Tennessee Volunteers Running Back Creating Massive Buzz Ahead of 2026 Football Season

A running back for the Tennessee Volunteers has begun creating a ton of buzz ahead of the 2026 college football season.

The 2026 college football season is still months away as teams begin their summer preparations in hopes of reaching the College Football playoff and competing for a chance at a national championship.

But while there are still months to go before teams return to action, experts and analysts are beginning to make their projections for which players will make massive impacts on the sport this year.

One player who has begun to attract a significant amount of attention is Tennessee Volunteers running back DeSean Bishop. Who has even garnered some predictions to be a candidate for the Doak Walker Award. An accomplishment given to the nation's best running back.

Bishop was the Vols' leading rusher during the 2025 season, where he totaled over 1,000 yards on the ground and rushed for 16 touchdowns. His efforts provided a massive boost to the Volunteers offense throughout the season.

In addition to his massive totals on ground, the running back was also a large addition to the Volunteers' passing game and finished the 2025 season averaging nearly 10 yards per reception, placing him among some of the few dual threat backs in the SEC.

DeSean Bishop Building Buzz Ahead of 2026 Season

Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop (18) carries the ball during warm-ups at the 2025 Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., on Dec. 30, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Bishop had a great sophomore campaign, with 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns on 182 carries, building off a solid freshman season," wrote ESPN's Harry Lyles Jr. "With four returning starters on the offensive line and a new quarterback in the mix, Tennessee could lean on him in ways that could catapult him to another level in 2026."

While a strong passing game is what many fans associate with Tennessee's offense, the team's ability to throw the ball has always been supplemented by a strong rushing attack. Given his skill set, Bishop has a massive opportunity to be an even bigger part of the team's offense this year.

Should Bishop be able to replicate his success and build on his impressive 2025 season, the Tennessee Volunteers offense has an opportunity to be even more dangerous this season and Josh Heupel's roster could see improved results on Saturdays.

Bishop and the rest of the Volunteers will return to action on Saturday, September 5th when they host the Furman Paladins. A kickoff time and TV network for this matchup will be announced at a later date.

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