Tennessee football is finally taking the field after an offseason of anticipation.
The Vols return to the gridiron on Saturday with visiting Furman. Kickoff is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET for the first official look at UT for the 2026 season. Tennessee enters the game as a 46.5-point favorite over Furman.
"Have had a really good fall camp," UT head coach Josh Heupel said. "Proud of the work that our players and staff have put into it. And excited to get inside of Neyland Stadium to get up and go play ball with these guys and start our journey during the course of the season here in week one. I'm excited to go play."
Furman already has a game under its belt after a 20-3 season-opening win over DII Anderson (S.C.) University. The Paladins, who play in the FCS, were led by quarterback Jake Garcia, a transfer from Michigan, who completed 15 of 28 passes for 183 yards and an interception.
Fans will get their first look at five-star freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon after an offseason dominated by quarterback-competition headlines. Brandon becomes the first true freshman to start a home opener since 2004.
He ranked as the No. 3 quarterback out of high school, according to 247Sports, and has a track record of winning since high school. The Vols are hoping those winning ways will continue into college.
"Very confident, very within himself," Heupel said. "He's learned so much fundamentally, our offense. He's done a great job of growing since he got here in January, and he's put in a ton of work. Our May break, he stayed here the entire time. Didn't go home, same thing over the Fourth, and has just continued to get better. So really excited to go play with him, and I know our team is, too."
One of the storylines to keep an eye on will be the status of the Tennessee defense. With Jim Knowles calling the shots for the first time with the Vols, seeing how the unit responds will be key.
A subplot to that unit is trying to figure out what the Vols will look like up front. When Penn State sophomore transfer Chaz Coleman was ruled medically ineligible, it opened the door for a variety of options to find production on the edge of the defensive line.
Who takes advantage of that opportunity will go a long way toward finding a solution to the problem.
Tennessee wins if it doesn't beat itself. The Vols will outmatch Furman across the board and should have no issue running away with this football game. Furman will get a chance if UT starts making mistakes and beating itself.
Furman wins if Tennessee doesn't show up. The Paladins will be outmatched and need some miracle swings to take home a win — turnovers, special teams points and taking advantage of the Vols' mistakes would all have to happen for a Furman win.
