Three Tennessee Players To Watch Against Syracuse On Saturday

Tennessee opens the season tomorrow against the Syracuse Orange in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. They will look to start the season on the right foot and set the tone for the 2025 campaign. The Vols will be depending on new players for their success in hopes of getting back to the College Football Playoff. Let’s take a look at some key players to watch in the game on Saturday.

1. WR Mike Matthews- Matthews dealt with injuries last season that didn’t allow him to see the field as much as he wanted to. He finished his freshman campaign with seven catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns. However, Matthews is a heavy candidate to have a breakout year in 2025.

The receiver room dealt with some injuries throughout camp, but that didn’t stop them from building chemistry and getting the necessary mental reps ahead of the season.

“We really like to emphasize mental reps. So like even if you're not out in practice or like it could just be from little from pay attention in the meeting room, or just getting mental reps on the practice field,” said Mike Matthews. “Just watching routes and just talking everybody through anything because he might see something that you didn't see, and it could help you out later on.”

Matthews growth and development will be key to the Vols success. The former five-star prospect will look to show the world how much he has improved against Syracuse on Saturday.

2. RB Desean Bishop- How good will the Tennessee running back room be this season? Running Backs coach De’Rail Sims has alluded to in multiple press conferences that he will play multiple running backs. It starts with Bishop, who had another productive fall camp and was impressive throughout. He’s chisled out his frame, putting in the necessary work and preparation to be ready this season. Coach Sims said it best.

“His preparation number one in terms of how he prepares himself in terms of in the training room, in the meeting room, and then out there on the field, and then his practice habits. I mean, he practices every day like he's getting ready to play the game. So, he does a really good job from that standpoint,” said Sims.

As a true freshman, Bishop ran for 455 yards and three touchdowns. He had a career game against Kent State, rushing for 120 yards and two touchdowns on just seven carries. The potential is through the roof, and with the added depth on the roster, Bishop will be able to stay fresh throughout the course of the game. That will pose problems for opposing defenses.

3. EDGE Joshua Josephs- Josephs will be a key player on Saturday because of how much Syracuse likes to throw the football. It should allow Josephs to wreak havoc and be extremely disruptive, especially to a quarterback in Steve Angeli, who is becoming a full-time starter for the first time in his career. What makes Joseph's special is that there is no dropoff whether he is defending against the run or the pass. He plays well against both, as evidenced by his PFF (Pro Football Focus) grades. Against the pass, he grades at an 86.4 pass rush grade. Against the run, Josephs has a 91.4 grade. We know that the Tennessee defense will be good in 2025. How good will depend on the dominance of the defense line and how active they will be in stopping the run and affecting the quarterback’s timing with receivers. That starts with the defensive line and their ability to get after the passer. Josephs is the first to come to mind and could be in store for a monster season. Saturday will give a good indication of how much he can impact the game against Syracuse.