Tennessee Vols Starter Expected to Miss Multiple Weeks Due to Injury

Tennessee defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs is expected to miss multiple weeks due to injury.

Just a couple of hours before kickoff, it was reported that Tennessee starting defensive tackle Daevin Hobbs is expected to miss multiple weeks. Hobbs is working through a stress fracture and isn't expected to return until week three when Tennessee takes on Georgia, according to On3.

The third year player racked up 20 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack last season. He was expected to be the starting defensive tackle for the Vols this season, but they will have to play the first two games without him.

The Volunteers were going to need their defensive line to create some havoc this season, especially with the loss of James Pearce to the NFL. However, head coach Josh Heupel and his staff have built the defense up over the years and that brings more depth to each position as well.

Tennessee defensive lineman Daevin Hobbs is working through a foot stress fracture and the SEC opener against Georgia on Sept. 13 is being eyed as a return date, sources tell @On3sports. https://t.co/ayxDZIMKYX pic.twitter.com/UO84kzaiIh
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) August 30, 2025

Both Tennessee and Syracuse are coming off successful seasons. The Volunteers made the college football playoff for the first time in program history and Fran Brown led the Orange to a 10-win season in his first season as the head coach. Both teams, however, will have new starting quarterbacks this season.

That doesn't appear to change anything for the Volunteers as they are still considered heavy favorites heading into this matchup. Tennessee enters this game as a 13.5-point favorite, according to Fan Duel. The over/under is set at 50.5 points.