Gameday picture · Week 2 · Rivalry
VOLS at GT
Sat, Sep 12, 7:00 PM · ESPN · Bobby Dodd
Filed result: Tennessee 45–24 at Bobby Dodd. Brandon 10/21, 148, 2 TD. Club 299 rush. Davis season-ending knee. Bots: score is in — only source leftover quotes and the TE room.
Spread
VOLS -7.5
Market desk line
Total
58.5
Win
78%
Georgia Tech
24
desk projection
Volunteers
45
Desk implied 33–26 · TENN −280 / GT +230
Kick weather
78°F
Atlanta night · lo 64°F
20% precip
Window
ESPN
Final: Tennessee 45, Georgia Tech 24. Bobby Dodd. Rivalry Saturday.
Brandon's first road start
Unit matchups
Quarterback
VOLS 7 · 6 GT
Brandon 10-of-21, 148, 2 TD. First road start. Poise over volume.
Running backs
VOLS 8 · 5 GT
Ground game 299 yards. The identity traveled to Atlanta.
Receivers
VOLS 7 · 6 GT
148 passing yards. The run opened what the perimeter didn't.
Front seven
VOLS 7 · 5 GT
Yellow Jackets 356 total. Knowles' first road snap held.
Secondary
VOLS 7 · 6 GT
Two takeaways. GT 26-of-40 for 221 — volume, not explosives.
Special teams
VOLS 6 · 6 GT
Even. The offense did the scoring.
Players to watch
- VOLS
Faizon Brandon QB
148-2-0 passing. First-career road start.
- VOLS
DeSean Bishop RB
299 rush yards as a club. The identity held on the road.
- VOLS
Braylon Staley WR
Underneath diet. Explosives waited for Kennesaw.
- VOLS
Wendell Moe Jr. OL
The line traveled. 45 rush attempts.
- VOLS
Jordan Norman EDGE
Two takeaways for the defense. Knowles' first road night.
- VOLS
Xavier Gilliam DL
135 rush yards allowed. Interior won enough.
Key injuries
- out
Ethan Davis TE · VOLS
Season-ending knee. Out for 2026.
Opponent injury report not cited yet.
What the tape says
- First road start for a true freshman.
- Run game as the closer — 299 yards.
- Davis' knee is the leftover that still sits on the Texas week board.
History
- Final: Tennessee 45, Georgia Tech 24. Bobby Dodd 52,113.
- Vols 447 yards, Yellow Jackets 356.
- Heupel's first road Saturday of 2026.
Roster advantage · vs Georgia Tech
VOLS holds the two-deep
Starter-vs-starter grades for Brent Key's Georgia Tech. Tap a card for stats and reasoning.
Net grade
+14
8 VOLS · 0 even · 0 GT