Tennessee Volunteers Win at Syracuse Led by QB Joey Aguilar

Joey Aguilar emerged as a standout quarterback for the Tennessee Volunteers in their season opener against Syracuse, defying predictions that he would struggle in the SEC. Aguilar completed 16 of 28 passes, threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns, and delivered a highlight 73-yard touchdown pass, energizing Tennessee fans and earning praise from his mother and former players like Alvin Kamara. Despite some inconsistencies, Aguilar's performance helped Tennessee secure a 45-26 victory, providing relief for head coach Josh Heupel ahead of tougher matchups like their upcoming game against Georgia. Meanwhile, Tim Tebow, participating as a pregame speaker at the Tennessee game, highlighted Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer as the player he is most excited to watch this season. Mateer, transferring from Washington State along with offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, is expected to revitalize Oklahoma's struggling offense after a disappointing 6-7 season, with the team aiming to return to the College Football Playoff. Oklahoma faces a tough schedule but is ranked 21st nationally with a 13.3% chance of making the playoffs according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.