Tennessee football defeats Furman as Faizon Brandon earns weekly honors

Tennessee football opened its season with a 56-9 victory over Furman, highlighted by a standout performance from freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon. Brandon, the youngest starting quarterback in program history, was named the Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Week by the Maxwell Football Club.

During the game, Brandon accounted for five total touchdowns, completing 13 of 17 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns, while adding two rushing scores. His five-touchdown performance tied a Tennessee freshman record previously held by Casey Clausen and Tyler Bray. Brandon has also received recognition as the 247Sports True Freshman of the Week and the SEC Freshman of the Week.

The victory drew positive attention from high school recruits, including 2027 running back commit Asa Barnes and 2029 offensive lineman Nassah Williams, who noted the high energy and atmosphere at Neyland Stadium.