The No. 24 Tennessee Volunteers are less than a week away from their first game of the season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta against the Syracuse Orange on Aug. 30. Both teams are trying to find their identities this year after having successful seasons in 2024.
Last season, Tennessee finished with a 10-3 record, including its first College Football Playoff appearance, which ended in a first-round loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Syracuse also posted a 10-3 record and secured a victory in the Holiday Bowl against the Washington State Cougars.
Besides having the same record last season, the Vols and the Orange share many other similarities heading into the 2025 season. Both schools had potent offenses that ranked in the top 15 in total offense, featuring dynamic players who broke their schools’ single-season records in 2024.
For Tennessee, that standout was running back Dylan Sampson, who not only earned the 2024 SEC Offensive Player of the Year award but also broke the Vols’ single-season rushing touchdown record with 22 and the school’s single-season rushing yards record with 1,491. For Syracuse, quarterback Kyle McCord set his school’s single-season records for touchdowns (34) and passing yards (4,779).
However, Sampson and McCord are currently in the NFL, so both teams have huge gaps to fill on offense in 2025. Not to mention the Vols infamously lost their former starting quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, to the UCLA Bruins during the offseason.
So, not only did Tennessee and Syracuse lose their star offensive players, but they also have brand-new faces at quarterback.
The Battle Between New Quarterbacks
Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
Last week, both schools named their starting quarterbacks heading into their matchup.
The Vols’ new signal-caller is Joey Aguilar, who transferred from UCLA in what many considered the first trade in college football history. However, Aguilar never actually played a down for the Bruins because of the acquisition of Iamaleava.
Before arriving at Tennessee, Aguilar was the Appalachian State Mountaineers’ starting quarterback for two seasons. Throughout his career with the Mountaineers, Aguilar threw for 6,760 yards, including 56 touchdowns and 24 interceptions.
In his first year with Appalachian State, Aguilar earned the 2023 Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year award. During the same season, Aguilar broke the school’s single-season records for passing yards (3,757) and passing touchdowns (33).
Throughout his tenure with the Mountaineers, Aguilar broke six single-season school records, was selected to the All-Sun Belt second team (2023), and won the Cure Bowl MVP (2023).
Although Aguilar had an impressive start to his college career, his numbers dwindled in 2024. That season, he threw 10 fewer touchdowns (23), more than 700 fewer yards (3,003), and added four more interceptions (14) than in his first season with Appalachian State.
Aguilar’s dip in production last season, combined with his issues with turnovers, has been a concern heading into 2025. However, head coach Josh Heupel has done a stellar job limiting his quarterbacks’ turnovers since arriving at Tennessee. Since 2021, the Volunteers have thrown only 18 interceptions in the past four seasons, which should be a positive sign for Aguilar’s potential success.
Steve Angeli, Syracuse
Steve Angeli is a Notre Dame Fighting Irish transfer who is now Syracuse’s starting quarterback. Oddly enough, Angeli was once considered a potential replacement for Tennessee before the Vols acquired Aguilar.
Angeli has only 80 passing attempts in his college career, but in his few opportunities, he’s been ultra-efficient. His best season came during his sophomore year in 2023, when he threw for 504 yards, seven touchdowns, and only one interception.
Although his playing time was limited with the Fighting Irish, Angeli still had 10 touchdown passes to only one interception in his career. He also has a stellar 72.5% completion rate. Angeli’s ability to protect the football will be critical in Syracuse’s matchup against Tennessee, especially considering the Vols have one of the best defensive backfields in the country, led by preseason first-team All-America cornerback Jermod McCoy.
Luckily for Angeli and Syracuse, if McCoy does play in the game, his reps will likely be limited. McCoy has been rehabbing an ACL tear he suffered in January, but he has recently been working out in individual drills during fall camp.
However, the Volunteers are still returning a defensive unit that finished No. 6 in total defense in 2024. Although Tennessee has lost key members, such as first-round NFL Draft pick defensive end James Pearce Jr., it is still projected to have one of the best defenses in college football this season.
If Syracuse plans to win this game, Angeli will have to be as efficient as he was at Notre Dame. On the flip side, Aguilar must protect the football against Syracuse, or it could be detrimental to the Vols.
Tennessee is currently a 13.5-point favorite against Syracuse, according to FanDuel, and ESPN’s matchup predictor gives the Vols an 88.6% chance of winning. Although Tennessee is a two-score favorite against the Orange, don’t be surprised if the final score is closer.
Tennessee plays its best football at home, and considering this is a neutral-site game, the Vols could face more of a challenge than fans would hope. But it’s still Tennessee’s game to lose, and there’s a reason they are favored by as many points as they are.
