ESPN is calling it in late January — Tennessee‘s starting quarterback for the 2026 season will be redshirt freshman George MacIntyre.
The network released a comprehensive report on Wednesday morning that detailed each Power 4 college football program and predicted who would emerge as its starting quarterback this fall.
The breakdown for each program was simple, revealing who the predicted 2026 starter would be, why that quarterback would be the chosen one and what the competition at that school looked like going into the offseason.
Tennessee will be happy to turn the page to 2026 after a rocky 2025 on Rocky Top. It started in the spring of last year when 2024 starter Nico Iamaleava wreaked havoc in Knoxville by stunningly announcing that he was bolting from the program to head back home to Southern California. Iamaleava transferred to UCLA, which had a ripple effect, as Joey Aguilar, who was heading to UCLA, decided to head the opposite way and transfer to Tennessee.
Aguilar ran a high-octane offense last fall in Knoxville, but it only amounted to 8 wins, with a 5-loss season in 2025 providing a sting to the program. Now, Aguilar could possibly return as the starter next fall, as he’s currently seeking an additional year of eligibility since he’s a former junior college transfer. Aguilar threw for 3,565 yards in his one and possibly only season at Tennessee, with 24 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.
“It’s hard to tell what the plan is for the Vols right now,” was the opening line of ESPN’s summarization of why MacIntyre would be the starter in 2026. It backed up that cloudy outlook by talking about Aguilar’s uncertainty for next fall, and it also mentioned how Tennessee fell short in its attempts to lure high-profile transfers Sam Leavitt and Beau Pribula.
ESPN called MacIntyre “the safest pick,” at least “for now.” MacIntyre is an in-state talent from Franklin, Tenn., who threw for 69 yards and attempted 9 passes in very limited action during his redshirt season in 2025.
As for the competition in Knoxville, ESPN mentioned 2026 prize recruit Faizon Brandon as well as Colorado transfer Ryan Staub.
Obviously, the big shoe that must first drop in Knoxville involves Aguilar, and once that happens then the quarterback situation for 2026 can truly take form.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
