The Tennessee-Vanderbilt football rivalry might have a distinct Nashville flavor in 2026.
On Feb. 20, a Knoxville judge denied a preliminary injunction for Joey Aguilar, which would have allowed him to return to the Volunteers next season. Aguilar, who led the SEC with 3,565 passing yards in 2025, was hoping to get another year of NCAA eligibility. He could appeal the decision, but unless he wins, his college football career would be over.
With Aguilar almost certainly headed to the NFL, the battle to be Tennessee’s next starting quarterback is open between redshirt freshman George MacIntyre, five-star freshman Faizon Brandon and Colorado transfer Ryan Staub.
MacIntyre, the lone returner, was a four-star recruit from Brentwood Academy in the class of 2024. If he wins the job, he might end up facing another Nashville area prep star in Jared Curtis, a five-star recruit from Nashville Christian who is set for his first season with the Commodores this fall.
The 6-foot-6, 195-pound MacIntyre was a three-year starter at BA from 2022-24, throwing for 8,293 yards and 62 touchdowns during his career. He led the Eagles to the TSSAA Division II-AA semifinals twice. He was the No. 13 quarterback and No. 151 recruit in the country, per the 247Sports Composite, when he signed with the Vols in December 2024.
Last season, MacIntyre appeared in two games, playing late in blowout wins over East Tennessee State and New Mexico State. He completed seven of nine passes for 69 yards and took 18 snaps.
Brandon, an early enrollee from Greensboro, North Carolina, will compete with MacIntyre for the starting role. The 6-4, 206-pounder was the No. 3 player and No. 3 quarterback in the Class of 2026, per the 247Sports Composite, ranking one spot behind Curtis.
During his time at Grimsley High School, Brandon completed 72% of his passes for 6,374 yards and 79 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,261 yards and 21 scores. He led Grimsley to the state championship as a junior and senior and only lost one game as a starter during his high school career.
Staub went 53-of-99 for 681 yards, four TDs and four interceptions during his three seasons at Colorado. He started one game in 2023 and another in 2025.
Curtis enters the year as the presumptive starter for Vanderbilt, which is coming off a program-best 10-3 season. He enrolled early and joined the Commodores for practices prior to their Reliaquest Bowl loss to Iowa.
Curtis won two Tennessee Mr. Football awards and two consecutive DII-A state titles as a junior and a senior at Nashville Christian. The four-year starter threw for 9,733 yards and 128 touchdowns during his career, while adding over 2,100 yards and 48 touchdowns rushing. He ranks second in TSSAA football history in total offense and is tied for second in total touchdowns. Like MacIntyre, Curtis was ranked No. 1 in the Tennessean’s Dandy Dozen as a senior.
Curtis shocked the college football world when he flipped his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt last December, becoming the program’s highest-ranked signee ever.
Curtis and MacIntyre never played each other in high school. They could face off for the first time on Nov. 28 when Vanderbilt hosts Tennessee at Memorial Stadium. The Commodores beat the Vols, 45-24, at Neyland Stadium last November, ending a six-game losing streak in the rivalry.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at [email protected] and on X/Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
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