Tennessee used a quick start to roll to a season-opening win.
Joey Aguilar was 16-of-28 passing for 247 yards and three touchdowns to lead Tennessee to a 45-26 victory over Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
“Appreciate our fans coming out the way that they did,” Tennessee Head Coach Josh Heupel said. “At the end of the day, it was great to get a win today. Good start. A lot of positives. A lot of things that we’re going to have to clean up, as well.”
“Proud of the way that our guys came out and competed for the most part. Some of the game one issues, how they can show up, substitutions, those types of things. All three phases handled that well.”
The Vols improved to 5-0 in season openers in Heupel’s tenure.
Tennessee’s offense looked crisp at the start under Aguilar’s control as the Vols raced out to an opening lead.
“Yeah, he is who he was on the practice field: just very even-keeled, composed,” Heupel said. “I thought he handled the operation extremely well in the football game. Just very steady.”
“That’s a testament to who he is. That’s who he is as a person. He certainly handled that that way today, too. It’s a really good start for him. You look at a guy that’s come in, three and a half months, whatever it might be. To be able to learn, grasp, and play the way he did today, it’s a testament to his work.”
Max Gilbert opened the scoring with a 34-yard field goal on the opening drive of the game, and Peyton Lewis added a two-yard touchdown.
The Tennessee defense got on the board with a scoop and score as Colton Hood rumbled 22 yards for a touchdown to give the Vols a 17-0 lead after a quarter of play.
After Syracuse got on the board with a short touchdown run, Aguilar and Braylon Staley connected for a 73-yard touchdown.
Syracuse trimmed the lead once again, but a DeSean Bishop touchdown in the closing minutes gave the Vols a 31-14 lead at the half.
On the opening drive of the second half, Jeremiah Teelander intercepted a pass off a Jalen McMurray tip, which set up an Aguilar to Star Thomas touchdown from seven yards out.
Syracuse trimmed the lead to 38-26 early in the fourth, but Tennessee held the Orange at bay and capped scoring as Miles Kitselman caught an Aguilar pass for a touchdown.
Thomas led the Vols with 92 yards on 12 carries, while Bishop had 82 yards on 11 carries.
Staley had six catches for 95 yards. Chris Brazzell II had eight catches for 62 yards.