Updated September 11, 2026
No. 18 Tennessee and Georgia Tech meet in Week 2 on Saturday, September 12, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. ET at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta. Tennessee cruised past Furman 56-9 in its opener, while Georgia Tech is looking to bounce back after a 14-13 home loss to Colorado.
The Vols now hit the road for the first time this season with true freshman Faizon Brandon at quarterback, while the Yellow Jackets have a chance to pick up their first win over an SEC opponent since 2016.
Below, we’ll break down our Tennessee vs Georgia Tech prediction and the biggest storylines heading into Saturday night’s matchup.
Why Our Model Sees Value:
“I like Tennessee to win this game comfortably. Georgia Tech lost a lot up front from last year, including first-round pick Keylan Rutledge, and that could be a problem against a Vols team that should have a big advantage in the trenches. The Yellow Jackets managed just 51 rushing yards and gave up three sacks against Colorado in Week 1. Faizon Brandon will be making his first road start, but I think Tennessee controls the line of scrimmage and eventually pulls away by a couple of touchdowns.”
Tennessee -12.5 Priced Around 51¢
Polymarket currently prices Tennessee around 51¢ to cover the 12.5-point handicap, while our model puts the Vols' chances closer to 58%. That gives us a solid 7% edge at the current price, with the model calling for a 38-24 Tennessee win.
Tennessee Has the Firepower to Pull Away
Faizon Brandon couldn't have asked for a much better college debut, helping Tennessee pile up 56 points and 638 total yards against Furman. The Vols were especially dangerous on the ground, piling up 329 rushing yards, while Brandon accounted for five total touchdowns with three through the air and two on the ground. Georgia Tech held Colorado to 14 points in Week 1, but Tennessee presents a much different challenge and has the firepower to pull away if Brandon looks comfortable in his first road start.
Recommended Prediction:
Tennessee -12.5
Current Market Price:
51¢
Model Win Probability:
58%
Market-Implied Probability:
51%
Model Edge:
7%
Buy Up To:
57¢
Model Trade Confidence:
80/100
One thing Georgia Tech has going for it is that Faizon Brandon will be making his first road start as an 18-year-old true freshman. Brandon looked sharp in his debut against Furman, completing 13 of 17 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns while adding 68 yards and two more scores on the ground.
This should be a much tougher challenge, though, especially through the air. Georgia Tech held Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis to just 124 passing yards in Week 1 and has plenty of talent in the secondary, led by cornerback Ahmari Harvey and safety Tae Harris.
After an impressive debut at Neyland Stadium, Saturday should tell us a lot more about how Brandon handles a Power Four defense on the road.
On the other side, Alberto Mendoza was one of the bright spots for Georgia Tech in its Week 1 loss to Colorado. He completed 17 of 23 passes for 237 yards and posted a 160.5 passer rating, with sophomore Jordan Allen emerging as his top target with six catches for 104 yards.
The bigger issue was a running game that never really got going, but there could be an opportunity to change that against Tennessee. The Vols lost several key players from last year's defensive front, including defensive tackles Dominic Bailey, Bryson Eason and Jaxson Moi, along with edge rusher Joshua Josephs. They also allowed Furman's Isaiah Davis to rush for 113 yards on just eight carries in Week 1.
If Michigan transfer Justice Haynes can give Georgia Tech more on the ground, it should take some pressure off Mendoza and give the Yellow Jackets a better chance to move the ball consistently against this new-look Tennessee defense.
Georgia Tech has played some of its best football as an underdog under Brent Key. The Yellow Jackets are 7-1 against ranked ACC opponents during his tenure, with upsets of No. 10 Florida State and No. 4 Miami in 2024 and No. 12 Clemson last season. Key's teams have shown they can be dangerous when expectations are low.
That said, Georgia Tech hasn't beaten an SEC opponent since taking down Kentucky in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl. Granted, many of those losses have come against Georgia, but I don't see that streak ending here. Tennessee has a clear advantage up front and showed much more explosiveness on offense in Week 1.
I expect Georgia Tech to play better than it did against Colorado, but I'm sticking with our model's 38-24 projection and Tennessee -12.5. For more picks and analysis for Week 2 and beyond, check out our free college football predictions for every game on the schedule.
