USA TODAY NETWORK/Via Reuters Connect
Sep 5, 2026 9:52 AM
Tennessee football is opening the season with Furman on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET inside Neyland Stadium. Here are five keys to the game for the Vols.
Tennessee football is opening the 2026 season by hosting Furman on Saturday.
Here are five keys to the matchup as the Vols ring in a new season.
- Help out Faizon Brandon: Tennessee is starting a true freshman quarterback for the first time since 2004 in a home opener. The former five-star prospect has a lot of fanfare as he begins his college career with the Vols, but he is still a true freshman. It's paramount for UT to ease Brandon into the role of starting quarterback — establishing a run game to help him or drawing up easy plays to establish confidence.
- Establish the run game: It can be a key for every game Tennessee plays this season, but it's essential against an under-matched opponent that UT have a consistent ground game. The Vols also have a running back corps that is capable of shattering records, and a big performance in the season opening could set them up for a strong year.
- Leave no doubt: Tennessee has generally performed well in buy games under head coach Josh Heupel. There's no reason for UT to mess around with Furman in the opener. The Paladins are coming off a 20-3 win over DII Anderson (S.C.). For context, Anderson went 5-6 last season with a loss to nearby Carson-Newman. Tennessee should run-away on the scoreboard and do so early.
- Get game film at important positions: Tennessee's position battles will likely last past the season opener. The Vols are looking for a consistent offensive line rotation and could use the course of the opener to test out different combinations against another team. The wide receiver No. 3 position is still open as well, and getting an early lead could open up avenues to test different players and evaluate the film. It's also the first time new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will be calling plays — what will his scheme look like when the bullets start flying? Saturday offers a test for all of the above and more.
- Get out healthy: Like every early-season buy game, Tennessee needs to take care of business and get out of the game healthy. The Vols don't need to lose anyone to injury in the season opener against Furman. Getting up early allows the starters to get out of the game and for UT to get quality experience for its younger players — not to mention staying healthy all around for a Power Five road trip in Week 2.
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