Furman Makes Notable Decision Ahead of Week One Matchup with Tennessee

Furman has named its starting quarterback vs Tennessee.

Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel hypes up the crowd and welcomes the incoming class of University of Tennessee, Knoxville students during Torch Night at Food City Center on Aug. 16, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tennessee is less than three weeks away from opening up its 2026 campaign against Furman. Ahead of this matchup, Tennessee is a heavy favorite due to its elite receiving core, returning starters on defense, and a great offensive line, among other things.

The Vols will be without star linebacker Arion Carter, who will miss the first two games of the season with a suspension.

Still, Volunteers fans are excited to kick off the season back in Neyland Stadium in what should be an interesting year for the Volunteers.

As for their week one opponent, Furman recently announced some massive news ahead of the season.

Former High School All-American Jake Garcia to Start for Furman

Nov 5, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Jake Garcia (13) throws the football during the second quarter against the Florida State Seminoles at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Furman has announced that it will be starting Jake Garcia at quarterback ahead of the Paladins' week one game against Tennessee.

A California native, Garcia was a five-star for most of the recruiting cycle back in high school. He finished ranked as high as the 23rd-overall player in the country and 3rd-overall quarterback (both by ESPN).

From there, he would sign with Miami but would only see limited action as a true freshman, though he showed promise by throwing 11-for-14 for two touchdowns in a blowout win. He played in eight games as a redshirt freshman, including a start in a win over Virginia Tech, but overall was a bit disappointing.

He entered the transfer portal following the season and would end up committing to Missouri. There, he battled Brady Cook and Sam Horn for the starting job but would lose it to Cook. He did not play a snap for Missouri.

He again hit the portal after the season, this time ending up at East Carolina. During his one and only season with East Carolina, he threw for eight touchdowns and rushed for two more.

He transferred to Michigan after the season, where he only appeared in one game last season with the Wolverines.

With one season of eligibility left, he hit the portal once more, this time ending up at Furman.

With all of this being said, Garcia poses a unique threat, as while he might not have lived up to his high school expectations, he is one of the few FCS quarterbacks to have started a game at the Power Five level and is going on five years of experience. While Tennessee should still have the upper hand across the board at every position, we will have to wait and see how Garcia does.