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4 clusters · 17 sources · 8 days · First seen · Last updated

Tennessee Volunteers defeat Furman 56-9 in season opener

Overview

The No. 20 Tennessee Volunteers opened their 2026 season with a 56-9 victory over the Furman Paladins at Neyland Stadium. Freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon delivered a historic debut, tying a program freshman record held by Casey Clausen and Tyler Bray by accounting for five total touchdowns. Brandon completed 13 of 17 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns, while adding two rushing scores on 10 carries. This performance made him the first SEC player since Cam Newton to record three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a career start.

Following the game, Brandon received several weekly honors, including being named the Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Week by the Maxwell Football Club, as well as the 247Sports True Freshman of the Week and the SEC Freshman of the Week. The victory also drew positive attention from high school recruits, such as 2027 running back commit Asa Barnes and 2029 offensive lineman Nassah Williams.

Offensive contributors included wide receiver Mike Matthews, who recorded 132 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and running back DeSean Bishop, who tallied 97 rushing yards and a score. Sophomore Justin Baker added a 73-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Defensively, Tennessee held Furman to 43 passing yards, with transfer defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam recording three sacks and five tackles for loss.

The game featured a tribute to the late Dolly Parton, who passed away in August. Honors included butterfly decals on player helmets and the debut of ‘My Tennessee Mountain Home’ as the team’s new fourth-quarter anthem, replacing a previous song by Morgan Wallen.

Entities

Faizon Brandon · Tennessee Volunteers · Josh Heupel · Neyland Stadium · Dolly Parton

Timeline

  1. 4 days ago

    [SPORTS] 3 sources
    Tennessee football defeats Furman as Faizon Brandon earns weekly honors

    Freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon led Tennessee to a 56-9 season-opening win over Furman, earning Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Week honors after a five-touchdown performance.

  2. 7 days ago

    [SPORTS] 14 sources
    Tennessee Volunteers defeat Furman 56-9 in season opener

    Freshman QB Faizon Brandon recorded five touchdowns as No. 20 Tennessee defeated Furman 56-9, while the team honored the late Dolly Parton with various tributes during the season opener.

  3. 9 days ago

    [SPORTS] 5 sources
    Tennessee Volunteers prepare for season opener against Furman

    The Tennessee Volunteers open their 2026 season against the Furman Paladins, featuring freshman QB Faizon Brandon's debut and special tributes to Dolly Parton at Neyland Stadium.

  4. 11 days ago

    [SPORTS] 5 sources
    Tennessee coach Josh Heupel previews season opener against Furman

    Tennessee coach Josh Heupel confirmed tight end Ethan Davis is ready for the season opener against Furman and noted that both quarterbacks will likely see significant action.

Sources

awfulannouncing.com · capperspicks.com · huskers.com · kekbfm.com · kicks105.com · kxrb.com · mybeachradio.com · newsday.com · rockytopinsider.com · rockytoptalk.com · saturdaydownsouth.com · saturdaytradition.com · si.com · utdailybeacon.com · utsports.com · whiskeyriff.com · winnipegfreepress.com

This summary has been updated 7 times: see revision history