The college football spotlight shifts to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday as the Syracuse Orange collide with the Tennessee Volunteers in a juicy Week 1 showdown.
Tennessee comes in fresh off a 10-3 campaign that saw them catch fire down the stretch, rattling off eight wins in their last nine games to muscle into the College Football Playoff as the No. 9 seed. Under Josh Heupel, the Vols have strung together 30 victories across the past three seasons — an eye-popping turnaround for a program that slogged through eight losing years in the previous 13 before he took over in Knoxville.
With Tennessee set to challenge Syracuse on the college football field, fans have the perfect opportunity to dive into the sport with added enthusiasm. By exploring available betting app platforms, you can access innovative ways to experience the game, merging traditional viewing with modern interactive excitement.
Syracuse, meanwhile, also went 10-3 last fall, finishing fourth in the ACC. First-year head coach Fran Brown injected new life into a program that had drifted into mediocrity under Dino Babers, who left with an 18-20 record over his final three years. A former Rutgers and Georgia assistant, Brown wasted no time making waves on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal, bringing in reinforcements headlined by Kyle McCord from Ohio State. The veteran QB lit up defenses for nearly 4,800 yards and 34 touchdowns.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Tennessee vs Syracuse NCAAF game, plus plenty more.
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Tennessee vs Syracuse: Date and kick-off time
The Volunteers will take on the Orange in a highly anticipated NCAAF game on Saturday, August 30, 2025, at 12:00 pm ET or 9:00 am PT, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Glendale.
| Date | Saturday, August 30, 2025 |
| kick-off Time | 12:00 pm ET or 9:00 am PT |
| Venue | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
| Location | Atlanta, Glendale |
How to watch Ohio State vs Texas on TV & stream live online
- TV channel: ABC
- Streaming service: Fubo
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Tennessee vs Syracuse team news & key players
Tennessee team news
Tennessee was defined by defense in 2024. The Vols ranked seventh in scoring defense, 10th against the run, and 29th versus the pass — one of the program's stingiest units in recent history. Their CFP run ended abruptly, though, with a 42-17 thumping at the hands of Ohio State, where the Buckeyes punched in touchdowns on their first three drives and buried UT in an early 21-point hole. The sting of that loss should fuel Heupel’s squad moving forward.
The Vols' defense should again be the backbone, with 12 of their top 25 rotation players back. That includes front-line anchors Joshua Josephs and Bryson Eason, plus four starters in the secondary. The offense, however, is a different story.
Just three starters return, and with Nico Iamaleava bolting to UCLA, new QB Joey Aguilar — a transfer with experience from Appalachian State — takes the reins. The offensive line has some transfer depth, but it’s light on veterans, which could spell trouble if injuries pile up.
Tennessee’s injury list is worth monitoring: TE Miles Kitselman (pectoral), WR Chris Brazzell II, WR Mike Matthews, WR Braylon Staley, and TE Jack Van Dorselaer are all questionable for Saturday’s clash.
Syracuse Orange team news
This season looks like a different climb. McCord, leading rusher LeQuint Allen (1,021 yards), and the top three wideouts are gone. The Orange also face a tougher slate: five ranked opponents, three in the top 10. Last season’s 10 wins leaned heavily on favorable breaks — Syracuse went 7-2 in one-score contests and had a relatively soft schedule, with only three SP+ top-40 foes. Repeating that fortune won’t be easy.
The offense is being rebuilt on the fly. Notre Dame transfer Steve Angeli or LSU product Rickie Collins will get the first crack at replacing McCord. Johntay Cook II (Texas) will be asked to carry the load at receiver, while sophomore back Yasin Willis must fill Allen’s shoes.
Only two starters are back from last year’s high-scoring unit. On defense, though, the Orange should be steadier — 15 players who started at least once are back. The safety group is strong, but shaky corner play and a middle-of-the-pack pass rush (56th in sacks) leave question marks. Brown worked the portal to fix that weakness, but it remains a storyline to watch.
Injury-wise, Syracuse will be without WR Darius Johnson (leg) for the opener.