Every decision and transaction matters. With Nico Iamaleava leaving the Tennessee Volunteers in the spring transfer portal window for the UCLA Bruins, it has massively reshaped how the college football world feels about Rocky Top. For example, I had the Vols as a likely College Football Playoff team entering the spring. Now, I do not see any reason to have them start out the season inside of the AP Top 25.
Replacing Iamaleava under center might well be former UCLA and Appalachian State transfer Joey Aguilar. My FanSided.com colleague and False Start co-host Cody Williams watched him play in the Sun Belt a bit more than me. "He is fine," he said, but fine is not good enough when it comes to starting games in the talent-rich SEC. and before Tennessee even gets into conference play, they will have a tough first game.
CBS Sports' Brad Crawford outlined a handful of college football upsets that could be on the horizon. While him picking Auburn to beat Georgia in Athens is varying degrees of laughable, as the Tigers have not been victorious between the hedges since the Bush Administration, I do think there is a chance that Fran Brown's upstart Syracuse Orange could get the best of the Volunteers in Atlanta.
Syracuse vs. Tennessee is one of two Aflac Kickoff games being played at Mercedes-Benz this year.
Why Syracuse Orange could upset Tennessee Volunteers in Week 1
Admittedly, there is a lot at play here. Syracuse will play the hardest schedule in the ACC by a country mile. The Orange massively overachieved under Brown last year. He may have had the help of former Ohio State starter Kyle McCord at quarterback, but the Orange's success could also be a testament to how strong of a branch this may be stemming off the Kirby Smart coaching tree. Syracuse fascinates me.
Replacing McCord will be either incoming Notre Dame transfer Steve Angeli or former LSU backup Rickie Collins, who transferred to Syracuse last December. I have a feeling that both may be better equipped to start meaningful Power Four games like this than even Aguilar. Josh Heupel's Air Raid offshoot is not that complicated to run, but we have seen him be reluctant to start guys early in it.
While Tennessee may play an infinitely easier schedule this season when compared to what Syracuse will have to potentially navigate, this game should be viewed as a toss-up. Hopefully, I get to see this game in person, possibly cover it, since it will be in my neck of the woods in downtown Atlanta. I think this one, plus the other Aflac Kickoff game between South Carolina and Virginia Tech will tell us loads.
The quarterback dynamic has completely changed the tone of this game and made it very exciting.