Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon was forced to leave the game against Texas in the second quarter after taking a hit to his upper body.
What happened to Faizon Brandon?
The 18-year-old went down on a designed quarterback run with 13:52 remaining in the half, with two Texas defenders coming down on him.
Brandon was helped toward the sideline by Tennessee’s trainers after being taken down and landing awkwardly on his shoulder. He was escorted to the medical tent for further evaluation, with MacIntyre taking over at quarterback. The team later confirmed that Brandon’s left shoulder was being examined.
George MacIntyre stepped in at quarterback while the freshman was being evaluated.
{{/usCountry}}George MacIntyre stepped in at quarterback while the freshman was being evaluated.
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The freshman eventually emerged from the tent with his helmet back on and began throwing on the sideline, giving Tennessee hope that he could return.
Brandon returned after brief exit
Brandon returned to the game with 8:28 remaining before halftime after spending nearly 15 minutes in the medical tent. He immediately rejoined Tennessee’s next series and completed his first pass.
Brandon had completed just three of his four pass attempts for nine yards when he left the game. He also recorded four rushing attempts for minus-1 yard and had been sacked once by Colin Simmons.
The matchup also marked his first SEC start as a true freshman. Through his first three games, he had already thrown for 552 yards and six touchdowns.
Josh Heupel put trust on freshman
He won Tennessee’s starting quarterback competition over MacIntyre during the spring and fall, emerging as the team’s choice despite the decision surprising many observers.
George MacIntyre was a highly regarded four-star recruit from Middle Tennessee who attended Brentwood Academy and entered the 2025 class as a consensus top-15 quarterback.
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Although MacIntyre entered the competition with more experience, coach Josh Heupel ultimately handed the starting job to Brandon after the freshman impressed throughout training camp and earned the nod for Tennessee.