The Tennessee Vols MUST Do This To Beat Texas...

The Tennessee Vols' biggest game of the year is finally here. Texas is coming to Neyland Stadium, and Charlie Burris and Zach Ragan break down the biggest things Tennessee must do to pull off the upset against the No. 1 Longhorns. The biggest question may be the Vols' rushing attack. Tennessee is one of the nation's best rushing teams through the first two games of the season, but Texas presents a completely different challenge. The Longhorns have made it clear that stopping Tennessee's rushing attack is a major priority, with their defensive line targeting fewer than 100 rushing yards for the Vols. That puts Tennessee's offensive line directly in the spotlight. Can the right side of the line hold up against Texas' elite defensive front? Can Tennessee establish the run? And can the Vols keep Texas from simply attacking the quarterback with four pass rushers? Charlie and Zach break down why this could be the most important matchup of the entire game. They also discuss Faizon Brandon and the pressure on the freshman quarterback to make plays through the air. Tennessee cannot afford to let Texas completely shut down the running game, which means Brandon may have to make some big-time throws downfield. The guys also discuss whether Josh Heupel has been holding back parts of his offense through the first two games and whether Tennessee could unveil some new wrinkles against Texas. On the defensive side of the football, Charlie and Zach explain why they feel much better about Tennessee's chances. Jim Knowles has an opportunity to put Texas quarterback Arch Manning under pressure, and the guys discuss Manning's inconsistent performances and what Tennessee can do to force him into mistakes. The pressure may also be greater on Texas than Tennessee. The Longhorns enter the game ranked No. 1, while Tennessee enters as the team with far less to lose. Charlie and Zach compare the atmosphere surrounding this game to Tennessee's 2022 matchup with Alabama and explain why they believe the Vols should play with an aggressive, nothing-to-lose mentality. Can Tennessee win the line of scrimmage? Can Faizon Brandon make enough plays? Can Jim Knowles create problems for Arch Manning? Charlie Burris and Zach Ragan break down the biggest questions ahead of Tennessee vs. Texas on the latest Big Orange Podcast. Subscribe to A to Z Sports Tennessee for Tennessee Volunteers football news, analysis, recruiting updates, game reactions and Big Orange Podcast episodes throughout the 2026 season. 00:00 Tennessee vs. Texas is finally here 01:00 The biggest key: Tennessee's offensive line 02:30 Can the right side hold up? 04:00 Tennessee's rushing attack vs. Texas 05:30 Texas wants to hold Tennessee under 100 yards 07:30 Sean Bishop's health 09:30 Tennessee needs to get the run game outside 11:00 Faizon Brandon must make downfield throws 12:30 Has Josh Heupel been holding back the offense? 14:00 Jim Knowles vs. Arch Manning 16:00 Can Tennessee force Arch into mistakes? 17:30 Why the pressure is on Texas 19:00 The 2022 Alabama comparison 20:30 Tennessee has nothing to lose 22:00 Final thoughts on the Texas matchup Make A to Z Sports your preferred source on Google: https://google.com/preferences/source?q=atozsports.com Play A to Z Sports Daily Games: https://atozsports.com/games For more VOLS coverage: https://atozsports.com/nashville/volunteers/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/volforlifetn Twitter: https://x.com/BigOrangePod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atozsportsvols TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@atozsportsvols #TennesseeVols #TennesseeFootball #Vols #TexasLonghorns #CollegeFootball