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Syracuse football is back. The Orange will return to the gridiron for the first time in seven months when they take on Tennessee in a neutral-site game in Atlanta, Georgia.

Fran Brown set the bar high in his first season at the helm, winning 10 games and completely flipping around SU’s program. Though in year two, Brown will have his work cut out for him after losing key pieces like Kyle McCord, LeQuint Allen Jr., Oronde Gadsden and Marlowe Wax. Notre Dame transfer Steve Angeli will try to settle the ship as the starting quarterback, while veteran presences like Duce Chestnut and Devin Grant provide defensive stability.

The Orange have one of the toughest schedules in the country this season, and their first test is Saturday. Despite the neutral site, Knoxville is just over a three-hour drive from Atlanta. With a loyal fan base, Volunteer fans will make this as close to a true road game as possible for Syracuse.

Here’s everything to know about No. 24 Tennessee (0-0, 0-0 Southeastern) before it takes on Syracuse (0-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) in the season opener:

All-time series

Tennessee leads Syracuse 3-0

Last time they played

Tennessee blew past Syracuse 33-9 on Sept. 1, 2001, in Knoxville. Donte Stallworth hauled in a 37-yard touchdown catch on the first play from scrimmage, and the Vols never looked back. SU quarterback Troy Nunes was knocked out of the game in the second quarter after getting sacked for a safety. The Volunteers led 12-0 at halftime, and despite an early field goal from Syracuse in the second half, it never cut its deficit to less than nine.

Nunes and R.J. Anderson combined to go 6-of-21 for 115 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Tennessee running back Travis Stephens had 111 yards on 14 carries to lead all rushers. UT only had two more first downs (14) than Syracuse (12), and while both turned the ball over three times, the Vols still outgained SU 333-190.

The Volunteers Report

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has posted a record of 37-15 since his hiring in 2021. Last season, the Volunteers clinched their first-ever berth in the College Football Playoff under the guidance of freshman quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

However, the signal caller caused a ruckus in the spring when he raised concerns over his name, image and likeness compensation. Iamaleava reportedly wanted $4 million, and Tennessee wouldn’t budge. The saga ended with the sophomore transferring to UCLA on April 20.

Ironically, UT replaced Iamaleava with Joey Aguilar, who transferred to UCLA from Appalachian State in the winter, but entered the portal a day after Iamaleava committed to the Bruins. Aguilar isn’t afraid to push the ball down the field, throwing for 6,760 yards and 56 touchdowns across two seasons with the Mountaineers.

With the departure of reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year Dylan Sampson, the Volunteers could rely more on their passing game. The running back spearheaded an elite rushing attack (225 yards per game) that led the SEC and ranked ninth-best in the country. DeSean Bishop and Peyton Lewis, who had 455 and 339 yards, respectively, last season, will battle it out to replace Sampson’s production.

There are also questions for Tennessee along the offensive line after it had to replace four starters, but SU’s inexperienced defensive line is unlikely to give it any trouble.

How Syracuse beats Tennessee

Syracuse has to protect Angeli. If he’s given ample time to throw, he’ll have the chance to dissect Tennessee’s defense. The problem is, SU’s signal caller might not get a lot of time.

The Orange got bigger up front in the offseason, bringing in veteran linemen like Austin Collins and former highly-touted recruits in Kam Pringle and Zach Rice, but it’s unclear how those pieces will fit. McCord often got the ball out quickly under Syracuse offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon. If the offensive line is shaky, the same will have to be the case with Angeli.

A crucial part of pulling off upsets is winning the turnover battle. Syracuse was below average at forcing turnovers last season with 16 total (11 interceptions, five fumble recoveries), but it needs to flip the momentum Saturday. If the Orange create a couple early mistakes, they could be in for a big day, but without any, they might be in trouble.

Stat to know: 188

Brown said Monday that Tennessee’s been putting up 50-60 points on opponents early in the season, and he doesn’t want to be one of those teams. Brown wasn’t kidding about the Vols’ dominance. They outscored their nonconference opponents by 219 points last season. Blowout wins by 60-plus points aren’t surprising against teams like Kent State and Chattanooga, but Tennessee also overpowered then-No. 24 NC State 51-10 in Charlotte, North Carolina. It also handled business on the road against Oklahoma, winning by 10 points.

Player to watch: Joshua Josephs, defensive line, No. 19

Joshua Josephs can be a game-breaker for Tennessee on defense. He might not have the sack production — just 5.5 in 37 career games — but Joseph is a run-stopping force.

He led all edge rushers nationally with a 91.4 run-defense grade, while accumulating a 90.6 overall rating, the third-highest defensive rating in the SEC. James Pearce Jr. was Tennessee’s premier piece on defense last season, but after getting selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Josephs can now steal the spotlight.

Published on August 27, 2025 at 8:24 pm
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