Auburn's 2026 season and the challenges it will present became clearer on Monday morning. Tennessee has announced that 5-star true freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon will be the Vols' starting quarterback this fall.
The Tigers travel to Rocky Top on October 3 to take on a Tennessee team that is a QB away from being a massive offensive threat. Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley were named to the Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list, and both had over 800 yards and six touchdowns each during the 2025 season. Running back DeSean Bishop went for 1,076 yards on 182 carries and 16 touchdowns. The offensive line brings continuity and veteran production back into the fold.
Defensively, the Vols are a bit more of a question mark as a group. Jim Knowles steps into the defensive coordinator seat after Tim Banks followed Alex Golesh to the Plains following Banks' firing from UT. While Knowles produced a championship defense for Ohio State two years ago, his defenses are complicated and take a while for players to learn. That resulted in disaster last season at Penn State, where the Nittany Lions never really put Knowles' concepts to work effectively.
Regardless, Brandon unquestionably raises Tennessee's ceiling. The six-foot-four, 205-pound QB completed 72% of his passes for 6,374 yards and 79 touchdowns at Grimsley High School (NC), adding an average of over 300 rushing yards per season. There was no better athlete in the Vols' QB room, and this was likely always the inevitable result in Knoxville, despite Brandon's inexperience.
Faizon Brandon will challenge Auburn's outside linebackers
Brandon runs a high-tempo spread offense for Josh Heupel that is going to obviously test corners, but more specifically, Auburn's outside linebackers will be uniquely put to the test in Week 5. Brandon has the ability to punish with his legs, so finding a versatile off-ball option on the outside who can pivot at a moment's notice will be critical.
While star linebacker Xavier Atkins does his best work in the middle shooting the A-gap, he may have to be utilized more in an overhang role covering the slot on October 3. Otherwise, someone will need to show they can handle that role instead over the season's first month.
Facing Brandon will be a good chance for the entire Tigers linebacker room to step up and prove their merits in a matchup that will directly challenge them. There is no greater challenge offensively before the bye week.
Much like Alabama choosing Keelon Russell as its QB1, Tennessee has put the onus on the Tigers' defense to deal with an athlete who can dice up defenses in different ways. Brandon is a much more willing runner, though, so DJ Durkin's defense needs to be ready to meet him in the open field and lay big hits. Easier said than done, surely.
Tennessee just made itself a tougher opponent for everyone it will face over the next three months. We'll see how Auburn responds in a few weeks' time during its first road test.
Add us as a preferred source on Google