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No. 24 Tennessee will meet Syracuse in Atlanta for what will should be a home game away from home for the Volunteers. Both teams went through some big changes in the offseason, so this is a matchup full of unknowns.

Both the Vols and the Orange are coming off 10-win seasons. Coach Josh Heupel led Tennessee to its first College Football Playoff appearance, but it was a swift exit to Ohio State in the first round. Syracuse, under first-year coach Fran Brown, hit double-digit wins for just the third time in the 21st century.

In the wake of all that success, there was some significant roster turnover. Most notably, the quarterbacks who led the way for each side are gone. Nico Iamaleava transferred from Tennessee to UCLA after spring practice, and Kyle McCord went to the NFL from Syracuse. More key pieces -- like edge rusher James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee) and receiver Trebor Pena (Syracuse) -- left for the NFL Draft and transfer portal, respectively. 

The question now is whether these two teams did enough to replace that talent. Neither side is expected to reproduce last year's win total, but securing a victory in this game will be a good first step in exceeding those expectations.

Where to watch Tennessee vs. Syracuse live

Date: Saturday, Aug. 30 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium -- Atlanta, Georgia
TV: ABC | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

Tennessee vs. Syracuse: Need to know

New faces at QB: Neither starting quarterback got to go through spring practice with his team. Joey Aguilar came to Tennessee in what amounted to a trade after Iamaleava left for UCLA in the spring. At the conclusion of Notre Dame's spring practice, Steve Angeli decided to hop into the transfer portal, and he landed at Syracuse. Aguilar and Angeli both have some nice experience under their belts, but how will they perform as they get adjusted to their new surroundings? The answer to that question may decide this game.

Tennessee defense trying to avoid drop-off: For as much attention as the Tennessee offense receives, the defense drove the bus to the College Football Playoff last year. Now, Pearce is off to the NFL along with defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott. Star cornerback Jermod McCoy is still recovering from an offseason ACL tear, and fellow defensive back Boo Carter is working his way back into a starting role after offseason disciplinary issues. In spite of those questions, the Vols defense should still be a strength, thanks to strong recruiting classes and a deep defensive line rotation. We'll see whether it can come close to matching the level of that 2024 unit.

Syracuse begins its 2025 gauntlet: The Orange were one of the biggest surprises of the 2024 season, hitting nine wins in the regular season before hammering Washington State in the Holiday Bowl to hit 10. Syracuse lost key players on both sides of the ball, but that's an annual problem for every program, to one degree or another. The biggest impediment to this team hitting 10 wins again might be the schedule, starting with this game against the Vols. The Orange get four College Football Playoff teams from last year, and none of those games are at home. Additionally, Syracuse has to make a road trip to Miami, one of the two favorites to win the ACC.

Tennessee vs. Syracuse prediction, pick

Tennessee is a 13.5-point favorite in this game, and that may look like a big number for a team breaking in a new quarterback with several questions at wide receiver. That said, the Vols should still be able to run the ball behind a remade offensive line while playing some stout defense. As far as Syracuse is concerned, it's tough to imagine Angeli replicating McCord's success, especially with the team losing its three top receivers. Yes, there are a lot of questions on both sides, but I'm going to lean toward the program that has recruited well enough to hit the Blue-Chip ratio threshold. Pick: Tennessee -13.5