Tennessee Football's Pros & Cons to Playing George MacIntyre in the Bowl Game

The Tennessee Volunteers have a lot going for them off the tail of this season, as they finished the regular season better than they should, considering the number of players that they lost, and the talent that they lost in that total. The total is nearing close to 40, and many players that they lost are top players at their position. This includes a guy like Dylan Sampson, who is an all-time record holder in program history.

They were one of the youngest teams in the nation, as 49.5% of the roster consisted of freshmen, which shows a lot of positive signs for the coming seasons.

The Tennessee Vols will now look to finish their season strong before focusing on the future, as they will finish the season at the end of this month when they take on the Illinois Fighting Illini. This game will be played in Nashville, Tennessee, which ultimately seems like another home game for the Orange and White. The Tennessee Vols are expected to play Joey Aguilar in what will likely be the final college football game of his career, but with Jake Merklinger entering the portal, the Vols will now be forced to move George MacIntyre up the ladder and slot him in at the QB2 position.

It is currently unknown if the true freshman will be playing against Illinois, but there are some pros and cons to it.

Pros

Tennessee quarterback George MacIntyre (15) waits for the ball during Tennessee football preseason practice, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Aug. 6, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Legit Reps: MacIntyre has barely played, and when he has, he has done well, but those weren't legit reps. He played at the end of some blowout games, which isn't anything like playing in a tight contest. MacIntyre would be getting his first taste of playing some legit reps ahead of his QB competition in the off-season.

Seeing a Good Defense: MacIntyre would be seeing the best defensive system he has played against, which is what you would want out of a guy who may be a starter for you next season. He would be put to the test, which is what Tennessee needs out of their young guys.

Cons

Chance of Injury: While this game counts and matters... it's definitely not worth losing your QB over, which is why a lot of these players at other positions who have a high draft stock will opt out of a game like this. It allows them to be healthier for things like the combine.

Different Timing With Teammates: These guys practice together, but they don't play during games together. This leads to a different type of timing at positions like WR, TE, and RB. This can throw the team off a bit, but this also could be something that doesn't change very much.

Pros

Cons

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