With a new quarterback, nine new starters on offense overall and facing a team that went 10-3 last year, Tennessee football left a strong first impression as the Vols beat the Syracuse Orange to open the season. Truth be told, the score wasn’t as close as it looked on paper.
After a field goal drive to open the game, UT mounted a 12-play 85-yard touchdown drive on its second possession to take control. Colton Hood then recovered a fumble and returned it into the end zone to put the Vols up 17-0 in the first half, and they never relinquished control of the game after that.
Although Syracuse responded with an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive to cut it to 17-7, Joey Aguilar hit Braylon Staley for a 73-yard touchdown to put Tennessee football up 24-7. Syracuse did cut it to 24-14 with a 49-yard drive late in the second quarter, but the Vols responded with a six-play, 75-yard TD drive to go into halftime up 31-14.
Jeremiah Telander intercepted a pass on Syracuse’s opening drive of the second half. Aguilar then found Star Thomas for a seven-yard touchdown pass to cap off a 17-yard drive, and that put the Vols in control, as they led 38-14. Syracuse countered with two touchdowns, but then the Vols put it away with a 54-yard touchdown drive.
Aguilar completed 16-of-28 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another 34 yards. Thomas led the Vols in rushing, carrying the ball 12 times for 92 yards. However, DeSean Bishop had ni11 carries for 82 yards while Peyton Lewis had eight carries for 38 yards, and both scored touchdowns.
Braylon Staley led the team in receiving with four catches for 95 yards and a score. Chris Brazzell II added five catches for 62 yards, Bishop had two catches for 44 yards, and Miles Kitselman had two catches for 10 yards and a touchdown. Thomas had a seven-yard touchdown catch.
At 1-0, Tennessee football will host the East Tennessee State Buccaneers next Saturday before beginning SEC play the next week. Syracuse, meanwhile, will host the UConn huskies in what is traditionally a basketball rivalry but could become a football rivalry with Fran Brown and Jim Mora Jr. at the helm.
