The Tennessee Volunteers have named Faizon Brandon as their starting quarterback. He’ll become the first true freshman QB to start in Week 1 for the Vols since 2004.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported this development Monday morning.
According to 247Sports, Brandon is a five-star prospect who was the #3 QB and #3 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class. The 6-foot-4 signal caller out of Grimsley High School in Greensboro, NC, helped his team to a 35-1 record and two state titles as a three-year starter, producing 8,984 yards from scrimmage and 114 touchdowns, including 82 TD passes.
Brandon, who verbally committed to Tennessee before his junior season of high school, edged out George MacIntyre for the starting gig. MacIntyre was a four-star signee in the 2025 class out of Brentwood Academy in Nashville. Per the 247Sports Composite, he was the #13 QB and #151 overall prospect in last year’s recruiting cycle.
MacIntyre took a redshirt last season after appearing in only two games. He completed 7-of-9 passes (77.8%) for 69 yards while getting snaps in blowout wins over East Tennessee St. and New Mexico St.
Brandon is joined by seven returning starters from an offense that scored at a 39.8 points-per-game clip in 2025. Four starters are back on the offensive line along with RB DeSean Bishop, WR Braylon Staley and WR Mike Matthews.
Despite sharing carries with RBs Star Thomas and Peyton Lewis, who have both departed, Bishop still had 1,076 rushing yards, 16 TDs and a 5.9 yards-per-carry average last year. Staley garnered SEC Freshman of the Year honors when he hauled in 68 receptions for 837 yards and six TDs.
Matthews had 53 catches for 813 yards and four TDs. Ethan Davis, a 6-foot-5 TE who started four games in 2025, snagged 21 balls for 257 yards and two TDs.
The offensive line has 94 career starts to its credit. Phil Steele’s National Unit Rankings have Tennessee #21 at RB, #7 at WR and #4 on the o-line.
Steele’s magazine has offensive guard Jesse Perry as a preseason first-team All-SEC selection, OT David Sanders and Staley as preseason second-team All-SEC choices, OG Wendell Moe and Bishop as preseason third-team All-SEC picks and Matthews as a preseason fourth-team All-SEC selection.
Brandon will make his UT debut on Sept. 5 when the Vols host Furman at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on the SEC Network. They play at Ga. Tech in Week 2 on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. ET.
FanDuel has Tennessee installed as a 48.5-point home favorite (at a -115 price) vs. Furman. The total is 66.5 points (‘over’ -115, ‘under’ -105).
FanDuel has the Vols with 55/1 odds to win the College Football Playoff. They’re 18/1 to win the SEC Championship Game.
UT has a season win total of 7.5 (‘over’ -120, ‘under’ -102).
In other SEC news, Alabama has named redshirt freshman Keelon Russell as it starting QB, Arkansas is going with KJ Jackson under center and Aaron Philo is Jon Sumall’s choice for QB1 at Florida. Russell beat out Austin Mack for the Crimson Tide’s #1 QB spot, while Jackson edged Memphis transfer AJ Hill. Philo got the nod over Trammell Jones for the Gators.