No. 18 Tennessee set to battle former SEC rival Georgia Tech

While the No. 18 Tennessee Vols will be carrying momentum into Saturday, they will be facing a much stiffer challenge than in their season opener. After handling Furman in Neyland Stadium 56-9, Tennessee will now turn its attention to its trip to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech. Not only will it be the first road game in the young season, but the first FBS opponent the Vols will see. The Vols and Yellow Jackets shared a conference from 1921-1964, first in the Southern Conference until both became founding members of the SEC in 1932. Georgia Tech then left the conference in 1964 and eventually found a home in the ACC. Tennessee and Tech were bitter rivals for most of their time sharing a league and beyond. The two teams battled consistently throughout the 20th century until 1987, when the rivalry took a 30-year hiatus. They locked horns in the 2017 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic where the Vols took home a 42-41 victory in double overtime. It allowed Tennessee to grab a 25-17-2 lead in the series. Now, the program will be paying its first visit to Bobby Dodd Stadium since 1986. For the Vols offense, Tennessee will be led by quarterback Faizon Brandon, who accounted for five touchdowns in the Week 1 win over the Paladins en route to win SEC Freshman of the Week. "Prepare the right way, empty the tank in your preparation," UT head coach Josh Heupel said of Brandon. "That's film study, understanding what we're doing. It always comes down to the little things. That's at home or on the road, but on the road it's even amplified. So great communication, control, and command of what we are doing. He's going to have to make plays but he's got to take care of the football as well." He will have starting center Sam Pendleton back on the offensive line after he missed the opener. Adam Sparks of Knox News reported Pendleton was suspended for a violation of team rules relating to a DUI arrest in May. Also back for the Vols will be linebacker Arion Carter, who served a one-game suspension from the NCAA regarding a $427 plane ticket that he was gifted by an agent and later repaid. Still, Carter served as the Vols' lone captain despite not dressing out last Saturday. He has also announced he will be donating $427 to cancer research for every tackle he makes this season, inspired by his girlfriend's fight against the disease. "I think it's indicative of who he is, right," Heupel said. "He's passionate about a cause for multiple reasons, obviously his girlfriend, but his family history as well. A guy who cares about community, so it's just indicative of who he is as a person. The dollar amount certainly keeps the story alive too." Meanwhile, Georgia Tech enters the contest at 0-1 after losing to Colorado to open the 2026 campaign, 14-13. Former Tennessee defensive back Boo Carter blocked what would have been the game-winning field goal as time expired to clinch the win for the Buffaloes. The Yellow Jackets struggled to stop the run to open the year, allowing Colorado to rush for 183 yards as a team at 3.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Tennessee ran for 329 yards against the Paladins. Georgia Tech, like the Volunteers, starts a first-time starter at quarterback in Alberto Mendoza. The younger brother of last season's Heisman Trophy winner, Mendoza went 17-of-23 through the air for 273 yards in defeat. He was also sacked three times for 22 yards lost and didn't turn the ball over. "Thought he played extremely smart the other night, you can see him progress through his reads, one through five, and get all the way to the backside of the concept and do it extremely quickly," Heupel said. "He was accurate with the football, athletic enough to extend and make plays as a passer and has the feet to go gain yards afterwards too. So, I thought he played extremely well the other night." Jordan Allen was Mendoza's top target to open the season, catching eight passes for 113 yards. Kevin Roche Jr. and Dalen Penson were other key contributors in the passing game. Justice Haynes is the lead back for the Yellow Jackets, as he had 19 carries for 64 yards in the first game. The Tech offense was unable to find pay dirt against Colorado, as the only GT score came on a 100-yard kickoff return by Rahkeem Smith. Tennessee and Georgia Tech will kick off at 7 p.m. on Saturday night, with ESPN providing television coverage.