Bleacher Report Says This Tennessee Football Duo Could Be a Problem in 2026

Bleacher Report just dropped its list of college football's best offensive duos for 2026, and Josh Heupel's Tennessee Volunteers landed right in the middle of a star-studded field. Coming in at No. 12 of 14, alongside pairs like Ohio State's Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith and Texas's Arch Manning and Cam Coleman, Tennessee's entry looks a little different. It is not a quarterback and his go-to guy. It is two receivers, redshirt sophomore Braylon Staley and junior Mike Matthews, tasked with making life easier for a true freshman signal-caller.

Tennessee wide receiver Braylon Staley. — Tennessee wide receiver Braylon Staley (14) is grabbed by Vanderbilt safety/outside linebacker Randon Fontenette (2) in an NCAA college football game on Nov. 29, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

What Brad Shepard Said

Bleacher Report's Brad Shepard framed Tennessee as the sleeper on his list, noting that hardly anyone is talking about the Volunteers' offense even though Heupel's units are usually among the sport's most explosive (Bleacher Report). Shepard's answer to who throws the ball to all that talent is true freshman Faizon Brandon, and he pointed straight at Staley and Matthews as the veterans who will smooth the transition.

Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews. — Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews (4) adjusts his helmet during warm-ups at the 2025 Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Dec. 30, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Matthews broke out last season, hauling in 53 catches for 813 yards and four touchdowns after years of hype following him around Knoxville. Staley was arguably even better, quietly putting together one of the best freshman receiving seasons in the country with 68 catches, 837 yards, and six scores.

Enter Faizon Brandon

Here is where the research gets fun. Brandon was not just any freshman handed the keys. He was a five-star, the No. 10 overall prospect nationally, and he went 35- 1 as a high school starter at Grimsley in Greensboro, North Carolina, winning back-to-back state titles. Heupel named him the starter over redshirt freshman George MacIntyre after Brandon dominated fall camp scrimmages, making him the first true freshman to open a season at quarterback for Tennessee since Brent Schaeffer in 2004.

Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon. — Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon (11) runs the ball during the Orange and White game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, April 11, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Why Staley and Matthews Matter So Much

A true freshman quarterback thrown into an SEC gauntlet needs receivers who create easy completions, and that is exactly what this duo offers. Both Staley and Matthews already cleared 800 yards last season, giving Brandon proven route runners who know the offense instead of two more question marks. Tennessee also returns 61 percent of its offensive snaps overall, one of the highest marks in the country, so Brandon is stepping into structure, not chaos.

Add in five-star freshman receiver TK Keys and 1,000-yard rusher DeSean Bishop, and Brandon has weapons most freshman starters only dream about.

The Bottom Line

Tennessee opens the season against Furman on September 5, and all eyes will be on Neyland Stadium to see if Brandon looks the part. If Staley and Matthews play like the duo Shepard described, the growing pains might not last very long at all.

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