Tennessee football is getting its first road test of the 2026 season on Saturday.

The Yellow Jackets struggled mightily on their home field last Thursday when they had a last-second field goal blocked and lost, 14-13. The Volunteers, meanwhile, cruised against FCS Furman, 56-9.

The Vols (1-0) are heading to Atlanta for a showdown with Georgia Tech (0-1) on Saturday night (7 p.m. ET ESPN). Here are five keys to the game for UT.

  1. Have a debut, Arion Carter. A lot was made during the offseason of Carter's surprising suspension for taking $427, which he paid back, during the NFL Draft process. His suspension was reduced to one game, so he gets the chance to take the field at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday. It would only be right for Carter to make an impact early and takeover the game on defense — like he has the ability to do.
  2. Get Faizon Brandon acclimated on the road. It won't be the harshest environment Tennessee plays in this season — likely far from it — but it will still be the first road game for freshman QB Brandon. He's coming off a strong debut against Furman and the Georgia Tech matchup gives him the chance to string together a pair of good games.
  3. Get ahead early. Tennessee is a double-digit favorite heading into this one, and the best way to avoid an upset is to put the game out of hand early. UT is averaging 41.4 ppg and 499.9 yards of total offense per game in the Josh Heupel era. Compared to Georgia Tech, which struggled to find 13 points against Colorado in Week 1, the Vols should be able to get up early and cruise to a win — eliminating any hope for a Yellow Jacket upset bid.
  4. Make Alberto Mendoza uncomfortable. A lot was made of Mendoza, the younger brother of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, transferring to Georgia Tech and being named the starter. He threw for 237 yards in Week 1, but it wasn't enough to lead the Yellow Jackets to victory. It will be important for UT to disrupt Mendoza in the pocket — he may not jump off the page, but he can become an issue with too much time.
  5. Get out healthy. Tennessee doesn't need any Week 2 injuries that can derail a full season. Playing a power opponent changes the dynamic, but an early lead could let UT play the backups and preserve another week of health.

Source: Yahoo Sports