Overview
- Tennessee won the neutral-site season opener in Atlanta on ABC, pulling away from Syracuse 45-26 in the Aflac Kickoff Game.
- Volunteer QB Joey Aguilar passed for 247 yards with three touchdowns, supported by a ground game that averaged 6.2 yards per carry.
- Syracuse starter Steve Angeli threw for 274 yards with one touchdown, one interception and one lost fumble in his first start.
- ABC’s Louis Riddick and Bob Wischusen criticized a second-quarter injury stoppage by a Syracuse defender as suspicious during a Tennessee scoring drive.
- Syracuse’s pregame depth chart named freshman Antoine Deslauriers a starting linebacker, reflecting significant lineup changes entering 2025.