Texas vs Tennessee Predictions: 5 Bold Picks for Longhorns vs Volunteers Matchup
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ESPN College GameDay will be outside Neyland Stadium in Knoxville this upcoming weekend for a must-see SEC bout between the Texas Longhorns and Tennessee Volunteers.
It is a matchup between two of the most exciting, young quarterbacks in college football. Longhorns star Arch Manning is looking to strengthen his Heisman Trophy candidacy for the No. 1 team in the country, while true freshman Faizon Brandon gets his first opportunity to build a legacy in Knoxville.
Let’s dive into our Texas vs Tennessee predictions, projecting five things that will happen in this matchup between the Longhorns and Volunteers on Saturday afternoon.
Cam Coleman Scores 2 Touchdowns
Considering the expectations for him entering the season, it’s been a relatively quiet September for Longhorns wide receiver Cam Coleman. He enters Week 4 ranked 115th nationally in receiving yards (178), pulling down just 11 receptions through three contests, and he hasn’t cleared 60 receiving yards in the last two weeks. What Texas has demonstrated, however, is its desire to target the 6-foot-3 wideout inside the red zone. He’s delivered a pair of two-touchdown games this month, with all four of those scores coming from within 25 yards of the end zone.
Coleman figures to draw the most attention in coverage from Volunteers cornerback Ty Redmond, whose 6-foot-3 and 200-pound frame matches up better than Kayin Lee (5-foot-11). Redmond, who earned third-team All-SEC honors in 2025, has fared reasonably well in coverage this season and should be able to contain Coleman between the 20s. However, we do see Manning hitting his No. 1 receiver twice in the end zone on Saturday in Knoxville.
Related: Week 4 College Football Rankings, See Where Texas and Tennessee Land
Daune Morris Finds the End Zone, Puts Up 50+ Rushing Yards
The hope for Tennessee is certainly that second-team All-SEC running back DeSean Bishop, who exited this past Saturday with a lower-body injury, is able to suit up against Texas. Even if he does, it’s reasonable to assume that running back Daune Morris receives a few additional touches on Saturday. Morris has made the most of his opportunities this season, averaging 8.1 yards per carry (234 yards on 29 attempts), and he’s coming off a two-game stretch with 114 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns on 24 carries. The Longhorns run defense did look a bit vulnerable a few weeks ago against Ohio State (74 rushing yards for Bo Jackson), and Josh Heupel is even better at scheming up explosive run plays for his offense. We think Morris gets double-digit carries on Saturday, turning them into 50-plus rushing yards and finding the end zone for the third consecutive week.
Related: Tennessee Vols HC Could Be Pursued By Big 12 Program
Faizon Brandon Throws First Career INT
Even if you put aside the fact that Faizon Brandon is an 18-year-old starting quarterback for an SEC program, he’s been impressive to start the year. Brandon’s numbers are modest (64.1% completion rate, 552 passing yards, 8.6 ypa, 6-0 TD-INT with 137 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns), but he’s made some big plays with both his arm and legs this season in key spots. He’s also done an excellent job avoiding negative plays, taking just 3 sacks with zero interceptions. However, per Pro Football Focus, Brandon does have just a 25% completion rate with a 5.6% turnover-worthy play rate when pressured. It’s a tiny sample size (4 attempts), but Saturday will be the first time he’s faced an SEC defense. Texas’ defense is averaging 1 interception per game this season, and it’s very capable of generating pressure. Longhorns defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will find a way to bait Brandon into a mistake, resulting in his first INT.
Related: Volunteers QB Faizon Brandon Earns Glowing Parise from ESPN Analyst
Xavier Gilliam Gets 2 Tackles for Loss
In two seasons with the Penn State Nittany Lions, Xavier Gilliam netted just 2 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks in 17 games. The 6-foot-2 and 301 lb. defensive tackle followed Jim Knowles this offseason, and he’s been a revelation for the Volunteers defense this season. Gilliam feasted on Furman in the regular-season opener, racking up 3 sacks with a forced fumble. While he’s been a bit less disruptive as a pass rusher in the two games since, PFF does credit him with 9 tackles and an 82.7 run defense grade, and he already has a career-best 5.5 tackles for loss. The Longhorns offensive line has been outstanding in pass protection this season, but we do think Gilliam will have success against the interior, netting 2 tackles for loss on Saturday.
Arch Manning Puts up 250+ Yards, 4 Total Touchdowns in Knoxville
Arch Manning still hasn’t quite played up to the hype this season, entering Week 4 ranked 40th in ESPN QBR (71.3), and he has just modest passing numbers (61.9% completion rate, 6.8 yards per attempt with 4 sacks taken). He didn’t look sharp last Saturday against UTSA, but let’s also keep in mind his numbers before taking a headshot (12 of 16, 119 passing yards, 7.5 ypa, and 2-0 TD-INT) versus his production after (5 of 17, 45 passing yards, 2.6 ypa). As he also demonstrated in the fourth quarter against Ohio State, he can lock in and look like one of the best players in college football at any moment.
This trip to Neyland Stadium obviously carries some added meaning for the Manning family, and there will be plenty of eyes on Texas vs. Tennessee with ESPN College GameDay in Knoxville. For as good as the Volunteers defense has performed this season, allowing just 14 points and 151 passing yards per game, the competition faced has a lot to do with that. We don’t see Tennessee’s front being able to consistently generate pressure, and if Manning is given a clean pocket, he’ll have guys that can win some one-on-one matchups. The inexperience in Knowles’ system and the acclimation period will show in this one for Tennessee, with Manning delivering a four-touchdown performance in Knoxville.
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