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Tennessee Volunteers vs. Syracuse Orange football game prediction, picks, odds 2025 Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee vs. Syracuse early football picks 2025: What the oddsmakers say

Originally posted on CFB-HQ on SI | By James Parks | Last updated Aug 25, 2025 3:11 PM ET

Tennessee and Syracuse face off in an intriguing non-conference matchup to kick off Week 1 of the 2025 college football season. Let’s take a look at the early prediction for the matchup from the oddsmakers and bettors in this SEC vs. ACC clash.

We’ll see what the Tennessee offense looks like amid an unforeseen quarterback change after Nico Iamaleava’s sudden departure, in addition to losing the team’s leading rusher, replacing four blockers, and several wide receiver targets.

Syracuse also undergoes change at the quarterback position after Kyle McCord led college football in passing a year ago, but the team scored a notable transfer in former Notre Dame hopeful Steve Angeli, who steps into the QB1 role in 2025.

Where is the money going as the Volunteers and Orange face off this weekend?

Let’s take a look at the early prediction for Tennessee vs. Syracuse in this Week 1 college football game, according to oddsmakers and bettors.

Tennessee vs. Syracuse football picks, odds

As expected, the bookmakers are trending strongly towards the SEC team in this Week 1 non-conference matchup.

Tennessee is a 13.5 point favorite against Syracuse in the 2025 season opener, according to the early game lines posted to FanDuel Sportsbook.

FanDuel lists the total at 50.5 points for the matchup.

Tennessee: -13.5 (-115)
Syracuse: +13.5 (-105)

Over 50.5 points: -110
Under 50.5 points: -110

Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee vs. Syracuse trends

Syracuse is 5-2 against the spread in its last 7 games as the underdog ...

Tennessee is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games ...

The total went over in 5 of Syracuse’s last 6 games ...

And it went over in 5 of Tennessee’s last 6 appearances ...

Tennessee is 12-6 ATS in its last 18 games playing as the favorite ...

Syracuse is 8-14-1 against the spread in its last 23 games ...

Tennessee is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games ...

Syracuse was 5-2 (71.4%) against the spread as the underdog a year ago ...

Tennessee went 6-4 against the spread (60%) as the favorite last season ...

Syracuse was 0-1 and Tennessee was 1-0 ATS in neutral site games in ‘24 ...

Tennessee is 4-1 (80%) against the spread in non-conference games last fall ...

Syracuse is 1-4 (20%) ATS against non-conference teams last season ...

Spread consensus picks, score prediction

A big majority of bettors are siding with the Volunteers to take care of business against the Orange in the opener, according to the latest consensus spread picks for the game.

Tennessee is getting 74 percent of bets to win the game by at least two touchdowns and cover this generous point spread.

The other 26 percent of wagers project that Syracuse will either defeat the Vols outright in an upset, or will keep the final margin under 14 points in a loss.

The game’s implied score suggests a comfortable victory for the Vols over the Orange.

When taking the point spread and total into consideration, it’s implied that Tennessee will defeat Syracuse by a projected score of 32 to 19.

Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images

How we’re betting the game

College Football HQ early game prediction: Tennessee -13.5

Why? Syracuse’s offense will take a big step back after losing quarterback Kyle McCord, and should struggle in the face of a strong Tennessee defensive front, and the Orange bring back just 37 percent of its production, the fewest among ACC teams.