Updating Tennessee's ESPN Matchup Predictor game-by-game picks after win over Syracuse

Updating the game-by-game picks for Tennessee Football from ESPN’s Matchup Predictor after the first Saturday of the new college football season:

Syracuse

Before Week 1: Tennessee 88.6% win | Result: Tennessee 45, Syracuse 26

Joey Aguilar threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns in his Tennessee debut and the Vols rushed for 246 yards as a team in the season-opening win. Braylon Staley caught a 73-yard touchdown pass and all three Tennessee running backs — DeSean Bishop, Peyton Lewis and Star Thomas — had one touchdown each.

ETSU

Before Week 1: Tennessee 99.0% win | After Week 1: Tennessee 99.0% win

Tennessee hosts ETSU in the home opener at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, a 3:30 ET start on ESPN+ and SEC Network+, after the Bucs opened the season with a 45-17 win over Murray State in Johnson City. The Vols have faced ETSU just once, beating the Bucs 59-3 at Neyland Stadium on September 8, 2018.

Georgia

Before Week 1: Georgia 59.3% win | After Week 1: Georgia 60.0% win

Georgia, which beat Marshall 45-7 in Week 1, is Tennessee’s SEC opener on September 13, a 3:30 p.m. ET start on ABC. Georgia has won eight straight in the series, dating back to the Josh Dobbs–Jauan Jennings Hail Mary to win at Georgia in 2016.

UAB

Before Week 1: Tennessee 98.1% win | After Week 1 Tennessee 98.3% win

Tennessee hosts UAB on September 20 in a 12:45 p.m. ET start on SEC Network. UAB had to rally to beat Alabama State 52-42 Thursday night in Birmingham. The Vols are 5-0 against UAB in a series that dates back to November 1998.

Mississippi State

Before Week 1: Tennessee 80.3% win | After Week 1: Tennessee 79.8% win

Mississippi State beat Southern Miss 34-17 Saturday in Hattiesburg. Tennessee goes to Mississippi State on September 27, with kickoff currently in the SEC’s flex window, meaning either between 3:30-4 p.m. ET or 6-8 p.m. ET.

Arkansas

Before Week 1: Tennessee 76.6% win | After Week 1: Tennessee 79.7% win

Arkansas beat Alabama A&M 52-7 in Week 1. Tennessee hosts Arkansas on October 11 in another flex kickoff window. The Razorbacks upset Tennessee 19-14 in Fayetteville last season. Arkansas won 24-20 in its last appearance at Neyland Stadium, in October 2015.

Alabama

Before Week 1: Alabama 68.4% win | After Week 1: Tennessee 52.7% win

Alabama lost 31-17 at Florida State on Saturday. Tennessee goes to Alabama on October 18 for the annual Third Saturday in October Rivalry. The Vols have won two of the last three, beating the Crimson Tide 24-17 at Neyland Stadium last season and 52-49 in Knoxville in 2022.

Kentucky

Before Week 1: Tennessee 74.8% win | After Week 1: Tennessee 78.7% win

Kentucky beat Toledo 24-16 Saturday in Lexington, where Tennessee will head on October 25. The Vols are looking for a third straight road win over Kentucky during the Josh Heupel era, including a 45-42 at Kentucky in November 2021 and 33-27 road win in October 2023.

Oklahoma

Before Week 1: Tennessee 73.7% win | After Week 1: Tennessee 77.2% win

The Sooners beat Illinois State 35-3 in Week 1. Tennessee hosts Oklahoma on November 1 after going to Norman last season and winning 25-15. It was the first win over Oklahoma for Tennessee since 1939, after the Sooners won three straight (1968, 2014 and 2015).

New Mexico State

Before Week 1: Tennessee 99.0% win | After Week 1: Tennessee 99.0% win

New Mexico State opened the season with a 19-3 win over Bryant on Saturday. The November 15 game will be the first meeting between the two teams and will be Homecoming Weekend for the Vols, as well as Salute to Service Weekend.

Florida

Before Week 1: Florida 51.5% win | After Week 1: Tennessee 51.3% win

Florida opened with a 55-0 win over Long Island. Tennessee goes Florida on November 22, the first game agains the Gators in November in program history. Kickoff is currently in the flex window.

Vanderbilt

Before Week 1: Tennessee 85.2% win | After Week 1: Tennessee 86.3% win

Vanderbilt beat Charleston Southern 45-3 on Saturday. Tennessee will end the regular-season schedule on November 29 with Senior Day against Vanderbilt at Neyland Stadium. The Vols were looking a seventh straight win in the annual in-state series, which dates back to 1892.