Braulio Perez
Verified
As seen in:
Cougfan,
FanSided,
Minute Media,
MSN,
Flipboard,
Yahoo Sports,
Yahoo Sports Canada,
NJ.com,
Suburban News,
The Star-Ledger,
247Sports,
Lehigh Valley Live,
The Duel
and
Content Director @FanSided NCAA | @COUGFANcom/247 contributor | Formerly at Newark Star-Ledger + Lynden Tribune | Proud Ecuadorian | braulioe.perez11@gmail.com
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Braulio Perez
Rick Barnes rightfully calls out Tennessee players after embarrassing loss to Xavier
With this being the year Tennessee basketball fans are hoping a trip to the Final Four can arrive for Rick Barnes, things quite literally could not have gone much worse for the Vols to open things up. As most of you have seen by now, the Vols shockingly lost 86-70 to Xavier in an exhibition dance. How in the world did this happen?! Countless people are now left scratching their heads, while head man Rick Barnes understandably was not happy about how this one played out.
3 Tennessee players who will help the big underdog Vols stun No. 6 Alabama at Neyland
The wait is almost over. Come Saturday afternoon, No. 14 Tennessee is ready to shock the rest of the country by taking down No. 6 Alabama, which of course won't be easy. In order for that to happen, several guys will need to look like superheroes, as the Crimson Tide are without question are one of the top teams in the country. So, who's going to have to deliver for head man Josh Heupel in order for the Vols to make the current 7.5-point spread in favor of the Tide look foolish?
Rick Barnes rightfully calls out Tennessee players after embarrassing loss to Xavier
With this being the year Tennessee basketball fans are hoping a trip to the Final Four can arrive for Rick Barnes, things quite literally could not have gone much worse for the Vols to open things up. As most of you have seen by now, the Vols shockingly lost 86-70 to Xavier in an exhibition dance. How in the world did this happen?! Countless people are now left scratching their heads, while head man Rick Barnes understandably was not happy about how this one played out.
Blue-Chip Vols commit Kesean Bowman needed just 2 words to assure fans he won't flip
When Tennessee and Josh Heupel first landed elite wide receiver Kesean Bowman, it was cause for celebration all over the state. Because of that, you could imagine that there was probably a ton of worry in Knoxville when reports surfaced that the speedster was eyeing other visits, with Ole Miss working overtime to get him to change his mind ahead of the Early Signing Period. Thankfully, it looks like the Vols have nothing to worry about.
Josh Heupel's George MacIntyre call already paying off with Tennessee-Bama odds changing
The uncertainty is over, with Tennessee ready to give second-year quarterback George MacIntyre his second-career start. News broke via Pete Thamel on Thursday morning that G-Mac is getting the nod over Faizon Brandon, which is surely going to have people talking leading up to kickoff at Neyland Stadium and beyond. Was this the right call by Heupel? I think so, and plenty of other people seem to agree.
George MacIntyre starting vs. Alabama throws out the Faizon Brandon is just injured theory
The battle was once again tight this week in practice for Tennessee and Josh Heupel, but a quarterback decision has been made to take on Alabama in the huge SEC showdown. Get ready, Vols fans, as George MacIntyre is set to make his second-career start, hoping to take down the Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium. On Thursday morning, news broke via ESPN's Pete Thamel that the second-year signal-caller will be the one to lead the offense out onto the field. What does this mean for Faizon Brandon?
Faizon Brandon practice update shows just how complicated Tennessee's QB battle is
Welp, here we go again. In Week 6, Tennessee and Josh Heupel decided to rock with George MacIntyre as QB1 with Faizon Brandon still recovering from his shoulder injury. While G-Mac helped power the Vols to a win on the road against Arkansas, Brandon apparently is feeling better, ready to once again push for the starting job with Alabama next up on the schedule. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Brandon is now seeing more and more work in practice running with the ones.
SEC Power Rankings: Tennessee can make a big move by stunning Alabama in Week 7
The Vols are on the outside looking in of the SEC Top 5, but that can change this weekend ByBraulio Perez|Oct 13, 2026, 1:13 PM EDT Oct 10, 2026; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back DeSean Bishop (18) gets past Arkansas Razorbacks defensive back Christian Harrison (1) and scores a touchdown during the fourth quarter at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
Tennessee's defense could have another big break if Racin Delgatty is ruled out
Injuries are always going to start piling up towards the middle of the season, but this spells bad news for Alabama and head man Kalen DeBoer. But, good news for Josh Heupel and the Tennessee defense? Potentially. As things stand, it's totally unknown if standout Alabama center Racin Delgatty will be able to suit up in Knoxville this weekend. The veteran playmaker has been a force in the trenches, but he suffered a lower-body injury late in the heartbreaking Crimson Tide loss to Georgia.
Josh Heupel is back to his old QB mind tricks with Tennessee hoping to upset Alabama
This probably isn't going to work on Kalen DeBoer, but screw it, Josh Heupel isn't going to give in at all when it comes to naming a starting quarterback. After taking down Arkansas in Week 6, the hope/expectation was that George MacIntyre would immediately get the nod to take on the Crimson Tide. Not so fast. While meeting with the media to kickstart the anticipation for the Third Saturday in October, Heupel once again refused to name his QB1 to face Bama.
Ryan Coleman-Williams Injury: Vols dodge first Bama bullet with star WR likely out
Alabama fans remain pretty darn furious about a missed targeting call that took stud wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams out against Georgia. Now, they're going to be even more angry thanks to the latest injury update Kalen DeBoer just dropped: Coleman-Williams is going to be doubtful to take on Tennessee this weekend. Wow.
Tennessee can't get the QB decision wrong as touchdown home 'dogs' vs. Alabama
The Third Saturday in October is almost here, and Alabama is going to be ticked off when it makes its way to Neyland Stadium this weekend to take on Tennessee. Bama suffered a heartbreaker against Georgia, while a Faizon Brandon-less Vols squad took down Arkansas on the road. Naturally, the question begs: will Brandon or George MacIntyre get the start? While speaking to the media in Arkansas, Josh Heupel refused to tip his hand on his QB plans moving forward.
5-star Easton Royal finally abandons Texas to make the nightmare weekend worse
It really only felt like a matter of time until 5-star wideout Easton Royal broke Texas hearts everywhere. Both Florida and LSU were pushing hard to flip him, with the call finally getting over the line for the Gators. With Royal in Gainesville this weekend for yet another visit, news just dropped that he's no longer going to be Austin-bound. That's right, Royal has officially flipped his commitment to play for Florida and Jon Sumrall.
Faizon Brandon injury update: Vols QB clearly more hurt than we could have guessed
When Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon suffered his shoulder injury but managed to return against Texas, it seemed like the Vols had avoided the worst-case scenario. Clearly, though, the 5-star true freshman is still being significantly bothered by the hard hit he took, which was apparent in his rough play vs. Auburn. Now, it's up in the air whether he'll even be able to suit up or not vs. Arkansas.
Penn State transfer Xavier Gilliam has become one of Tennessee's key players
In terms of Penn State transfers who made their way to Knoxville, you're not alone if you never thought for a second that Xavier Gilliam was going to end up being the biggest and best standout for Tennessee. We all thought Chaz Coleman was going to live up to the hype, but he never suited up for the Vols this season, and he's already away from the program. The same 100 percent can't be said about Gilliam, a stud defensive lineman for Heupel and new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
Faizon Brandon injury update: Vols QB clearly more hurt than we could have guessed
When Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon suffered his shoulder injury but managed to return against Texas, it seemed like the Vols had avoided the worst-case scenario. Clearly, though, the 5-star true freshman is still being significantly bothered by the hard hit he took, which was apparent in his rough play vs. Auburn. Now, it's up in the air whether he'll even be able to suit up or not vs. Arkansas.
Josh Heupel still not naming a QB starter sends wrong message to George MacIntyre
It really seemed like this was all settled leading up to Tennessee going up against Arkansas. On Tuesday night, ESPN insider Pete Thamel dropped the bomb that George MacIntyre is going to be getting the start over Faizon Brandon this weekend against the Razorbacks. Apparently this is news to head man Josh Heupel.
Hayden Lowe could become exactly what Tennessee needed Chaz Coleman to be
It's not going to be easy, but Tennessee is in a great spot to make magic happen with former Miami EDGE Hayden Lowe. The 6-5, 255-pounder was in Knoxville for an official visit last weekend, telling FanSided the game-day experience was something he had never experienced before. Josh Heupel and Rodner Garner are hoping to hold off Alabama and others to bring in Lowe, who would fill a needed void for next season and beyond.
Faizon Brandon’s future with Tennessee will be under a microscope moving forward
The decision everyone was waiting for finally came in. To take on Arkansas in Week 6, Josh Heupel and Tennessee are ready to roll with Georgia MacIntyre. While this is exciting news for G-Mac, it's got to sting for 5-star freshman Faizon Brandon. Brandon looked electric in his first three starts, but things have quickly gone south for him in the past two games. As much as we don't want to think about it, how MacIntyre performs is going to determine Brandon's future.
Josh Heupel has an obvious Tennessee QB decision to make whether he likes it or not
With the new practice week here, it feels like only a matter of time before Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel shuts down the speculation and announces a new starter. On paper, yes, this is an incredibly difficult choice for Heupel, as he gave 5-star freshman Faizon Brandon the starting job ahead of Week 1 for a reason. But fast forward to present time, is it really that tough? It really shouldn't be. The past two weeks for Brandon have been nothing short of eye-opening, but not in a good way.
Josh Heupel's decision at QB not being made any easier by early odds against Arkansas
While Josh Heupel may be done talking about the Tennessee quarterback battle, for now, that doesn't mean it won't be a major topic of conversation for the rest of the week. Come Saturday, the Vols are heading to Arkansas for an SEC battle, currently listed as a 13.5-point favorite per the FanDuel sportsbook. On one hand, you'd think that with Tennessee being such big favorites, it would make Heupel's choice easy, as UT should cruise to a win regardless. However, things aren't that cut and dry.
Jeremiah Smith's Ohio State natty promise would give him the ending he deserves
It seems like no more than four days can go by without Jeremiah Smith breaking Ohio State records, and we're loving it. After recently setting the new mark for most career Ohio State touchdowns, yards, and receptions, Smith can still make more personal history, but there's something else he's a bit more focused on: winning another national championship. Following the dominant Ohio State win over Iowa, Smith made that more than clear.
Tennessee fans getting robbed of a night game vs. Alabama just doesn't make any sense
Why is it that whenever it could not be more clear that a night game should make its way to Neyland Stadium, the opposite ends up happening? This is what we now have on the table for Tennessee going up against Alabama on Oct. 17, with countless people livid that a 3:30 p.m. kickoff has arrived. Say it ain't so! Honestly, we don't blame anyone for being a bit ticked off. Reason No. 1 to be upset?
Former 5-star Hayden Lowe high on Tennessee with a decision coming soon after Vols visit
In a bit of a golden surprise twist, Tennessee and Josh Heupel were busy recruiting this past weekend on top of taking down Auburn. That's because former 5-star prospect Hayden Lowe, who spent one season at Miami, was in Knoxville for an official visit. Now at Long Beach City College in California, the 6-foot-5, 255-pounder made the long voyage to Knoxville to meet with Heupel, defensive line coach Rodney Garner, and the rest of the staff.
Josh Heupel's miserable offseason QB luck is hurting Faizon Brandon the most
It turns out an 18-year-old quarterback can't come in right away and look like a Heisman Trophy contender. This is what Tennessee and Josh Heupel are quickly learning, as freshman Faizon Brandon simply has not been able to play at a high level thus far in SEC action. It led to him getting benched vs. Auburn, with George MacIntyre now having the window open to grab the QB1 job and not lose it. It sucks for Brandon, but you can't blame him for the struggles of late.
Josh Heupel's miserable offseason QB luck is hurting Faizon Brandon the most
2 hours ago Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel said he would take this week of practice before deciding who will start at quarterback against Arkansas on Saturday. Tennessee (4-1, 1-1 SEC) plays Arkansas (2-3, 0-2) on Oct. 10 (4:15 p.m. ET, SEC Network) in Fayetteville. Watch the full press conference at knoxnews.com.
Josh Heupel is making everyone wait on the George MacIntyre-Faizon Brandon call
To open his weekly press conference, Josh Heupel already knew he was going to be asked about who his starting quarterback is going to be moving forward. And to no surprise, the Tennessee head coach isn't going to tip his hand... not yet at least. While speaking with the media, Heupel made it quite clear that the Vols need to go through this week of practice to determine who's going to lead the offense out onto the field between Faizon Brandon and George Macintyre against the Razorbacks on the road.
George MacIntyre could realistically win the Tennessee job and never lose it again
In the blink of an eye, Tennessee has gone from rocking with Faizon Brandon leading the way for the 2026 season to facing a major quarterback question ahead of the Arkansas game. That's not a good problem for head coach Josh Heupel, but countless eyes are now turning to second-year signal-caller George MacIntyre. Over the summer, MacIntyre had his dreams crushed when Brandon was named QB1, but all that has changed.
AP voters could care less about Tennessee's QB drama with a 2-spot rise in the Top 25
Despite morale being a bit low surrounding the quarterback drama for Tennessee and Josh Heupel, it seems like the AP voters strongly believe one player behind center won't make or break things for the Vols. That much was showcased with the new AP Top 25 coming out, as Tennessee is now the new No. 15 team in the country, moving up two spots from last week.
Postgame Luke Fickell quote on Wisconsin's culture is what we've been waiting for
With the way Wisconsin has looked in recent years, we wouldn't have blamed anyone if they thought a deflating loss to Michigan State might be on the way in Week 5. Instead, the Badgers absolutely dominated on both sides of the ball, recording a 31-3 win . No one loved that more than head man Luke Fickell , but in a good way, he's still not satisfied. Yes, Fickell is fired up that his team is 4-1, but he also knows that there's still a lot to clean up with the heart of Big Ten play on the way.
Josh Heupel didn't mince words on why he benched Faizon Brandon for George MacIntyre
With the Tennessee offense looking totally sluggish in the first half, a lot of the blame went to freshman sensation Faizon Brandon . However, his confidence must be at ground level right now after Josh Heupel made the needed call to bench him in the middle of the Vols' SEC showdown against Alex Golesh and Auburn As you might have been able to guess, Heupel was asked about the head-turning decision at halftime while on with the ESPN broadcast team.
Faizon Brandon gave Josh Heupel no choice but to bench him in Tennessee vs. Auburn
You've got to feel terrible for freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon, but what Tennessee fans saw out of the youngster in the first half was downright terrible. It led to head man Josh Heupel shocking us all quite a bit, with him benching Brandon late in the first half in favor of George MacIntyre. Wow. Right after Auburn scored a go-ahead touchdown, Brandon looked like he was getting ready to take the field again, but it was G-Mac who took over the offense.
Josh Heupel didn't quiet the quarterback controversy after Faizon Brandon's benching
Right after the 24-14 win for Tennessee against Auburn in Week 5, you had a feeling the celebrations were going to be short-lived for head man Josh Heupel . Yes, we can all tip our cap to DeSean Bishop for his historic day, but all eyes are now on Tennessee's starting quarterback spot. As most of you know by now, Faizon Brandon was benched late in the first half, with George MacIntyre stepping in.
3 biggest winners and 2 losers from Wisconsin dominating Michigan State at home
The doubters who thought Wisconsin and Luke Fickell were going to come back down to earth after the upset over Penn State... nothing to say, huh? In dominant fashion, the Badgers just made Homecoming Weekend even better for everyone in Madison, clobbering Michigan State 31-3 at Camp Randall Stadium. Straight up, the Badgers dominated the game, using a 17-3 halftime lead to set the tone, with the performance only getting better in the second half.
3 Tennessee winners and 3 losers (including Faizon Brandon) from ugly win vs. Auburn
It wasn't pretty at all, but Tennessee is now 4-1 on the season after managing to scrape out a win that was closer than it needed to be against Auburn and Alex Golesh. In the second half, the ground game helped wake up the offense, which paved the way for the Vols to record the 24-14 victory. Next up is Arkansas in Week 6, but who will be the starting quarterback for that one?
Faizon Brandon must confront his Vols adversity head-on to be the QB he's meant to be
There's no question that Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon has to be feeling pretty terrible right now. No one can blame him for that, as he went from stud quarterback in the first three weeks of the season for the Vols, to struggling against Texas, and then getting benched against Auburn. If anything, this must be an incredibly humbling experience for him. However, that doesn't mean he has to let this define his first few starts at Tennessee.
Josh Heupel is playing a dangerous game with Vols QB battle, but he simply has to
Yes, 4-1 feels great for Tennessee following the 24-14 win over Auburn, but the program now finds itself in a position no one imagined after five weeks. The quarterback battle between Faizon Brandon and George MacIntyre is back, with it being totally unknown who will lead the offense against Arkansas on the road next week. This is not an ideal spot for head man Josh Heupel, but what choice does he have?
DeSean Bishop's career day came with revenge on Alex Golesh years in the making
There's no one more popular in Knoxville right now than senior running back DeSean Bishop. Bishop exploded for a career-high day, carrying the ball 34 times for 220 yards and three touchdowns in the close 24-14 win over Auburn at Neyland Stadium. As it turns out, Bishop's motivation to have a monster showing wasn't limited to just bouncing back from what we saw against Texas.
Josh Heupel didn't quiet the quarterback controversy after Faizon Brandon's benching
Right after the 24-14 win for Tennessee against Auburn in Week 5, you had a feeling the celebrations were going to be short-lived for head man Josh Heupel. Yes, we can all tip our cap to DeSean Bishop for his historic day, but all eyes are now on Tennessee's starting quarterback spot. As most of you know by now, Faizon Brandon was benched late in the first half, with George MacIntyre stepping in.
3 Tennessee winners and 3 losers (including Faizon Brandon) from ugly win vs. Auburn
It wasn't pretty at all, but Tennessee is now 4-1 on the season after managing to scrape out a win that was closer than it needed to be against Auburn and Alex Golesh. In the second half, the ground game helped wake up the offense, which paved the way for the Vols to record the 24-14 victory. Next up is Arkansas in Week 6, but who will be the starting quarterback for that one?
Josh Heupel didn't mince words on why he benched Faizon Brandon for George MacIntyre
With the Tennessee offense looking totally sluggish in the first half, a lot of the blame went to freshman sensation Faizon Brandon. However, his confidence must be at ground level right now after Josh Heupel made the needed call to bench him in the middle of the Vols' SEC showdown against Alex Golesh and Auburn. As you might have been able to guess, Heupel was asked about the head-turning decision at halftime while on with the ESPN broadcast team.
Faizon Brandon gave Josh Heupel no choice but to bench him in Tennessee vs. Auburn
You've got to feel terrible for freshman quarterback Faizon Brandon, but what Tennessee fans saw out of the youngster in the first half was downright terrible. It led to head man Josh Heupel shocking us all quite a bit, with him benching Brandon late in the first half in favor of George MacIntyre. Wow. Right after Auburn scored a go-ahead touchdown, Brandon looked like he was getting ready to take the field again, but it was G-Mac who took over the offense.
Tennessee vs. Auburn final odds and 3 head-turning predictions for Week 5
What's in the past is in the past. After the loss to No. 1 Texas last week, No. 17 Tennessee has already shifted its focus to Auburn, as Josh Heupel is going to have to be at his best to make sure that Alex Golesh doesn't out-battle him in this one. The Vols opened as 8.5-point favorites, but only a few hours before kickoff, things have been set at 6.5, with the over/under locked in at 54.5 points as well.
Easton Royal to Florida buzz only keeps growing with Steve Sarkisian in defense mode
When it comes to 2027 targets, there's no one higher on the board for Jon Sumrall and Florida than electric 5-star wide receiver Easton Royal. Fresh off a recent official visit to Gainesville, rumors have kept swirling that Florida could be in the driver's seat to pull off what would easily be the biggest recruiting flip this cycle. This appears to be something Steve Sarkisian is worried about too.
Josh Heupel must outsmart the coaching minds he created for Vols to beat Auburn
There's a homecoming of sorts on the way for both Auburn head coach Alex Golesh and co-defensive coordinator Tim Banks. Much has been said about Golesh being a Josh Heupel disciple, with the new Auburn head man getting his big break coaching wise thanks to Tennessee's leader. That's going to be a major storyline both before and after kickoff. With that, few people know Heupel's offense and the way he works better than Golesh, who was his OC both at UCF and Tennessee.
4 Tennessee Vols facing the most pressure in a must-win dance with Auburn
The sour taste in a lot of mouths has remained following the loss to No. 1 Texas, but now is the time for No. 17 Tennessee to bounce back and remind everyone that this is a long season. It all starts this weekend against Auburn and Alex Golesh, as the Tigers have an upset on their minds - it's something that simply can't go down in Knoxville.
Miami CB Ethan O'Connor's growth all comes back to the heartbreaking natty loss
With all the injuries on defense for Miami and Mario Cristobal this season, it's easy to forget that cornerback Ethan O'Connor has emerged as a complete and total playmaker for this team. The Washington State transfer is in his second season in Coral Gables. If you've noticed him playing with a chip on his shoulder and ticked off, there's a good reason for that.
Danny White deserves praise for the Tennessee 'happy hour' that's winning over fans
We have called out Tennessee athletic director Danny White enough times to lose count. But when he hits things out of the park to make life even sweeter for Tennessee fans who make their way to Knoxville for a football game, it is time to tip our cap to him. And this now includes White making sure the 'happy hour' that was present for the Texas game is not going anywhere moving forward.
Danny White deserves praise for the Tennessee 'happy hour' that's winning over fans
5 hours ago The Pittsburgh Steelers apparently had enough of the Joey Porter Jr. drama and decided to cut ties with their disgruntled cornerback via a trade to the Dallas Cowboys. And Porter has since broken his silence on the move. Taking to social media to react to the trade news, Porter expressed excitement …
Tennessee vs. Auburn odds dropping by 2 points will only add to nerves for Week 5
It's cliche to call an upcoming contest a 'must-win game' for Tennessee and Josh Heupel, but it's exactly what's on the way against unranked Auburn at Neyland Stadium on Saturday. Originally, the Vols opened as 8.5-point favorites via the FanDuel Sportsbook, which calmed some nerves following their heartbreaking loss to No. 1 Texas. Since then, however, that line has dropped by a head-turning two points to 6.5, which isn't great for several reasons.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Braulio
Contact Braulio, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack