Beyond the numbers (which were staggering), perhaps the biggest takeaway from Tennessee freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon's performance in his debut was his humility and team-first message after the game ended.
"I'm really just proud of me and my team's success," a humble Brandon said right after the final whistle. "We worked so hard in the offseason, and just coming out here and seeing it pay off - that's just the main thing I'm proud of right now."
Talk about living up to the 5-star hype, and then some. What Brandon was able to get done in Week 1 at Neyland Stadium wasn't just eye-opening, but it was historic. With 226 passing yards and three touchdowns, plus 68 yards on the ground and two more scores, his five total touchdowns in the 56-9 win over Furman tied an FBS record for the most in a season-opener by a freshman, per CBS' Chris Hummer.
Yeah, the Tennessee faithful were expecting the youngster to be a stud -- but this good in his first taste of college action? Wow. As you probably could have guessed, Brandon was all smiles after the final whistle, and no one can blame him for that at all. He was brilliant in this one, and you could tell it meant the world to him too.
Tennessee true freshman QB Faizon Brandon today against Furman:
— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) September 5, 2026
13-for-17, 226 yards & 3 TDs
68 yards rushing, 2 TDs
His 5 TDs are tied for the most in a season opener by a FBS freshman this century, per @CBSSports research. pic.twitter.com/6mGkt1mYkT
Faizon Brandon was as good as advertised in Tennessee's blowout win over Furman
In the first half, there were some 'rookie' mistakes showcased by the freshman, but hey, that's going to happen when you start a first-year QB like this. However, Brandon looked sharp using his legs and throwing the ball all over the field. Mike Matthews was the main beneficiary on the day, posting a career-high 132 receiving yards, with two TDs.
Throughout the summer, Brandon was in a tight battle with George MacIntyre for the QB1 job, but ended up winning out. Let's give some props to G-Mac too, though, as he threw for 56 yards and a touchdown in relief of Brandon.
But next week against Georgia Tech, Brandon will be facing a much tougher opponent, and with it being a road contest in Atlanta, the environment is going to be much different than what was in front of him in Knoxville. Despite that, this was a good first test for him, with him looking pretty dang great.
It's not every day that you can tie some pretty wild history, but that's exactly what Brandon was able to get done in his debut. Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Brandon is going to keep working to silence the haters. Again, there will be some issues for him, but against the Paladins, he didn't force things, made smart decisions, and didn't play hero ball. He showed maturity in being conservative, which was a welcome sight for the Tennessee faithful. It's only up from here for him, too.
Add us as a preferred source on Google