Tennessee coach Josh Heupel has not named his starting quarterback for Saturday’s game against Alabama, leaving open whether George MacIntyre or Faizon Brandon will lead the Volunteers against the sixth-ranked Crimson Tide. Heupel said the decision will come together as the week of practice progresses.
“We’ll find out here through the week. So, we get on the grass tomorrow and we’ll work towards Saturday,” Heupel said, according to Sports Illustrated.
The Main Development
MacIntyre took over for Brandon at halftime of the Auburn game and then made his first career start against Arkansas. The sophomore has not relinquished the job going into a matchup between two teams both sitting at 5-1, with Tennessee ranked 14th nationally and Alabama ranked sixth.
Heupel credited MacIntyre’s performance in relief of Brandon against Auburn. “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,” Heupel said, per Sports Illustrated.
What It Means
Heupel has pointed to two specific factors driving the decision: on-field performance and Brandon’s lingering shoulder issue. Brandon was sacked 10 times against Texas on Sept. 26 and briefly left that game to have his throwing shoulder treated, according to CBS Sports. Heupel said the team was “working through” that injury entering the week, per USA Today.
“Faizon was dealing, still dealing with some injury things. We’re working through that here this week at the beginning part of the week. Got great trust and belief in both Faizon and George.
They’re both here for a reason. They’re tough, resilient guys. They’ve been great teammates and done a lot of positive things out on the field,” Heupel said.
Context And Background
Brandon’s benching came after he completed just 3 of 8 passes for no yards and threw an interception before halftime against Auburn. MacIntyre replaced him and went 8 of 10 for 86 yards the rest of that game, then started against Arkansas while Tennessee held a 4-1 overall record and 1-1 mark in SEC play.
Through his sophomore season, MacIntyre is 14 of 20 passing for 148 yards and a touchdown. As a freshman behind Joey Aguilar, he went 7 of 9 for 69 yards. MacIntyre was the No. 13 quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class and the 151st overall prospect according to the 247Sports composite, and he turned down offers from Alabama, Auburn and Clemson to stay home and play for the Volunteers.
Heupel acknowledged Brandon’s standing on the roster despite the benching. “(Brandon) was a good teammate — disappointed in that moment, but also I think he realized that he wasn’t playing at his best,” Heupel said, according to CBS Sports.
Team Impact
The quarterback shuffle came during a stretch in which Tennessee’s passing attack struggled. The Volunteers gained fewer than 100 yards through the air in the Auburn win, the first time that has happened to the program since 2017. That backdrop adds weight to Heupel’s emphasis on decisiveness and accuracy as he evaluates which quarterback gives Tennessee the better chance against Alabama’s defense.
What’s Next
Tennessee hosts Alabama on Saturday with both teams carrying 5-1 records into the game. Heupel said the Volunteers would get on the practice field this week to finalize the decision, with the starter expected to be set by game week’s end. For background on how the competition began, see Total Apex Sports’ coverage of MacIntyre’s first start against Arkansas and the details of Brandon’s benching against Auburn.
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