KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — True freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon is available for No. 14 Tennessee’s Third Saturday in October matchup with No. 6 Alabama after coming off the SEC student-athlete availability report Friday night.
Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Eastern on ABC at Neyland Stadium. George MacIntyre is still expected to make a second straight start after opening at Arkansas, with Brandon listed for emergency duty earlier in the week while working back from a right shoulder injury suffered against Texas.
Brandon started Tennessee’s first five games before the shoulder issue and was benched midway through the Auburn win on Oct. 3. Coach Josh Heupel described Brandon as emergency-only at Arkansas on Oct. 10 and said the freshman had been limited in practice this week before Friday’s report cleared him.
Alabama also took hits on the injury report. Leading receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams is out, as is starting center Racin Delgatty and defensive lineman Terrance Green. Tight end Josh Ford was listed as questionable.
Tennessee is 5-1 and 2-1 in the SEC; Alabama is 5-1 and 3-1. Seven Vols are already done for the season, including starting left guard Wendell Moe, safety Edrees Farooq, tight end Ethan Davis and several other rotation players.
The final availability update is due about 90 minutes before kickoff as Tennessee tries to slow an Alabama team coming off a loss to Georgia.
A Neyland Stadium crowd for the Third Saturday rivalry will see whether Brandon is active as the emergency option or whether MacIntyre handles the full afternoon. Either way, Tennessee needs cleaner pocket play after MacIntyre threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in the Arkansas start.
Alabama’s missing pieces on offense and along the line could open chances for the Vols defense, which has been asked to cover for a rotating cast of injured starters all season.
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