​USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect. Pictured: Faizon Brandon.
The Tennessee Volunteers take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Atlanta, GA. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.Tennessee is favored by -12.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -530. The total is set at 55.5 points.Here’s my Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech prediction and college football pick for Saturday, September 12, 2026.Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech Picks: Tennessee -12.5 | Faizon Brandon Anytime TouchdownMy Georgia Tech vs. Tennessee best bets are on the Volunteers to cover the spread and on Faizon Brandon as an anytime touchdown scorer. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.Tennessee vs Georgia Tech OddsTennessee vs Georgia Tech point spread: Tennessee -12.5 (-110), Georgia Tech +12.5 (-110)Tennessee vs Georgia Tech over/under: 55.5 (-105o / -115u)Tennessee vs Georgia Tech moneyline: Tennessee -530, Georgia Tech +390The 20th-ranked Vols enter Week 2 with a ton of momentum after blasting Furman 59-6 in a game Tennessee could’ve easily won by well over 50 points.Josh Heupel enters his sixth season as Tennessee head coach and will surely be looking for redemption following the Volunteers’ blowout loss to Ohio State in the 2025 College Football Playoff.The Vols are led by freshman five-star QB Faizon Brandon, who looked phenomenal in Tennessee’s Week 1 victory. He posted 226 yards and three passing touchdowns, in addition to racking up 68 yards on the ground with two rushing scores.Tennessee blends a strong 2026 recruiting class that features several five-star prospects with many key transfer portal additions.DeSean Bishop returns to lead the Tennessee backfield after posting over 1,000 yards on the ground and six rushing touchdowns in 2025.Bishop got off to a great start in Tennessee’s blowout victory over Furman, recording nearly 100 yards on the ground while also finding the end zone.The Vols boast a ton of talent at the WR position as well, with an extremely athletic receiving corps spotlighted by Mike Matthews and Braylon Staley.The Vols’ defense is headed by newly-hired DC Jim Knowles, who aims to shift Tennessee’s defense into a multiple 4-2-5 and hybrid structural scheme designed to increase physicality and consistency.Xavier Gilliam anchors the interior alongside sophomore Ethan Utley and true freshman JJ Finch. Jordan Norman is expected to play a major role in the Volunteers’ pass rush, as well.Brent Key enters his fourth season at the helm in what’s expected to be a very difficult campaign for the Yellow Jackets, who will have to navigate a challenging 11-game power-four schedule.Alberto Mendoza, the younger brother of Fernando, the Heisman Trophy winner and the Raiders’ first overall NFL draft selection, takes over as QB1 after Haynes King graduated.Mendoza is praised for his high football IQ and accuracy in a pro-style system run by new coordinators.Despite a loss in their first game of the season, Mendoza looked remarkable