Tennessee Football will likely face the brother of last year’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback in Week 2 of the college football season later this fall.
While speaking with Andy Staples in an interview for On3 Sports, Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key broke the news that Alberto Mendoza will likely be the Yellow Jackets’ starting quarterback this season. Mendoza is the brother of Fernando Mendoza, who led Indiana to the College Football Playoff championship last season while winning the Heisman Trophy. Fernando Mendoza was then selected No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders last month.
“It’s no secret we’re going to have a quarterback start the first game who’s never started a college football game,” Key said during the interview. “Whoever that is. Most likely will be Alberto (Mendoza).”
As part of the new Southeastern Conference scheduling format, all SEC teams are required to play one Power Four non-conference game (or Notre Dame) each season. Tennessee’s P4 non-conference opponent this year is Georgia Tech, and the Vols will travel to Atlanta in the second week of the season to play a true road game at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
Alberto Mendoza was at Indiana for the past two seasons, appearing in 10 total games during his time in Bloomington. Alberto was there one season before his brother, Fernando, transferred in for the 2025 season. Fernando went on to win the job and, as we know now, would go on to produce one of the most memorable quarterbacking campaigns of all time.
Alberto did get some spot time with the Hoosiers last season, throwing for 286 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception on 18-of-24 passing. He also ran the ball 13 times for 190 yards. Mendoza played in nine games last season, including the Hoosiers’ dominant win over Alabama in the CFP quarterfinal round.
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Key mentions that Georgia Tech will be starting a guy who has never started a college football game before, and Tennessee is essentially in the same exact boat. Whether it be redshirt-freshman George MacIntyre or true freshman Faizon Brandon this fall, Tennessee will also be heading into its season-opener with the same situation. Colorado transfer Ryan Staub did start one game for the Buffaloes last year, but most reports suggest that the Vols’ job will go to either MacIntyre or Brandon.
The non-conference matchup will be a key early-season test for both programs as each side looks to establish its new quarterback. On the Tennessee side of things, there’s only one week standing between the true road game against Georgia Tech and the start of the SEC season with back-to-back home games against Texas and Auburn in Neyland Stadium. While it often sounds a bit cliché, Josh Heupel’s frequent mantra of “young guys don’t have time to be young” will especially be true this season.
One quick connection between Alberto Mendoza and Tennessee is UT’s new strength coordinator Derek Owings, who helped build Indiana’s championship-winning team last season under head coach Curt Cignetti. Alberto and Owings clearly have a connection from their time in Bloomington, and Fernando has been very complimentary of Owings’ work in the past. The two will reunite this September in Atlanta.
Georgia Tech will host Tennessee in Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12.
