Volunteer Country

The Keys To Victory For Tennessee Against Syracuse On Saturday

If the Volunteers do these things, they will need to emerge victorious over Syracuse on Saturday.
Najeh Wilkins|
Tennessee defensive back Boo Carter (23) pulls on his jersey during Tennessee football preseason practice, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Aug. 6, 2025.
Tennessee defensive back Boo Carter (23) pulls on his jersey during Tennessee football preseason practice, in Knoxville, Tennessee, Aug. 6, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Tennessee Volunteers

​Tennessee is just a day away from their matchup against Syracuse on Saturday. Let’s take a look at some keys to victory for the Volunteers on Saturday that will ensure a 1-0 start.

1. Start the game fast- It is pretty simple, the Vols need to play with a lead and start the game off by making their presence felt, whether it is the offense scoring early or a big play from the defense. A key piece in that could be special teams, whether they can create opportunities early for Tennessee. We know last year the Vols were really good in special teams and made plays.

Vol fans received good news earlier in the week from head coach Josh Heupel, who had this to say about their elite returner Boo Carter.

"I anticipate Boo Carter playing this week," Heupel said.

Carter can help in punt return situations and even kick return, and provide the Vols with a jolt of energy with how dynamic he is with the ball in his hands. He did it last season and helped the Volunteers a lot with big plays and great field position. It is the little things that can go a long way in getting a team going early in games. It will be intriguing to see who can make that play early for the Volunteers and get them moving in the right direction.

2. Lean on the running game- Tennessee has an impressive stable of running backs under their RB coach De’Rail Sims, who expects to play different backs on Saturday. Desean Bishop is ready for a bigger role and took the offseason seriously, getting bigger and faster. Star Thomas was an elite get for the Vols in the offseason, coming over from Duke. His versatility will give Tennessee an edge out of the backfield. Peyton Lewis is another to watch as he continued to improve over the course of the offense. Coach Sims talked about not having to worry about who he puts out there because the result will be the same.

“It's really good. We talk about it all the time. The ball finds energy in terms of having that positive energy. Those guys are thick as thieves in terms of being together in that room, which is really good,” said Sims. “They do a phenomenal job of feeding off each other. If one guy's making a big play, the next guy that comes in is trying to do the exact same thing and end up learning from each other. You know, I don't have to sit over there and try to go grab them when they make a mistake because one of them is already going to be able to correct them on that. So that piece is really good.”

The success on the ground will be key in the game against Syracuse.

3. Opportunistic Defense- Now, don’t get me wrong, this Tennessee defense will be good in 2025 and has all the bells and whistles to give offenses fits, but you also need a defense that can cause turnovers. If the Vols defense can create fumbles, interceptions, and negative plays, it will set up the offense with the ability to have short fields and play with an advantage. They will be able to establish a rhythm early in the game and be able to strike fast. When your defense is playing at a high level, it only motivates you more offensively to get points on the board. Key players to watch defensively early is Joshua Josephs, Arion Carter, Colton Hood, and Boo Carter. Josephs is expected to have a breakout 2025 campaign and is an elite pass rusher, but equally effective in stopping the run. Carter is a great anticipatory linebacker who fills the gap well and will make you feel him once he gets his hands on you. Hood is the prized transfer portal signing for the Vols, who had an impressive camp and can be a key cornerback for the Vols and potentially cause an early turnover. Carter made the SEC All-Freshman team a season ago and is another dynamic chess piece for the Volunteers in the secondary with his ability to play all over.

4. Limit the turnovers- It will be important that Tennessee doesn’t press early in the game vs Syracuse. If they have drives that stall out, continue to take what the defense gives you and be patient in the running game. It will take time for things to mesh with a brand-new receiving core and a new quarterback at the helm. Pressing too early could be throwing the ball in double coverage or trying to fit the ball in a tight window, which would yield bad results. Ball security for their running backs will also be a crucial piece, and now giving Syracuse the ball in opportune situations. Coach Sims emphasized ball security ahead of the Week 1 matchup.

“Ball security, we preach on that every single time they touch the ball. They hear me holling about that. That piece of it has gotten better, too. It's a mentality as well. You know, that's one of the program pillars that we always talk about, protecting the football. So, it's one of those deals that we constantly harp on all the time,” said Sims.

Tennessee doesn’t need a situation where they have multiple turnovers in the first quarter or before halftime. That could prove disastrous for the Volunteers, and they could find themselves in a hole they can’t climb out of. They will need to continue to take what the defense gives them, take shots and opportunities in 1 on 1 coverage when it is there, and use the ground game to capitalize on play action with their stud tight ends, Miles Kitselman and Ethan Davis, and they should be just fine.

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Najeh Wilkins
NAJEH WILKINS

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