The Official #24/#18 Tennessee vs. Syracuse Game Thread, 12:00 PM ET, ABC

[OmahaOmaha]

Pissed at espn, watching Air Force instead!

That will settle it!

 

[volmanNC]

Still not sure about our WRs, JA has been solid. Hes gonna be good enough at the QB position. OL looks solid, and RB might be the strength of the O.

On defense, we better hope we havent lost anyone for the season, because even with everyone im not sure we are even an average defense in the SEC. We have to get a lot better. Corners played well, but we defensive line has a long way to go.

Too many wide open pass plays, not just the DL issue. In general, I would say the defense is a BIG drop from last year. (at this point in time)

Perhaps when we get everyone back (assuming we have not lost more) it will be a little better?

Syracuse seems to be running and passing very well the second half.... 377 yards of offense by Syracuse NOT good !!!

 

[volfan102455]

For the third time I’ll say this to someone. Syracuse lost more starters than ANY team in the fbs this year. 18 starters. 4 drafted. They are literally a completely new team.

Seriously a lot of teams lost starters to the draft, the portal, etc. But I get it - the "we won but they were not a good team got to find anything to make the Vols look bad" is still alive and well.

 

[Vol1976]

The Ala FSU game hadn't even f****** started! I'm starting to feel like maybe ESPN has something against UT.

Someone on a Nebraska supporters' website years ago did a commentary on which teams ESPN hated the most. The top three teams were Tennessee, the Volunteers, and U of Tennessee.

 

[CPVOL]

Idk Farooq looked pretty damn good to me. Just young there. Think we’re gonna be fine. Except against Georgia. TE in the middle is going to be hard to deal with from them. Is every year

Farooq is a nice surprise. I did not expect him to be what he played like. He has tons of upside

 

[ftsandersvol]

Not a perfect game, and we have a lot to work on, but a very good showing given all the question marks.

 

[HypeVol2020]

Syracuse doesn’t quit so I was glad we hung in there.

 

[rocketskates]

Last year's defense with this year's offense would be something.

Who would’ve thought that the top two QB recruits from the 23 class would be overrated.

 

[volfan102455]

I’ve been watching sports for a long time and I may be wrong, but I honestly think that is the first time I’ve ever seen the ongoing game get moved to an alternate channel, for a game that is scheduled to star.

Yes - it is normally the new game that starts somewhere else. Strange.

 

[Hairy Vols]

True Syracuse a is really good offensive team. Our Defensive line has to reach another level of play. The linebackers and secondary played a great game today the DL not so much.

I think it was great all around considering the outside factors. Great assessment and I couldnt agree more!

 

[jbeeman85]

Well, the game getting switched to ESPNNews caused me to miss more plays today than in the last 15 years combined.

I didn't have a radio handy and the ESPN app on Roku (or at least the one my dumb tail found) also switched to the FSU game.

 

[PEPPERJAX]

Very impressed with Fran Brown just like last year. They are going to win some games even with a difficult schedule. You can almost bank on a bigger program giving Brown an offer he can’t refuse at seasons end.

 

[BigOrangeFanatic]

OL looks solid? They were great this game even getting curve ball and juggling starting lineup due to Sanders missing game. A+ for this game.

Yeah, solid means they are good bruh.

 

[Hairy Vols]

Which is why I made no assumption in week one, sonny. Reread and try again.

"Maybe out defense isn't as good as some think"

 

[BowlBrother85]

Not kidding Syracuse might be the worst fanbase I have ever been around.

What happened?

 

[Vol8188]

If you want to discuss gap scheme more than welcome to after the game.

So how exactly were we misaligned?

 

[OmahaOmaha]

For the third time I’ll say this to someone. Syracuse lost more starters than ANY team in the fbs this year. 18 starters. 4 drafted. They are literally a completely new team.

Yep I posted that. Last year cuse 18 starters + experienced QB, this year, 8 starters & an inexperienced QB. Not even close to the same team. Syracuse HC had a gold mine fall into his lap last year. Now, let's see what he does. From 10 wins to 6.

 

[IndianaVol]

Solid win today against a team that I firmly believe will finish in the top 4 or 5 of the ACC.

Impressed with Aguilar and how he managed the offense and decisions he made with the ball. Had one or two mistakes but it's first game of the year and the Defense stepped in and erased the most grievous one on the very next play.

Biggest concern walking away from today is the injuries on the Defense...we had to go deep into the Or at DB. Won't be able to do that against a UGA or Bama level Offense.

 

[adam.vol]

Who would’ve thought that the top two QB recruits from the 23 class would be overrated.

I practically worship the ground that Peyton Manning walks on, but none of the Manning’s have been immune from the occasional let down in the biggest game.

 

[rocketskates]

Not kidding Syracuse might be the worst fanbase I have ever been around.

Well their school mascot is a color so there’s that

 

[DaddyChad]

Squirrel sighting

 

[ochocinco]

Very impressed with Fran Brown just like last year. They are going to win some games even with a difficult schedule. You can almost bank on a bigger program giving Brown an offer he can’t refuse at seasons end.

That team will be pretty good mid season as the QB gets settled in with the program. Their schedule is nasty but they sneak an upset or two in there.

 

[BruiserVol]

Squirrel sighting

Now he decides to catch the ball lol.

 

[Clad in Big Orange]

Really strong week 1 W! Defense is elite loaded with athletes that fly to the ball! Offense is fast and has explosive athletes at all the skill positions. S/O to the QB in his first game in a Vol uniform.

Elite is not how I’d describe the defense after today. Hopefully that was their worst game of the season.

 

[Hairy Vols]

For the third time I’ll say this to someone. Syracuse lost more starters than ANY team in the fbs this year. 18 starters. 4 drafted. They are literally a completely new team.

People keep throwing out that Syracuse lost 18 starters like that makes them some pushover but that is not really the full story. Yeah they only bring back about 50 percent of their overall production and just 37 percent of their offense which is way down there nationally. But other teams had just as much turnover or even more. Washington State lost 36 guys in the portal. Purdue lost 32. Alabama turned over 41 players total between draft graduation and transfers. Even Wake Forest had 16 scholarship guys leave along with six offensive starters. So Syracuse is not the only program dealing with that kind of reset.


And calling them a completely new team does not hit right either. They went and reloaded. Kyle McCord came in from Ohio State after throwing for 3000 yards. LeQuint Allen is still there at running back. Oronde Gadsden came back healthy. They also pulled in Power 4 linemen and defensive pieces to patch holes. Bill Connelly’s SP plus still had them around 60th in the country which is middle of the pack not bottom of the barrel.


So Tennessee beating them is not some cheap win over a team with no talent. Syracuse was a bowl team last year and they went after the portal hard. A lot of programs had to rebuild this offseason. Acting like Syracuse was worse off than everybody else just is not true.