[REVISION HISTORY]

Tennessee Volunteers defeat Furman 56-9 in season opener

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2026-09-06 16:41 UTC → 2026-09-09 14:31 UTC · added ~~removed~~

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, contributing to a total offensive output of 638 yards.~~ quarter. Defensively, Tennessee held Furman to ~~just~~ 43 passing ~~yards. Transfer~~ yards, with transfer defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam ~~recorded~~ recording three sacks and five tackles for ~~loss, marking the most sacks for a Tennessee player in a single game since 2018. Amare Campbell and Xavier Campbell each recorded six tackles.~~ loss. The game featured a tribute to the late Dolly Parton, who passed away in August. Honors included butterfly decals on player ~~helmets, a dedicated karaoke camera,~~ helmets and ~~halftime performances~~ the debut of ~~her hits, such as ‘9 to 5’. Additionally,~~ ‘My Tennessee Mountain Home’ ~~debuted~~ as the team’s new fourth-quarter anthem, replacing a previous song by Morgan Wallen. Following the win, head coach Josh Heupel noted that while the team needs to “clean up communication and penalties,” he was pleased with the execution and defensive performance. Tennessee is scheduled to travel to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech next week.

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