Holy cow, talk about a curveball! Faizon Brandon, the Tennessee Volunteers quarterback who’s been sidelined with an injury, is officially available for their monumental clash against Alabama tomorrow, but get this: George MacIntyre is still set to start. Pete Nakos of On3 dropped that bomb on X, and you gotta wonder what Vols coach Josh Heupel is cooking up, even with Brandon giving him “added optionality.”
MacIntyre’s Moment, Brandon’s Return
Brandon’s been out of action, missing their tight 24-17 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks. He was listed as questionable for Alabama, so having him active at all is a win in itself. But the decision to keep MacIntyre under center against a tough Bama squad is a HUGE statement. Remember, MacIntyre actually lost the starting job to Brandon in preseason. He then stepped up after Brandon was benched against Auburn, which means he’s been in the fire before. His start against Arkansas wasn’t flawless, going 18-of-29 for 247 yards with one touchdown but also two interceptions. Brandon’s freshman season has been solid when he’s played, throwing for 697 yards with seven touchdowns and just one interception, plus rushing for 130 yards and three more scores. So, even if he’s not starting, his mere presence on the sidelines has to give the team a jolt of confidence.
Bishop and Matthews: The Offensive Workhorses
With all the quarterback talk, the offensive burden has really fallen on junior running back DeSean Bishop, and the dude has been absolutely electric. He’s rushed for 678 yards and eight touchdowns this season, no joke. Bishop is coming off back-to-back monster performances against Auburn and Arkansas, where he torched defenses for 458 yards and four touchdowns combined. Now, he did hit a wall against top-ranked Texas, getting limited to a season-low 34 yards, so we know he can be contained by elite defenses. That means Mike Matthews, the junior wideout, needs to step up big time too. Matthews is having a strong season himself with 396 yards on 22 catches and three touchdowns. His playmaking against Alabama’s vaunted pass defense will be absolutely critical.
This Alabama game is going to be a true test for the Vols. With Brandon available, but MacIntyre still leading the charge, every single play will count against Bama’s nasty defense. Bishop needs to keep running like a man possessed, and Matthews has to come up with those big catches. It’s going to be a battle, but you know these guys are ready for the fight.
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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