By Garon Bach
Kickoff is in two days, and the atmosphere on Rocky Top is steadily building into a frenzy ahead of Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. kickoff. The Furman Paladins are coming to Knoxville for only the third time in program history.
Furman Paladins (1-0)
With Clay Hendrix at the helm, the Paladins posted a 6-6 record and went 4-4 in Southern Conference play. A not-so-impressive 2025 season appeared to carry over to the 2026 season with Furman’s start last Thursday.
Furman enters this weekend’s contest coming off a rather sloppy 20-3 win against Anderson (Division II). Defensively speaking, the Paladins held their opponent to 160 total yards last Thursday, with just 30 of those yards allowed in the second half.
The group had seven tackles for loss as Eli Lipscomb led the way on the defensive side of the ball. Lipscomb, a sophomore, tallied six tackles, a sack, and three TFLs. Two other notable Furman defenders were inside linebacker Raleigh Herbert with six tackles and safety Braylon Pebbles with two pass breakups.
Offensively, the Paladins are led by fifth-year senior quarterback Jake Garcia. Does the name sound familiar? It should, as Garcia spent time at Miami, East Carolina, and Michigan.
Having a fifth year at an FCS school is a telling sign of a quarterback’s play, but even more so are the stats. Last week against Anderson, Garcia went 15-for-28 for 183 yards with no touchdowns, one interception, and 51 rushing yards.
On multiple throws, it appeared Garcia’s timing was slightly ahead of his receivers — a potential recurring theme come Saturday in Neyland Stadium.
The run game for Furman was impressive, however, with running back C.J. Nettles’ 10 carries for 99 yards, including a 47-yard scamper. Running back Ben Croasdale had 11 carries for 67 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Running back C.J. Stokes added 11 carries for 37 yards.
Finally, for Furman, wide receiver Daniel Haughton is one to keep an eye on after recording five receptions for 87 yards last week, including a 49-yard catch.
Tennessee Volunteers
Josh Heupel enters his sixth season as head coach for the Vols. In his previous five seasons, he has earned two bowl wins, including the Orange Bowl in 2022, a College Football Playoff berth, and a 45-20 record in Knoxville.
In season openers during Heupel’s tenure, the Vols are undefeated, with four of those wins decided by 30 points or more.
The Vols will be led offensively by true freshman Faizon Brandon. After winning the quarterback battle during fall camp, Brandon is the first true freshman to start in Knoxville since 2004. But for Heupel, he has done it before — most recently with Dillon Gabriel at UCF. In 2019, that true freshman threw for more than 3,600 yards with 29 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions. Heupel has managed a similar situation before, raising the question of whether he can do it again.
Look out for the ground attack
Much of the talk has centered on Brandon, and early last week, Ashley Stadnicki broke down the impact he could have on Tennessee’s offense for Rock Solid Sports.
For the remainder of the offense, success will depend on a strong running game to open up plays outside the hash marks.
That will come from the running back duo of DeSean Bishop and Daune Morris. Bishop had more than 1,000 yards rushing last year, while Morris averaged nearly 4 yards per carry last season in limited touches. The duo will be key components in every game, but seeing them perform well in Week 1 is important for building momentum into Week 2.
The more you Knowles
A key addition for Heupel over the winter and spring was the hiring of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. With 38 years of experience leading top defenses, the acquisition was significant for Tennessee. Now, for the first time, Knowles’ defense will hit the field Saturday. The biggest factor to watch is how well the defensive unit gels under the new defensive coordinator’s schemes and coaching.
Although it should not be a major factor this weekend, even a tune-up game can prove decisive down the road.