Joey Aguilar threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns as No. 24 Tennessee topped Syracuse 45-26 on Saturday at Atlanta in the season opener for both teams.
Playing his first game for the Volunteers, Aguilar was a somewhat erratic 16-of-28 passing but benefited from a dominant rushing attack.
Tennessee averaged 6.2 yards per carry, including a strong performance from Star Thomas, who had 12 carries for 92 yards. DeSean Bishop (11 carries, 82 yards) and Peyton Lewis (eight carries, 38 yards) each scored rushing touchdowns.
Yasin Willis scored three rushing touchdowns for Syracuse and finished with 91 yards on the ground. Steve Angeli, making his first start for the Orange, was 23-of-40 passing for 274 yards with one touchdown, one fumble and one interception.
The Volunteers jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter.
After an early field goal, Tennessee unleashed a 12-play, 85-yard drive that Lewis punctuated with a 2-yard TD run. Late in the opening quarter, Angeli fumbled under pressure and Colton Hood returned it 22 yards to make it 17-0.
Syracuse dented the scoreboard on Willis’ 2-yard TD run early in the second quarter. But on the second play of Tennessee’s next possession, Aguilar found Braylon Staley down the middle for a 73-yard catch and run to the end zone.
The teams experienced a similar sequence late in the first half. Angeli hooked up with Johntay Cook II for a 3-yard touchdown with just under two minutes to play, only for Tennessee to march right back down the field, highlighted by Bishop’s 47-yard run that set up his own 1-yard TD plunge and a 31-14 advantage.
Angeli came out in the second half and threw a quick interception that led to an Aguilar 7-yard TD pass to Thomas.
Syracuse responded with a 75-yard drive that Willis finished with a 1-yard TD run. The failed two-point conversion left the Orange trailing 38-20.
Willis’ 1-yard TD run with 11:54 remaining brought the Orange within 38-26, but they failed on the two-point conversion once again.
Aguilar’s 2-yard TD pass to Miles Kitselman with just under four minutes left sealed the outcome.
