The biggest question for Tennessee football in 2026 is its quarterback play. No matter who wins the job, it’ll be an unproven signal caller at the head of the offense in the attempt to get back on track as a true College Football Playoffs contender.
The battle will be between true freshman Faizon Brandon, second-year George MacIntyre and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub. While it’s an open competition heading into fall camp, the popular prediction at the moment is that Brandon will win the battle and take the reins.
If it is Brandon winning the job, he’ll be a rare true freshman starting at quarterback in the SEC. Popular podcaster SEC Mike isn’t necessarily worried about that, though. He slotted Brandon as the No. 9 quarterback in the conference in his full rankings ahead of fall camp.
2026 SEC QB Rankings pic.twitter.com/AvFHkCrBf4
— SEC Mike (@MichaelWBratton) July 12, 2026
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While No. 9 in the conference would mean a bottom-half of the SEC quarterback, it’s a good bit higher than most projections. A lot have been shy of getting too high on a young Tennessee quarterback, slotting either Brandon or MacIntyre as one of the worst in the conference.
Instead, SEC Mike has Brandon over the likes of Alabama’s Keelon Russell, LSU’s Sam Leavitt, Kentucky’s Kenny Minchey, Arkansas’ KJ Jackson, Florida’s Aaron Philo, Missouri’s Austin Simmons and Vanderbilt’s Jared Curtis.
Brandon is behind (from top-ranked down) Texas’ Arch Manning, Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss, Georgia’s Gunner Stockton, Oklahoma’s John Mateer, Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed, Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor, South Carolina’s Lanorris Sellers and Auburn’s Byrum Brown.
This means that Tennessee will face off against the No. 1, No. 5, No. 7, No. 8, No. 10, No. 11, No. 12, No. 13 and No. 16 quarterbacks in the conference.
