FB PREVIEW: #24/18 Vols Open 2025 Season with Orange-Clad Battle vs. Syracuse in Atlanta

ATLANTA – No. 24/18 Tennessee begins its 2025 marketing campaign in opposition to Syracuse within the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday at midday ET in Atlanta.

Saturday’s contest will mark the second time that the Volunteers have performed inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. UT defeated Georgia Tech in a 42-41 double time beyond regulation thriller to open the 2017 season in one of many first video games ever performed within the stadium after it was constructed.

BROADCAST INFO

Bob Wischusen (PxP), Louis Riddick (analyst) and Kris Budden (sideline reporter) may have the decision on ABC for Saturday’s recreation. Kickoff is slated for 12:07 p.m. ET.

UT followers can take heed to Tennessee’s official radio broadcast through the Vol Network (Local: WIVK-FM 107.7/WNML-FM 99.1) on 70 stations throughout the state of Tennessee and the southeast, SiriusXM (Ch. 81) and the SiriusXM app (Ch. 81). A dwell audio stream of the printed may even be obtainable on UTSports.com​ and the Tennessee Athletics App. Fans attending the sport are inspired to take heed to the radio broadcast through the Vol Network Stadiumcast on 90.5 FM.

New Voice of the Vols Mike Keith makes his debut as Tennessee’s play-by-play man and might be joined within the sales space by VFL Ramon Foster (analyst) whereas Brent Hubbs will deal with sideline duties for the Vol Network radio broadcast.

The Big Orange Countdown pregame present, hosted by Hubbs, begins two and a half hours previous to kickoff at 9:30 a.m. VFL Jayson Swain additionally returns as a part of the official gameday radio crew this season and might be part of the community’s pregame, halftime and postgame programming.

Tennessee’s official Spanish radio broadcast is accessible regionally on WNML-AM 990 with Carlos Lopez (play-by-play) and J.P. Vasquez (analyst) on the decision. That model can also be obtainable on UTSports.com and the Tennessee Athletics app. 

Volunteer Gameday, a dwell, one-hour tv preview present, will originate from Mercedes-Benz Stadium starting at 10 a.m. The present might be hosted by Keith, VFL Heath Shuler and WVLT-Knoxville’s Brittany Tarwater. Volunteer Gameday might be obtainable on Knoxville flagship TV station WVLT and throughout the state on the brand new Tennessee Valley Sports Network (TVSN).

GAMEDAY INFO

Information for this 12 months’s Aflac Kickoff Game could be discovered HERE. A schedule of occasions main as much as kickoff could be discovered HERE.

For essentially the most up-to-date data on Tennessee’s 2025 gameday insurance policies, please go to the Tennessee Football Gameday Information web page on UTSports.com.

TICKETS AND PARKING

Tickets for Saturday’s could be bought by by Ticketmaster by clicking HERE.

Tickets should be downloaded to a cellular machine for entry to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. There is not going to be any PDF or print at house choices. Guests can log into their account through the Peach Bowl, Inc. cellular app to entry their order and current the ticket barcode on the gates. 

Click HERE for extra data to information you thru the steps of accessing your cellular tickets for the Aflac Kickoff Game.

Parking and transportation data for Saturday could be discovered HERE.

GAMEDAY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Tailgate Town: Tailgate Town is open from 8-11:30 a.m. and is situated on the International Plaza, proper exterior Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Gates 2 & 3). Tailgate city options actions, contests, giveaways and tailgating staples together with grills, grub and video games. Enjoy video games the whole household can play and win prizes together with recreation merchandise. This occasion is FREE to attend.

SEC Nation: The 2025 season debut of SEC Nation will happen in Atlanta previous to Saturday’s recreation between the Vols and Orange. SEC Nation, Marty & McGee and The Paul Finebaum Show will all be dwell from Tailgate Town – within the International Plaza exterior Gate 2 of Mercedes-Benz Stadium – bringing followers all of the perception forward of the weekend slate.

Saturday’s protection begins at 9 a.m. with Marty & McGee Presented by Old Trapper earlier than SEC Nation begins at 10 a.m. Additionally, The Paul Finebaum Show Presented by Johnsonville, might be dwell Friday, Aug. 29, from 3-7 p.m.

Team Walk: Tennessee’s official crew stroll into the stadium will start at The Home Depot Backyard space situated on the east facet of the stadium at roughly 9:40 a.m.

NEED TO KNOW

Heupel in Season Openers
Josh Heupel will look to stay good in season openers as a head coach as he enters Saturday’s recreation in opposition to Syracuse with a 7-0 file in such video games whereas outscoring opponents 382-70. Heupel boasts a 4-0 file in season openers with the Vols, outscoring opponents 215-32 and profitable all 4 contests by at the very least 30 factors.

Non-Conference Dominance Under Heupel

The Big Orange may even look to proceed their dominance in opposition to non-SEC foes in Saturday’s opener. UT has received 14 non-conference common season video games in a row relationship again to a 56-0 victory over Tennessee Tech on Sept. 18, 2021. The Vols’ final non-conference common season loss was to Pitt on Sept. 11, 2021, in what was Heupel’s second recreation at UT.

Tennessee is 17-3 general vs. non-SEC foes below Heupel and has outscored non-conference opponents 967-288 within the Heupel period. The Vols have received 14 of their final 15 video games general vs. non-conference competitors with the one loss occurring final December at eventual nationwide champion Ohio State within the College Football Playoff.

The Orange and White have additionally received 4 in a row in opposition to non-conference groups at impartial websites with victories in opposition to No. 10 Clemson within the 2022 Orange Bowl, Virginia within the 2023 season opener in Nashville, No. 20 Iowa within the 2024 Citrus Bowl in Orlando and NC State within the 2024 Duke’s Mayo Classic in Charlotte.

Joey Football Set to Make Tennessee Debut

Tennessee will begin a brand new quarterback for the fourth straight season as graduate switch Joey Aguilar takes the reins after incomes the job in preseason camp. The Vols and Kentucky are the one SEC groups to start out a brand new quarterback for 4 straight years from 2022-25.

Aguilar’s distinctive timeline contains stops at City College of San Francisco (2019), Diablo Valley Community College in central California (2021-22), Appalachian State (2023-24) and UCLA (spring of 2025). The veteran sign caller heads into the 2025 season because the FBS energetic profession chief in complete offense per recreation (288.5, min. 2,500 yards). He additionally ranks second in profession passing yards per recreation (270.4) amongst energetic FBS gamers. Aguilar might be making his twenty fifth FBS begin in his twenty sixth profession FBS recreation when he takes the sector in opposition to Syracuse on Saturday.

Defense Setting the Standard

After having one of many nation’s prime defensive items final season, the Vols will as soon as once more look to lean on their gifted protection that boasts eight returning starters from a 12 months in the past. With a number of time Broyles Award finalist Tim Banks coordinating the protection, UT has held opponents to below 20 factors in 11 out of its final 14 video games relationship again to the 35-0 2024 Citrus Bowl shutout of Iowa. During this stretch, the Vols have pitched three shutouts, together with two final season (71-0 vs. Kent State on Sept. 14 and 56-0 vs. UTEP on Nov. 23).

SERIES HISTORY

Tennessee leads collection, 3-0
The Vols and Orange will sq. off for the fourth time after they take the sector on Saturday afternoon. Tennessee will look to stay unbeaten in opposition to Syracuse after posting three consecutive victories within the collection in 1966, 1998 and 2001.

The final two conferences within the collection had been each season openers, as effectively, with UT pulling out a dramatic 34-33 victory on a final second discipline objective by Jeff Hall in 1998 earlier than shrugging off a sluggish begin to down the Orange, 33-9, at Neyland Stadium in 2001. The first contest between the 2 packages got here within the 1966 Gator Bowl, which led to an 18-12 Tennessee victory.

ABOUT SYRACUSE

The Orange enter 12 months two below the course of head coach Fran Brown, who led them to a formidable 10-3 file throughout his first season on the helm. Despite their success in 2024, Syracuse was picked to complete 12^th within the ACC Preseason Media Poll after having to interchange 4 NFL Draft picks and dropping double-digit gamers to the switch portal within the offseason.

With the departure of record-setting quarterback Kyle McCord, Notre Dame switch Steve Angeli takes over behind middle after profitable a quarterback battle with LSU switch Rickie Collins in preseason camp. During his time with the Fighting Irish, Angeli performed in 21 video games, together with appearances in each the nationwide semifinals and championship recreation of the College Football Playoff. He accomplished 58-of-80 move makes an attempt for 772 yards and 10 touchdowns whereas throwing only one interception.

Junior Darrell Gill Jr. is the highest returning huge receiver for the Orange after hauling in 31 receptions for 570 yards (18.4 avg) and two touchdowns. The working again duo of Yasin Willis and Will Nixon return and can look to fill the sneakers of departed main rusher LeQuint Allen, who ran for 1,021 yards and 16 touchdowns final season.

Defensively, redshirt senior security Duce Chestnut is the crew’s returning chief in tackles after ending with 62 a 12 months in the past to associate with 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception. Defensive again Devin Grant can also be again after filling the stat sheet with 56 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception, three move breakups, three pressured fumbles and one fumble restoration that he returned for a landing in 2024.