Tennessee football head coach Josh Heupel made a massive call on Oct. 3, yanking five-star freshman Faizon Brandon and putting in sophomore George MacIntyre during their nail-biter against Auburn. The switch worked, man, with the No. 17 Vols pulling out a 24-14 win over Auburn at a nervous Neyland Stadium.
The Gutsy QB Swap That Saved the Game
Talk about a gutsy move mid-game. Heupel clearly saw that Brandon wasn’t hitting his stride, flat-out saying after the game that Brandon “didn’t play his best football.” So, he rolled the dice, putting MacIntyre in there, and the sophomore delivered, playing steady enough to get the offense realigned and push the Vols to a 4-1 overall record, 1-1 in the SEC. Auburn’s no slouch at 3-2, 1-2, so getting that win was huge, especially with the crowd feeling the pressure at Neyland.
Who’s Under Center For Arkansas? Even Heupel Isn’t Saying
But now, the obvious questions are swirling around Knoxville: Who’s the starter for the next game? Heupel was pretty tight-lipped about it when pressed, though it sounds like MacIntyre might get the nod against Arkansas on Oct. 10. Heupel’s not pinning it on one thing, saying straight up, “There won’t be just one factor.” What he did make clear, though, is that they’ll “need them both through this stretch in the conference schedule.” So, get ready to see both guys, it looks like, which is wild for a ranked team in the SEC.
So, the Vols are headed to Fayetteville to face Arkansas on Oct. 10, kicking off at 4:15 p.m. ET on SEC Network. Will Heupel stick with the hot hand in MacIntyre, or will Brandon get another shot to prove why he was a five-star recruit? This QB situation is far from settled, and every snap in the SEC right now feels like it could swing their season. It’s gonna be a must-watch to see how this plays out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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