Top Performers From Tennessee Football's Dominant Performance vs. Furman

The Tennessee Volunteers have completed their first game of the season, as they played against the Furman Paladins, and were successful in their efforts, as they walked away with a massive win.

The Vols won the game by a score of 56-9, which is a great way to start the season, especially considering that they will be playing against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets next week.

Here is who we have named as the top performers from the Vols' dominant effort against the Paladins in Neyland Stadium.

Faizon Brandon - Quarterback

If you thought there was a way that Faizon Brandon wouldn't make this list, you were sadly mistaken. Brandon finished the game with five total touchdowns, including three touchdowns through the air and two rushing touchdowns, which showcased his versatility. This is one of the main contributing factors in why he was named the starting quarterback for the Vols.

Brandon's success allows many to believe that a massive season and a massive career are on the horizon for the 18-year-old.

Mike Matthews - Wide Receiver

Mike Matthews was the best receiving target of the game. He finished well beyond 100 yards and is well on his way to what could be a 1,000-yard season in Knoxville. He finished with 132 yards in the game, along with a total of two touchdowns. Both scores were beyond 50 yards, and both came from Brandon on the day.

Matthews is serving as the Vols' true No. 1 on the outside and is paired with Braylon Staley, who is the slot for the Vols this season. Many believe that duo could be the best in the country, and it showed that Matthews, who finished with fewer yards than Staley last season, is no joke and can pull his own weight, which is also something many expected.

Xavier Gilliam - Defensive Lineman

The Tennessee Volunteers defense was on point against the Furman Paladins. There wasn't a single player who played better than Gilliam on the defense, as he finished the contest with three sacks. In fact, he finished the game with sacks that came from the interior of the defensive line and is the player with the most sacks since Darrell Taylor in 2018. That goes to show that he had arguably the biggest game of the day.

Gilliam is also someone who will have a massive role on this Tennessee defense, as many believe he is one of the biggest additions that was made by the Vols when it comes to the transfer portal. It showed on Saturday.

Amare Campbell - Linebacker

Amare Campbell is extremely gifted at the linebacker position and isn't a slouch when it comes to filling gaps. He had some big moments on the day, including a fourth-down stop, as he made the stop short of the chains. Campbell didn't record a sack or an interception, but what he did do was finish with six tackles.

This was a team-leading statistic for the former Penn State Nittany Lions transfer addition, as he showed he was extremely comfortable during the contest.

Justin Baker - Running Back

This last spot on the top performers list will go to Justin Baker. He had the biggest play of the day and was great in his limited reps. He only rushed the ball three times, but he finished the game with 89 yards. He also finished the game with the longest touchdown rush since Jaylen Wright against the UConn Huskies back in 2023.

Baker's touchdown was the first of his career, solidifying everything that Coach De'Rail Sims said about his progression during the offseason.

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