Specifically, the 2025 offseason spotlight shifted to Tennessee. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava opted to transfer after a high-profile breakup. Thus, he left coach Josh Heupel and his staff scrambling to address a major void on offense. Still, Tennessee has a favorable NCAA Football gambling lines schedule. Also, Heupel has proven ability to adapt and get the most out of a roster to overcome some of the question marks about this team. Following a transfer from Appalachian State to UCLA in December, Joey Aguilar arrived from Los Angeles to fill the void.
Tennessee Volunteers vs. Syracuse Orange NCAAF Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Saturday, August 30, 2025, noon p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA |
| TV Coverage: | ABC |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse | +13½ -110 | 51 -105 | +400 |  |
| Tennessee U | -13½ -110 | 51 -115 | -525 | |
| ||||
Tennessee Volunteers Team Overview
Namely, Joey Aguilar will fill the sports betting void left behind by Iamaleava’s departure this spring. The senior brings a solid skill set and experience to keep this offense on track. Naturally, the football program at the University of Tennessee is bound by nothing. It’s a massive school that loves football. Consider that the sport generates over $150 million a year, and the new NIL collectives secure funding when needed.
However, the Volunteer athletic department industrial complex drew a hard line when it came to former quarterback Nico Iamaleava. That is how the football program will handle future player holdouts. And now, every week will be a referendum on the quarterback situation. Certainly, Aguilar was going to be UCLA’s starter before Iamaleava showed up and should be solid.
In sum, at least 15 former Vols who took off will play major roles with other Power Four programs. It’s not that they aren’t good; it’s that they are. Of great concern is that they’re gone; they’re not in Knoxville.
The Vols got stuck in an interesting spot in the cycle. They return a ton of talent on the defensive side. Despite only returning three starters on offense, they’ll be okay as long as the running game works. They didn’t have a desperate need for a wholesale run of transfers.
In turn, Tennessee signed a few good hole-fillers for the offensive line. But they didn’t do much for the receiving corps, partly because a slew of incoming freshmen look dangerous. By contrast, on the flip side of not cranking up the portal, the depth and options aren’t there like they are for other CFP-level programs.
Still, it matters that Tennessee didn’t bow to what Iamaleava supposedly wanted. But they didn’t win the transfer portal game. However, they’re likely good enough to make a run at another College Football Playoff spot.
Syracuse Orange Team Overview
Accordingly, head coach Fran Brown stepped in and set the bar high from the start by going 10-3. Brown provided an instant jolt to the NCAA Football betting odds win column. In addition, he made Syracuse one of the most fun teams in college football.
Syracuse had a wild Holiday Bowl win to end a successful 2024 campaign. Correlate that the passing game was the best in the country. And then the team had the honor of screwing up Miami’s season in one of the most important games of the College Football Playoff chase.
Now for 2025, the high-powered Syracuse offense isn’t going anywhere. But the transfers are coming in late, and Syracuse will need a few breaks this time around. Nine of the 13 games last season were decided by one score. Consider that it was with as light an ACC slate as reasonably possible.
Tennessee at Syracuse SBG Free Picks
On this occasion, Syracuse lacks the SEC quality and depth on its roster.
Tennessee at Syracuse SBG Best Bet: Tennessee Volunteers.