rodgers],” wrote an X user. Another user predicted that Jordan Rodgers himself had made some betting endeavors. “He won’t show his Furman betting slip tho.”

Rodgers’ argument was not completely pulled from thin air, though. Tennessee is starting a true freshman at quarterback. Faizon Brandon won the job after beating out George MacIntyre during preseason camp. Brandon was a five-star recruit and 247Sports’ No. 2 quarterback in the 2026 class. He also went 35-1 as a high school starter.

That was a big part of Rodgers’ argument. He pointed to Brandon’s age and lack of college experience. A freshman quarterback can make mistakes, especially in his first game, and Rodgers believes that is where an upset like this would have to start. The underdog does not necessarily have to be better. The favorite just has to give it enough chances. Then Rodgers turned toTennessee’s defense.

Jim Knowles is taking over as defensive coordinator after spending the 2025 season at Penn State. Tennessee also added three new defensive assistants, while four former Penn State defenders transferred into the program. The Vols are replacing several pieces and installing a new system. Even Knowles has set an unusually high bar for the opener.

Asked what he wants from his defense against Furman, he said he does not want to give up any yards, first downs, or points. He specifically said he wants a shutout. Rodgers still stopped short of actually picking Furman.

“46.5 is a lot of points. I don’t know if it’ll happen,” Rodgers said. “But if you want some intrigue, you want one-in-a-million, maybe that one.” For Tennessee fans, that distinction apparently did not matter.

“He’s showing just how stupid he is. Shut up, Aaron’s little brother,” wrote another X user.

The criticism is understandable from a Tennessee perspective, especially when the point spread tells a very different story. ESPN’s analytics give the Vols roughly a 99% chance of winning, while Tennessee has already been installed as a 46.5-point favorite. The Paladins have not exactly built a résumé that screams giant-killer against FBS competition.

Furman owns a 6-35-1 record against FBS opponents since the Southern Conference moved to the FCS level in 1982. So yes, Brandon could make freshman mistakes. Tennessee could have defensive communication issues. The Vols could fail to cover the spread. But a Furman upset would still require a collapse of historic proportions. Rodgers called it “one-in-a-million.” Tennessee fans seem to think that number was still far too generous.

Then there is the argument of bias against Tennessee. As a former Vandy QB, Rodgers is bound to have hated the in-state Vols in the past. Does that dislike for his college rival extend to his comments as a CFB pundit?

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