Another domino has fallen in the SEC quarterback battle storyline of the preseason.
For a third consecutive day, a program from the league has announced their starting quarterback for Week 1 of the upcoming season. This time it was Tennessee, as the Vols selected true freshman Faizon Brandon after beating out second year signal caller George MacIntyre.
Brandon is one of the highest-profile recruits of the Josh Heupel era. He was a consensus Top 10 recruit and one of the top three quarterbacks in the 2026 class.
The battle between him and MacIntyre was even for most of spring and the initial week of fall camp. However, after two scrimmages, Brandon got the nod. One of the main reasons why, according to reports in Knoxville, was his ability to make plays with his legs and show his downfield accuracy in the passing game. Explosive plays through the air have been a staple of Tennessee’s offenses under Heupel, and one of the primary reasons the Vols have finished with a top two scoring offense in the SEC in four of the last five years.
A first-year starting quarterback is nothing new for Heupel, who enters 2026 with a first-year starting QB for the fifth time in six years. However, this will only be the second time he’ll enter a season with an underclassman starting under center.
Brandon will not only become the first true freshman to start at QB under Heupel, but he’s also the first true freshman since 2004 to start at QB for the Vols.
Tennessee opens the season on Saturday Sept. 5 against Furman.
