By SCOTT FELTS
The Matchup
Tennessee’s ground game is humming, and senior RB DeSean Bishop is the engine. Going against a Kennesaw State front seven anchored by LB Baron Hopson that is still finding its footing after a rebuild, this is the clash that could decide how quickly the Vols pull away Saturday night at Neyland Stadium.
Why It Matters
The No. 14/15 Volunteers (2-0) are averaging a blistering 314 rushing yards per game and their average actually went down last week even after they piled up 299 yards on the ground alone in last week’s 45-24 win at Georgia Tech. Bishop is the clear focal point. Shut him down (or at least slow him) and Kennesaw State (1-1) has a chance to keep the game competitive longer than expected. Fail, and Tennessee’s tempo offense turns the night into a track meet. Jerry Mack, the Owls’ coach and former Vols running backs coach, knows exactly how dangerous this attack can be.
Why Tennessee Feels Good
Bishop has been electric through two games: 34 carries, 244 yards (7.2 yards per attempt), and three touchdowns. He gashed Georgia Tech for a career-high 147 yards and two scores on 20 carries, including chunk runs of 17 and 29 yards. The year before, he rushed for 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns. Tennessee’s offense is built to lean on the run early and often.
Why Kennesaw State Feels Good
Hopson (6-1, 222) is the heart of Kennesaw State’s run defense. The graduate student was the 2025 Conference USA Co-Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference, setting a program record with 138 tackles in 14 games while adding nine tackles for loss, one interception, six pass breakups, and a forced fumble. He led the Owls in tackles in nine games in 2025, including a program-record 16-tackle outing that helped clinch a CUSA Championship berth. He was also a third-team HERO Sports Group of Five All-American.
In 2026, he’s already the team’s leading tackler with 12 through two games, including 11 in the loss to Georgia State, and was named the preseason CUSA Defensive Player of the Year.
He’s the guy tasked with tracking Bishop, filling gaps, and making the stops that keep Tennessee’s ground attack from turning the night into a highlight reel.
Who Wins The Battle?
Tennessee, and it’s not particularly close.
Bishop is rolling, the Vols’ offensive line is experienced, and the scheme under Josh Heupel is designed to create favorable numbers in the run game. Kennesaw State’s defense has shown flashes, but containing a back averaging over seven yards a carry is a tall order in Neyland under the lights. Expect Bishop to post another strong night and set the tone for a comfortable Vols win as they sharpen up for the Southeastern Conference gauntlet ahead.