#24 Vols Claim Aflac Kickoff Against Orange In Atlanta

Saturday, August 30

Atlanta, GA

12 PM

Syracuse University

0-1 , 0-0

Tennessee

1-0 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Syracuse

Tennessee

#24 Vols Claim Aflac Kickoff Against Orange In Atlanta

8/30/2025 4:26:00 PM | Football

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#24 Tennessee (1-0) scored the first 17 points of the contest and held off a second-half surge from Syracuse (0-1) to win the Aflac Kickoff Game, 45-26, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Yasin Willis led the Orange effort with three touchdown runs. Steve Angeli threw for 274 yards and one touchdown in his Syracuse debut, while Johntay Cook set new career highs with six catches and 58 yards. He was also the recipient of a receiving touchdown.

Cook was one of eight different Syracuse receivers who had catches against the Volunteers. Dan Villari had five receptions while Justus Ross-Simmons and Tyshawn Russell each had three catches. Darrell Gill Jr. and Will Nixon had two receptions apiece and David Clement and Jamie Tremble both had one catch.

Tennessee put together back-to-back long scoring drives to open the game and added a defensive score to move in front, 17-0, in the first quarter. The Volunteers began with a nine-play, 59 yards march that ended with a 34-yard field goal from Max Gilbert. 'Cuse looked to counter, but a penalty negating a first down stalled the opening drive and forced a Syracuse punt. The Vols moved 85 yards on 12 plays for their first touchdown of the season. Peyton Lewis capped the drive with a two-yard scoring run to make the game 10-0.

The Syracuse defense forced a Tennessee turnover on its next possession, after David Reese recovered Joey Aguilar's fumble at the Orange 25-yard line. The Vols retaliated on the next play when Nathan Robinson forced Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli to fumble and Colton Hood scooped the miscue and scored on a 22-yard return, upping the score to 17-0.

Syracuse went right back to work at the end of the first quarter. Angeli maneuvered the offense into Tennessee territory and converted a fourth-and-10 from the Vols 35, teaming with Johntay Cook for 29 yards. Willis gained four yards on first down and then carried the final two yards to narrow the gap to 17-7.

Aguilar struck quickly, completing a 73-yard touchdown pass to Braylon Staley just 26 seconds after the Syracuse touchdown.

The Orange engineered another scoring drive late in the second period. Angeli started the possession with a five-yard completion to Justus Ross-Simmons and a 15-yard pass to Dan Villari that put Syracuse in Volunteer territory. Consecutive penalties against Tennessee placed the ball inside the 10 and Angeli completed his first SU touchdown pass, a three-yarder to Cook, to bring the Orange within 10 points, 24-14, with 1:55 remaining in the quarter.

Tennessee tacked on another touchdown before the half. DeSean Bishop set up the score with a 47-yard run and completed the drive with a one-yard run with 21 seconds left. The Volunteers went into the break leading, 31-14.

Each team scored two touchdowns in the second half. Tennessee sandwiched touchdown passes from Aguilar to Star Thomas (seven yards) and Miles Kiselman (two yards) around two one-yard scoring runs from Willis for Syracuse.

Syracuse's touchdowns came on impressive drives. Behind 38-14 in the third quarter, the Orange covered 75 yards on 12 plays. Angeli completed throws of 23 yards and later 22 yards to Ross-Simmons that put the ball on the Tennessee 16. Willis carried on five of the next six snaps, the last a one-yard touchdown.

A series that began in the third quarter and finished in the fourth had Syracuse within two scores. Willis picked up 17 yards on three carries and Angeli found Tyshawn Russell for 28 yard to initiate the Orange threat. Faced with fourth-and-one at the Volunteer 34, Angeli escaped from a defender and converted the first down with an eight-yard completion to David Clement. Willis capped things again, earning 14 of the final 15 yards, including a one-yard touchdown. Syracuse attempted but failed on two-point conversions following the scores, and were behind 38-26.

The last Tennessee touchdown came with 3:57 left in the contest.

The Orange return to action with the first of back-to-back home games at the JMA Wireless Dome. Syracuse hosts UConn on Saturday, Sept. 6, at Noon. Secure your tickets today at Cuse.com/footballtickets.