Tennessee will start George MacIntyre for a second straight game against Alabama, keeping the sophomore under center as the No. 14 Volunteers host the No. 6 Crimson Tide on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, with Faizon Brandon still listed as questionable because of a shoulder injury, according to CBS Sports.
The decision to stick with MacIntyre for the Alabama matchup comes one week after his first career start, a 24-17 road win over Arkansas in which he completed 18 of 29 passes for 247 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Tennessee is 5-1 overall and 2-1 in SEC play, while Alabama enters at 5-1 and 3-1 in conference games, per On3.
Tennessee’s George MacIntyre Second Start Decision
Head coach Josh Heupel first turned to MacIntyre during the first half against Auburn, pulling Brandon after the starter struggled. MacIntyre responded by completing 8 of 10 passes for 86 yards in that outing. Heupel praised the sophomore’s command of the offense, saying, “Yeah.
I thought he was decisive with the football. He was going to the right spot. Made some plays.
Did some things inside of the pocket that were really positive.”
Brandon has not played since suffering a right shoulder injury in a 20-17 loss to then-No. 1 Texas on Sept. 26. His questionable designation leaves open the possibility he could factor into Saturday’s game plan, though Tennessee has not announced any change to MacIntyre’s role as the starter.
What It Means For Tennessee’s Offense
MacIntyre’s uneven numbers at Arkansas, two interceptions against one touchdown, reflect an offense still finding its footing with a first-year starter. Tennessee’s coaching staff has indicated it wants more comfort and control from MacIntyre now that he is playing at home rather than on the road. That matters against an Alabama defense tied for third nationally in turnovers forced, a number that puts a premium on MacIntyre protecting the football more consistently than he did in his debut.
Tennessee’s defense has carried the team through much of the season, and the coaching staff has made clear the offense needs to contribute more against ranked opponents. A clean performance from MacIntyre would ease that burden heading into one of the program’s biggest games of the year.
MacIntyre’s Background
MacIntyre is a sophomore who spent his freshman season behind Joey Aguilar before earning his first start. He was ranked the No. 13 quarterback in the 247Sports composite for the 2025 class and 151st overall nationally. A Tennessee native, he held offers from Alabama, Auburn and Clemson before choosing to stay home, according to USA Today.
What’s Next
Tennessee hosts Alabama on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET in a matchup between two ranked SEC programs. Brandon’s shoulder status will be worth monitoring as game day approaches, though no further update has been issued beyond his questionable listing.
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