No. 20 Tennessee routs Furman 56-9
No. 20 Tennessee routed Furman 56-9. Share this game
We had Tennessee favored. It won.
Top comment in the game thread
I really don’t care for the returning 800 yard receiver who blocks like a maniac but dropped a couple of passes last year
How it swung
Before kickoff, our ratings gave Tennessee a 96% chance, and the closing betting line (Tennessee was a 49.5-point favorite) put it above 99%.
Tennessee led by 7 after the first quarter and by 28 at the half.
Tennessee 56-9 Furman
Tennessee wonMove across the chart, or tap a numbered swing, to see any play.Furman 9-56 TennesseeFurman lostMove across the chart, or tap a numbered swing, to see any play.No single play moved the chance by 20 points.
No single play moved the chance by 20 points.
What fans said, play by play
The line in bold above each quote is written by our model from the thread’s comments and the play-by-play.
- Q1 10:42Brandon passes to Davis for a touchdown as Tennessee fans mock the broadcast
That was a very nice throw from Brandon.
r/CFB game thread - Q2 11:14Tennessee fans mock broadcast graphics and empty stadium atmosphere
I think those are on purpose. It has a studio look in the background.
r/CFB game threadSo has Rutgers, which surely means everything is fine and they have everything figured out.
r/CFB game thread - Q2 1:27Tennessee fans praise QB passing accuracy and run game dominance
10/12 on passes in the first half isn't bad, yeah we haven't thrown any bombs but dude has some good aim and doesn't seem to give into pressure so I think we got a great QB if he…
r/CFB game thread - Q3 11:38Brandon throws a 57-yard touchdown pass to Matthews, making it 42-0Quoted at the top of the page.
How to read this chart
Starts from the pregame line (Tennessee -49.5), at 100% for Tennessee (the play-by-play feed's kickoff number, moved to match the line; our model's and the betting line's own numbers are in “The betting line, and the fans”). Dots are the biggest swings; ticks under the chart are scores. The gray band is r/CFB game-thread activity, its loudest stretches in gold. A gold diamond marks a play fans were reacting to.Watch the plays
The bar and the arrow show Tennessee’s chance to win after each play; the logo is the team the play helped.
- Q1, 14:56Garcia sacked for a 8-yd lossQ1, 14:56 · Tennessee 0, Furman 00-0score after the play0-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q1, 10:42Brandon 17-yd TD pass to DavisTennessee goes ahead 7-0Q1, 10:42 · Tennessee 7, Furman 07-0score after the play7-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q2, 3:05Bishop 1-yd TD runTennessee leads 21-0Q2, 3:05 · Tennessee 21, Furman 021-0score after the play21-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q2, 0:17Brandon 7-yd TD runTennessee leads 28-0Q2, 0:17 · Tennessee 28, Furman 028-0score after the play28-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q3, 13:54Brandon 55-yd TD pass to MatthewsTennessee leads 35-0Q3, 13:54 · Tennessee 35, Furman 035-0score after the play35-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q3, 11:38Brandon 57-yd TD pass to MatthewsTennessee leads 42-0Q3, 11:38 · Tennessee 42, Furman 042-0score after the play42-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q3, 10:17Garcia sacked for a 2-yd lossQ3, 10:17 · Tennessee 42, Furman 042-0score after the play42-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q3, 9:26Bishop 6-yd runfumblesQ3, 9:26 · Tennessee 42, Furman 042-0score after the play42-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q3, 1:50MacIntyre 22-yd TD pass to KeysTennessee leads 49-3Q3, 1:50 · Tennessee 49, Furman 349-3score after the play49-3score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q4, 11:40Baker 73-yd TD runTennessee leads 56-9Q4, 11:40 · Tennessee 56, Furman 956-9score after the play56-9score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
Every drive
Tennessee scored on 8 of its 13 drives; Furman on 2 of its 14.
Tennessee’s drives are teal, Furman’s amber. A line runs from where a drive started to where it ended; a filled dot means it scored.
“I’ve seen enough, give him the Heisman”
How fans reacted
Quiet
Fans peaked in the opening quarter.
The jump was quiet; the crowd was quiet.
Never in doubt.
Box score
Tennessee 56, Furman 9
Furman covered +49.5 by 2.5. The total, 65, stayed under 66.5.
| Team totals | Furman | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 221 | 638 |
| Passing | 11 of 22, 43 yds | 21 of 27, 309 yds |
| Rushing | 36 for 178 yds | 47 for 329 yds |
| First downs | 10 | 29 |
| Third down | 4 of 15 | 5 of 11 |
| Fourth down | 0 of 2 | 2 of 3 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Penalties | 5 for 45 yds | 7 for 60 yds |
| Time of possession | 27:51 | 32:02 |
Furman leaders
- Passing Jake Garcia 8 of 17, 36 yds
- Rushing Isaiah Davis 8 for 113 yds, 1 TD; Jerrod Williams Jr. 1 for 20 yds
- Receiving Daniel Haughton 4 for 13 yds; Preston Ross 2 for 11 yds
Tennessee leaders
- Passing Faizon Brandon 13 of 17, 226 yds, 3 TD
- Rushing DeSean Bishop 14 for 97 yds, 1 TD; Justin Baker 3 for 89 yds, 1 TD
- Receiving Mike Matthews 4 for 132 yds, 2 TD; Radarious Jackson 3 for 38 yds
Feels like 102° to 114° through the game
93° at kickoff · feels like 102° to 114° · no rain recorded
A feels-like 114° is the hottest peak of any game we have readings for since 2018.
Each gray tick is one game. The black line is the typical game.
Warmer than 9 in 10 of the 70 other games played at Neyland Stadium since 2016 (airport temperature during the game window). The usual here around this date is 77°, with about 7 in 10 games between 71° and 86°.
September game-day temperatures at Neyland Stadium
Drag along the chart, or step through the game.
Where this weather comes from
Measured at Knoxville Downtown airport, 2.9 miles away, and Knoxville Municipal airport, 10 miles away. Rain is NOAA's radar-and-gauge estimate at the stadium and wind is an airport reading; neither is measured on the field. Game times come from the play-by-play, good to a minute or two. Source: National Weather Service, through the Iowa Environmental Mesonet; rain radar from NOAA MRMS, through Iowa State University. Field direction from OpenStreetMap contributors.Before kickoff
Recent games, the series and the betting line below are as they stood going in; the season profile is the season so far.
Recent games
Last three games · 2025 season
Furman · 6-6
Rated 202nd in our preseason ratings, 202nd now.
1-2 in its last three — but nothing on this résumé beats a top-40 team yet.
L 10-45 @ ClemsonTop 25 #27 of 667
lost by 35 as a 43.5-point underdog
W 32-14 vs VMI #271 of 667
won by 18 as a 20.5-point favorite
L 28-45 @ Chattanooga #177 of 667
lost by 17 as a 6-point underdog
L 28-52 vs Mercer #93 of 667
lost by 24 as a 15.5-point underdog
W 24-14 vs The Citadel #203 of 667
won by 10 as a 2.5-point favorite
L 13-31 @ Wofford #171 of 667
lost by 18 as a 2.5-point underdog
L 7-52 @ Western Carolina #150 of 667
lost by 45 as a 3.5-point underdog
W 31-22 vs East Tennessee State #155 of 667
won by 9 as a 0.5-point favorite
W 31-13 @ Samford #224 of 667
won by 18 as a 7-point favorite
W 28-24 @ Campbell #243 of 667
won by 4 as a 1.5-point favorite
L 38-39 vs Presbyterian #209 of 667
lost by 1 as an 8.5-point favorite
W 23-21 vs William & Mary #164 of 667
won by 2 as a 2.5-point favorite
Last three games · 2025 season
Tennessee · 8-5
Rated 30th in our preseason ratings.
L 28-30 @ IllinoisTop 25 #44 of 667
lost by 2 as a 3-point favorite
L 24-45 vs VanderbiltTop 25 #10 of 667
lost by 21 as a 2.5-point favorite
W 31-11 @ FloridaTop 25 #45 of 667
won by 20 as a 3.5-point favorite
W 42-9 vs New Mexico State #190 of 667
won by 33 as a 41.5-point favorite
L 27-33 vs OklahomaTop 25 #16 of 667
lost by 6 as a 2.5-point favorite
W 56-34 @ Kentucky #55 of 667
won by 22 as a 7.5-point favorite
L 20-37 @ AlabamaTop 25 #4 of 667
lost by 17 as an 8.5-point underdog
W 34-31 vs Arkansas #25 of 667
won by 3 as a 10.5-point favorite
W 41-34 @ Mississippi State #35 of 667
won by 7 as a 7.5-point favorite
W 56-24 vs UAB #126 of 667
won by 32 as a 38.5-point favorite
L 41-44 vs GeorgiaTop 25 #5 of 667
lost by 3 as a 3.5-point underdog
W 72-17 vs East Tennessee State #142 of 667
won by 55 as a 40.5-point favorite
W 45-26 vs Syracuse #52 of 667
won by 19 as a 13.5-point favorite
The series
Tennessee leads the series 2-0
2 meetings since 1941 · Tennessee has won the last 2
- 1942Tennessee 52-7
- 1941Tennessee 32-6
Line, fans and home field
The betting line, and the fans
Our model and the betting line agree on Tennessee’s chances here.
Tennessee favored by 49.5 · Total 66.5
How games like this usually go
Tennessee by 49.5, and it went to form
Half of games8 in 10 gamesThis game
The band is where a favorite’s chance ran in the 411 games since 2025 with a favorite of 21.5 points or more.
The market
The spread moved 3 points toward Tennessee.
Spread: −46.5 → −49.5
Weather at kickoff
Hot and dry. Feels like 108° at kickoff.
Furman at Tennessee · Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026 · Neyland Stadium, Knoxville
- 108°feels like at kickoff
- Dryno rain at kickoff
- 33weather score, Harsh
- Tiedfor the roughest of the day's 7 kickoff times
At kickoff, Sept. 5, 2026.
Weather score: 0 to 100, higher is better, for the first 3 hours and 20 minutes of the game. Ideal is 100, Comfortable 90 to 99, Mixed 75 to 89, Rough 50 to 74, Harsh under 50.
Later kickoff times scored higher that Saturday
Games in this time zone used 7 kickoff times that day, local time (kickoffs within 30 minutes of each other count as one). This game, ringed, was tied for the roughest of the day's seven kickoff times. At Neyland Stadium that day, a 7:45 pm kickoff would have scored 83, against 33 at 3:30 pm.
The roughest kickoff time is the lowest of the day's times. It can still be Mixed or Comfortable.
- noon: 39, Harsh
- 12:45 pm: 37, Harsh
- 2 pm: 35, Harsh
- 3:30 pm: 33, Harsh (this game)
- 6 pm: 54, Rough
- 7 pm: 73, Rough
- 7:45 pm: 83, Mixed
Weather score at each kickoff time.
Tap a dot to read that kickoff time.
At kickoff, Sept. 5, 2026. Wind is not drawn here; gusts are in each score.
Home field
Tennessee is worth +6.6 points (±4.8) more at home than on the road since 2018 — top third of FBS, 90th percentile.
66% at home, 49% on the road against FBS opponents (35-18 home, 18-19 away).
Our model gives every stadium the same flat 2.3-point home edge (why); the books use about 3. Against the closing line this stadium reads +1.6 at home vs. away over 98 games — inside the ±6.7 noise, so the flat number is the honest one here.
The visitors travel about 110 miles to get here.