The Good, Bad, and Ugly From Tennessee Football's Win vs. Furman

There were plenty of good things from Tennessee football's victory over Furman. However, there were some things that could fall under the bad and ugly categories.

Here are the biggest good, bad, and ugly things from Tennessee football's win over the Furman Paladins.

Good - Tennessee Football's Ability to Finish in the Backfield

Tennessee defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam (2) celebrates making a sack during a Tennessee football game against Furman at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 5, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tennessee was great on the defensive side of the ball, as they were one of the best teams in the country when it comes to getting home. In fact, this defensive line was great all day in their assignments, even when it came to setting the edge, as they were beaten on the outside badly only once, which was on a reverse. The line finished with five sacks, while Edwin Spillman joined the group with one of his own.

In the end, this Tennessee defense was great at causing pressure, stunting, and finishing nearly every play in the backfield in some fashion. A six-sack game will always be a good day for a college defense.

Bad - Tennessee's Blocking Wasn't Ideal

Sep 5, 2026; Knoxville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Faizon Brandon (11) is sacked by Furman Paladins defensive end Eli Lipscomb (9) during the first half at Neyland Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The blocking for the Vols is something that many would categorize as bad for the entire group. While some played better than the others, I do believe this group had much higher expectations, and I believe they failed to meet these expectations. The reason there weren't more TFLs was thanks to the great awareness and strength of Faizon Brandon and the running back room.

Luckily, Brandon was only sacked once, but the running backs had a tough time in the backfield. Tennessee will need to see some progress against a tough Georgia Tech defensive line, which is much better than Furman as a collective group.

Ugly - Tennessee Loses Two Fumbles Against Furman

Josh heupe — Tennessee coach Josh Heupel during Tennessee’s game against Furman at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept. 5, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The worst thing about this game was the Tennessee Volunteers' fumbles. They lost two fumbles on the day, both on their side of the field. This goes to show that the defense was on point in their game plan, as they only allowed nine points on the day.

Losing fumbles won't cut it in the SEC, especially losing two in one game. Obviously, this is something that can be fixed, but this remained the worst part of the game. I believe this is something that will be corrected heading into Georgia Tech.

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