Atlanta — The Syracuse football team takes on the No. 24 Tennessee Volunteers in the Aflac Kickoff Game at noon Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The game will be broadcast on ABC.
See in-game team and individual stats here.
Note: Refresh this page throughout Syracuse’s game vs. Tennessee to see the latest updates
Third Quarter
Second Quarter
Score Update: Tennessee 31, Syracuse 14 at halftime
Syracuse got the ball back with 21 seconds remaining on a touchback. Instead of kneeling and cutting his losses before halftime, Brown decided to let his offense run at least one more play.
It resulted in a strip sack for a loss of 10 yards after Da’Metrius Weatherspoon recovered Angeli’s fumble. Angeli got up limping and favoring his right shin as the Orange headed back to the locker room.
Score Update: Tennessee 31, Syracuse 14 with 1:55 remaining
Tennessee wasted zero time responding in the two-minute drill. DeSean Bishop made Mercedes-Benz Stadium erupt with a 47-yard run that was followed by a 16-yard catch from Mike Matthews.
Bishop eventually scored on a touchdown to give the Volunteers a 17-point lead. The drive lasted a whopping 89 seconds, taking six plays to go 75 yards.
Score Update: Tennessee 24, Syracuse 14 with 1:55 remaining
The Orange didn’t do anything with its recovered fumble. In fact, it returned the favor for Tennessee. However, Syracuse didn’t squander this opportunity.
After pinning Tennessee at the two-yard line, forcing a three-and-out and starting its drive at the Tennessee 49, Syracuse went to work.
The Orange got things rolling with a 15-yard pass to Dan Villari before Ross-Simmons drew a pass interference on Jalen McMurray. The penalty moved the Orange to the Tennessee 14. After being forced into a 4th & 1, the Orange converted and ultimately found Cook for his first touchdown of the year.
5:33 remaining, Syracuse starts drive at opposing 49
Syracuse shot itself in the foot. The Orange got down to the Tennessee 29-yard line before Angeli was sacked for a loss of seven yards on third down. Instead of taking a 53-yard field goal, the Orange pretended to attempt a fourth-down conversion.
It turned out to be an Angeli punt that trapped Tennessee at its own two-yard line. Syracuse went on to force a three-and out and get the ball back at the Tennessee 49.
Score Update: Tennessee 24, Syracuse 7 with 11:14 remaining
And just like that, Tennessee regained all momentum. On the second play of the Volunteers’ drive, Braylon Staley beat Demetres Samuel Jr. with a double move on a post route. It resulted in a 73-yard touchdown. So far, Samuel’s introduction to college football hasn’t been pleasant.
Score Update: Tennessee 17, Syracuse 7 with 11:40 remaining
The Orange desperately needed to put together a scoring drive and it did. All positive momentum began when Justus Ross-Simmons drew a pass interference on Rickey Gibson III. It was the first time Syracuse reached plus territory in the game.
Momentum seemed to stall when the Orange was forced into 4th & 10 from the 35-yard line. Instead of taking a 52-yard field goal, Brown kept his offense on the field. His gamble resulted in a 29-yard catch by Cook. Two plays later, Yasin Willis took a speed option two yards into the endzone.
First Quarter
END FIRST QUARTER: Tennessee 17, Syracuse 0
Score Update: Tennessee 17, Syracuse 0 with 0:56 remaining
Things were going downhill for the Orange. Tennessee was on the cusp of the redzone before Aguilar lost a fumble. The very next play, Tennessee forced a strip sac on Angeli and turned it into a scoop-and-score.
Just when the Orange defense got the stop it needed, a bad day got ever worse for the offense.
2:53 remaining, Tennessee starts drive at own 22
Syracuse had a sloppy drive. It started when the Orange had to burn a timeout on 2nd & 9 to avoid a delay of game. Two plays later, Steve Angeli nearly threw an interception when he targeted Cook. There was an ineligible receiver downfield, but Tennessee declined the penalty.
The Orange was then called for a delay of game before a 10-yard sack forced a punt.
Score Update: Tennessee 10, Syracuse 0 with 6:02 remaining
Tennessee took 12 plays to drive 85 yards down the field and score. It was another drive of dropped passes and third-down conversions.
Syracuse allowed a 25-yard Joey Aguilar scramble on the second play of the drive. The Orange eventually forced a 3rd & 10, but Chriz Brazzell II found a soft spot in Syracuse’s Cover 2 for an 18-yard gain.
One Dion Wilson Jr. offside and Miles Kitselman one-handed catch later, Peyton Lewis took the Vols home with a two-yard touchdown run.
9:37 remaining, Tennessee starts drive at own 15
After Syracuse began its first drive with a 21-yard catch from Will Nixon, the Orange stalled around midfield. Syracuse converted 3rd & 5 with a pass to Dan Villari, but it was negated by an illegal shift from Johntay Cook II. Syracuse was forced to punt.
Score Update: Tennessee 3, Syracuse 0 with 12:46 remaining
Tennessee started at its own 25-yard line and started the game with a 13-yard pass to Mike Matthews. Two plays later, Aguilar underthrew a ball that could’ve been intercepted, but Demetres Samuel Jr. was flagged for pass interference on 3rd & 9.
On the next 3rd & 10, Syracuse allowed a 21-yard screen to DeSean Bishop. It wasn’t until the next third down that Samuel prevented Brazzell from scoring on a fade route, forcing a 33-yard field goal.
Despite what the depth chart said, Fran Brown held true to his word with sophomore Davien Kerr as the starting nickel cornerback.
Injury Report
Syracuse is entering this game fairly healthy, with its biggest question mark surrounding sophomore tight end Jamie Tremble (leg spasms). Tremble is dressed and available to play.
Freshmen wide receivers Darius Johnson (fibula), Darien Williams (collarbone) and Emanuel Ross will not play.
With Johnson and Ross out, redshirt-senior Umari Hatcher and South Carolina transfer Tyshawn Russell will dress Saturday.
Syracuse is also without defensive back Jalil Martin
Tennessee’s NFL-bound cornerback Jermod McCoy is out as he recovers from a torn ACL and starting right tackle David Sanders Jr. will not play. The true freshman had a five-star rating at Providence Day (North Carolina).
Depth Chart
Syracuse finally released its depth chart Saturday morning, headlined by true freshman linebacker Antoine Deslauriers beating out Derek McDonald for a starting job.
Other notables include sophomore cornerback Davien Kerr being relegated to a backup role after starting the final five games of last season and being named the starting nickel by Brown in fall camp. Instead, Berry Buxton III will start in that spot.
Also, Saturday’s depth chart does not reflect Brown’s claim that freshman offensive lineman Matthew Hawn is one of the Orange’s top eight at that position. On the other side of the trenches, Marshall transfer Chris Thomas Jr. is at the bottom of his position.
Syracuse added Thomas and his younger brother, Eric, last winter.
Pregame
Syracuse and Tennessee signed an agreement to play in the Aflac Kickoff Game four years ago. Now, the Peach Bowl-operated event has a clash between two teams coming off 10-win seasons a year ago.
Both fan bases have spent the summer arguing on social media about which team wears the correct shade of orange, and Volunteers linebacker Jeremiah Telander added fuel to that fire when addressing reporters earlier in the week.
The time for talk has ended, as both teams embark on a journey to build on the momentum they gained in 2024.
The two programs enter the season in similar positions. Their offseason required the replacement of nearly all their offensive production. They both replaced quarterbacks that took them to new heights, and both teams are projected to be worse this season than they were last year.
The Volunteers are the first of four 2024 College Football Playoff opponents Syracuse will play this season, and all four are away from the JMA Wireless Dome.
Syracuse ended last season on a four-game winning streak. It’s time to see if that momentum carries over into 2025.
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