The Syracuse Orange (0-0) head to Atlanta to face the Tennessee Volunteers (0-0) on Saturday. With so much turnover after last season, it’s hard to know what to look for from these two teams, but we do our best to focus in on some keys to the game.
Here’s what we’re watching for:
Kevin: Syracuse Run Defense
Last year the Orange allowed opponents to average 5 yards per carry on the ground while the Vols averaged 5 yards per carry on offense. That’s not a good formula for a team looking to pull off an upset, so the ability for Syracuse to force Tennessee to beat them by passing could be important. The Vols top rusher from 2024, Dylan Sampson has moved onto the NFL, but expect Tennessee to look to establish their ground game early in this one. Can Syracuse’s defense hold up on the line of scrimmage and make the initial tackle? If not, it could be a long afternoon in Atlanta.
Christian: Back to Fundamentals
This will go along the same lines as Kevin. Many things have changed for the better under Fran Brown. However, some Syracuse things have stayed the same. One of the biggest consistent problems that has lingered throughout modern Orange football is tackling. Syracuse hasn’t been a good tackling school. The Orange coaching staff have said that tackling was a priority to work on during training camp. Now it’s time to see if the practice has paid off.
Dom: Which offense gets the job done
Both offenses will enter with new faces under center from last year, leading to plenty of uncertainty for each unit. Does Syracuse continue airing it out like it did last year, or will there be new wrinkles coach Fran Brown has up its sleeve. On the other side, Aguilar has legit experience coming from App State, but he’s adjusting to a new offense, coach and scheme as well. Aguilar also threw 24 picks over the past two years, so this feels like a game where if he struggles to protect the ball, the door stays open for Syracuse to pull off a surprise.
Augie: Red Zone Scoring
With both teams’ offenses running through new quarterbacks, I feel as if this game is going to come down to red zone efficiency. When each offense is inside the opposing 20 yard line, what kinds of results are they going to produce? Which defense is going to be able to step up and make a big play when their backs are against the wall? Playing at Mercedes-Benz Stadium is only going to make the moment feel even larger for both Steve Angeli and Joey Aguilar and I feel like the “big plays” will be few and far in between. The team that finds itself putting up six as opposed to three when knocking on the door is going to come out of Atlanta 1-0.
Max: Capitalize off Tennessee’s mistakes
While there are many new faces on both sides, one thing that seems to stick with a school is its discipline. That was a big problem for Tennessee last season, as the Volunteers committed the most penalties per game in the SEC and ninth-most in Division I (8.08). If the Orange want any chance against their color counterpart, they’ll have to capitalize on these mental lapses and win the penalty battle.
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What will you be watching for on Saturday afternoon?