The No. 15 Tennessee Volunteers are going into Week 6 with a 4-1 record after defeating the Auburn Tigers 24-14. However, the quarterback situation is up in the air right now, as Faizon Brandon is dealing with an undisclosed upper-body injury. Rumors are beginning to swirl, with head coach Josh Heupel yet to announce a starter for the upcoming game against the Arkansas Razorbacks.
College football insider Pete Nakos of On3 Sports ignited speculation after claiming that redshirt freshman George MacIntyre practiced with the first team on Tuesday. Nakos does not believe Heupel will rush announcing the starter for Saturday's contest, but thinks MacIntyre could be the starter with Brandon dealing with the upper-body injury.
Overall, nobody will know who gets the start until the Volunteers' 48-year-old head coach announces that decision. MacIntyre stepped into the game against the Tigers after Brandon largely struggled against the Auburn defense, finishing with zero yards and an interception while completing just three of his eight pass attempts.
Article Continues BelowThe offense ran much smoother once MacIntyre took the field. He helped Tennessee move the ball down the field, ending the game with 86 passing yards and an 80.0% completion percentage. The Volunteers relied heavily on the run game to secure the victory, with running back DeSean Bishop totaling 220 yards and three touchdowns off 34 attempts.
Tennessee won't face off against Arkansas until Saturday, October 10. So, Josh Heupel still has several days to make his decision. The Razorbacks are 2-3 on the season so far and are not considered one of the Volunteers' tougher matchups. But a win is still important, as it would advance Tennessee to five wins and give the program another victory against an SEC opponent.