Tennessee benched true freshman Faizon Brandon during its game against Auburn, turning instead to backup George MacIntyre, who led the Volunteers to victory. According to CBS Sports, Heupel chose "MacIntyre's floor over Faizon Brandon's ceiling" in the win.
Brandon failed to meet expectations in the matchup. Per Yahoo Sports, the hyped five-star quarterback did not move the team down the field efficiently and threw an interception. Rocky Top Talk reported that Brandon had struggled the previous week against Texas, where he absorbed ten sacks, a performance that appeared to shake his confidence heading into the Auburn game.
Heupel addressed the quarterback decision after the game, per multiple outlets, though the reporting does not specify what he said beyond characterizing his explanation as diplomatic. The benching leaves Tennessee facing questions about its quarterback situation going forward, with CBS Sports noting the team now faces a crossroads at the position.