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Syracuse’s 2024 season began with a matchup against Mid-American Conference powerhouse Ohio. The Orange started shaky but rebounded to capture their first win under head coach Fran Brown. This time around, SU won’t have time to find its groove.

A revamped Orange squad travels to Atlanta to face No. 24 Tennessee in the Aflac Kickoff Game. The Volunteers are rebuilt, too. After an appearance in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff, head coach Josh Heupel lost star running back Dylan Sampson and edge rusher James Pearce to the NFL and quarterback Nico Iamaleava to UCLA due to name, image and likeness disputes.

The matchup with Tennessee is Syracuse’s first versus a Southeastern Conference opponent since LSU in 2017, setting the stage for a program-defining opener in Year 2 under Brown.

Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse (0-0, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) will perform against No. 24 Tennessee (0-0, 0-0 SEC):

Aiden Stepansky (0-0)
Talkin’ Tennessee
Syracuse 23, Tennessee 31

If this matchup were, let’s say, four weeks into the season, I’d be inclined to pick the Orange for a marquee upset victory. Though with so much unknown in a season opener, I’ll favor the team with more talent. That’s the Volunteers.

Despite losing a flurry of players in the offseason, Heupel has Tennessee built like a well-oiled machine with a dominant pass rush and explosive offense. I could see Syracuse finding an early lead if Joey Aguilar turns the ball over with his gunslinging mentality. If its offensive line depth can cancel out the Volunteers’ defensive line talent, Steve Angeli could have time to operate. Though when asked Monday if his offensive line could do so, even Brown wasn’t sure, saying we’d find out Saturday.

I see the Volunteers pulling away due to Syracuse’s weak pass rush. The unit has concerned me throughout the offseason and fall camp. While I expect Dion “Tank” Wilson Jr.’s impact to be felt throughout the season, I can’t understand how the Orange will receive production off the edge, especially against an SEC opponent with top-tier talent. The lack of a pass rush will allow Aguilar to find a groove and expose SU’s defense in the second half.

Syracuse should cover. It might even lead at halftime. But the Vols will be blasting good old “Rocky Top” and wearing “Tennessee Orange” like Megan Moroney. Everyone will be “Talkin’ Tennessee” in the Peach State this weekend.

Cooper Andrews (0-0)
No magic in this city
Syracuse 24, Tennessee 38

Atlanta’s state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz Stadium is where the Orange will begin their second campaign under Brown. It’s a big-time venue perfect for Syracuse to prove it’s taken even more significant leaps from its 10-3 2024 campaign. Last year signified that SU is no longer a pushover program; it’s in the early stages of becoming a consistent winner.

But even Rome wasn’t built in a day. Saturday will be a reminder of just how fine the line is between a solid ACC team and a College Football Playoff contender.

I envision Tennessee beating Syracuse by a pair of touchdowns. Each offense is vastly different than they were in 2024 — both are now led by transfer quarterbacks — though I don’t trust the Orange’s relatively inexperienced defense to contain the Volunteers’ fast-paced scheme.

Angeli enters his first year at SU with an offense containing new starters virtually everywhere across its line, receiving corps and running backs. While Syracuse’s wide receivers, particularly Texas transfer Johntay Cook and likely No. 1 option Darrell Gill Jr., elicit excitement, you have to wonder how much chemistry they’ll have with Angeli. Especially considering he and Collins split equal time with the 1s throughout training camp.

Because of that, I think the Orange will start out a bit slow offensively. On the contrary, Tennessee quarterback and Appalachian State transfer Aguilar may feast early and often on SU’s secondary. A group that lost Marcellus Barnes Jr., Jaeden Gould and Jayden Bellamy now immensely lacks experience at cornerback. Chris Peal, Demetres Samuel Jr. and Davien Kerr will eventually find their stride, but not against Tennessee right off the bat.

Zak Wolf (0-0)
Rocky Top rolls
Syracuse 20, Tennessee 33

This game is listed as a neutral site game, but it might as well be labeled a road game. Tennessee fans travel well, and with Knoxville only three hours from Atlanta, the Volunteers will have a significant home-field advantage. That’s not ideal when your quarterback has just one career start under his belt.

Angeli might’ve fared well in the Orange Bowl last season when he led a drive against Penn State, but that’s a small sample size. He’s being thrown into the fire here, and I don’t know if he can extinguish it. Syracuse’s offensive line has too many moving pieces, while Tennessee’s defensive line is menacing. It could be a long day for Angeli.

Even if the Orange put some points on the board, they won’t stop Tennessee. Aguilar is solid, but the Volunteers will tear the Orange apart on the ground. Heupel loves to run the ball, and even though reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Year Sampson moved on to the NFL, DeSean Bishop and Peyton Lewis are adequate backups. They rushed for 455 and 339 yards, respectively, last season, and after averaging an SEC-leading 225 yards per game as a team, it’s hard to see that changing.

Syracuse’s linebackers Gary Bryant III, Anwar Sparrow, James Heard and others will have their hands full, but I think they’ll be overpowered by Tennessee’s physicality.

Brown and Syracuse made plenty of strides in 2024. However, this game will show that there’s still another level they need to hit before consistently competing with the big dogs in college football.

Published on August 27, 2025 at 8:44 pm