ATLANTA — Sept. 12, 2026 — Tennessee turned an early deficit into a 45-24 win over Georgia Tech before 52,113 at Bobby Dodd Stadium, moving to 3-0 behind 299 rushing yards and a defense that forced two interceptions. More Sports News
| Quarterback | C/A | Yds | TD | INT | Long | Sacked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faizon Brandon | 10/21 | 148 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 1 |
Brandon threw scoring passes of 25 yards to Ethan Davis and 20 yards to Braylon Staley. Tennessee averaged 6.6 yards per carry on the ground.
| Running back | Att | Net Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeSean Bishop | 20 | 147 | 7.4 | 2 | 33 |
| Daune Morris | 10 | 98 | 9.8 | 1 | 47 |
| Javin Gordon | 10 | 32 | 3.2 | 0 | 8 |
Defense sets the tone
Dejuan Lane’s 41-yard interception return for a touchdown put Tennessee ahead for good in the second quarter, and Jeremiah Telander picked off Alberto Mendoza again before halftime. The Volunteers sacked Mendoza four times for 27 yards and stopped Georgia Tech twice on downs.
Georgia Tech’s night
Mendoza finished 26-of-40 for 221 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Justice Haynes accounted for both Yellow Jackets scores as Georgia Tech fell to 0-3. Tennessee closed it out with Bishop’s 29-yard run and Morris’ 47-yarder in the fourth quarter, overcoming 14 penalties for 142 yards.
The Vols return to action next week at Neyland Stadium as they welcome Kennesaw State to Rocky Top. Kickoff is set for 7:45 p.m. ET on SEC Network.
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