ABC Commits Streaming Blunder For College Football Week 1; DeBoer’s Alabama & Heupel’s Tennessee Involved

Saturday afternoon was supposed to deliver college football at its finest. A season opener loaded with storylines that had fans buzzing for weeks. The anticipation was at an all-time high with Alabama and Florida State taking the field. Especially after Florida State’s bold new quarterback, Thomas Castellanos, is looking to back up his summer trash talk. But then one completely unrelated game decided to hijack the entire afternoon, completely ignoring the fact that millions of viewers had carefully choreographed their Saturday around watching Castellanos try to make good on his promises.

The culprit? Tennessee and Syracuse. They locked in what seemed like an endless battle at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. What should have been a tidy three-hour window stretched on and on, like that dinner guest who doesn’t understand when the evening’s over. Meanwhile, Alabama supporters who’d circled their calendars for the Crimson Tide’s season opener against Florida State found themselves trapped in television purgatory, watching overtime periods they never asked for while wondering if they’d need to become streaming experts just to catch their team’s kickoff.

AL.com’s Michael Casagrande perfectly captured the collective frustration brewing across Alabama living rooms nationwide. “Tennessee dragging a– on ABC to send Alabama fans to the app for kickoff is savage,” he tweeted, delivering the truth that immediately resonated with hundreds of Crimson Tide faithful. The observation resonated deeply due to its striking accuracy. Here was a game that had absolutely nothing to do with Alabama, essentially stealing the spotlight from what everyone wanted to see.

ESPN’s solution bordered on television chaos. The network decided to bounce the final minutes of Tennessee-Syracuse over to ESPNews while keeping Alabama-Florida State on ABC, effectively asking viewers to play channel roulette between games that should have flowed naturally. The Crimson Tide and Seminoles didn’t kick off until 3:50 PM ET, a 20-minute delay that might sound minor but felt enormous when you’ve organized your entire Saturday around that 3:30 start time. It’s the domino effect that makes programming executives reach for the antacids.

The chaos proved worth the wait once Alabama and Florida State finally took the field in Tallahassee. After all the channel surfing and app downloading, fans were rewarded with exactly the kind of competitive opener they’d been craving, a 7-7 deadlock with three minutes left in the first quarter that showcased both programs’ potential under new leadership. Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama squad and Mike Norvell’s revamped Seminoles were delivering the back-and-forth action that reminded everyone why college football’s unpredictability makes it appointment television.

The game that wouldn’t end

Tennessee and Syracuse delivered exactly the marathon affair that drives television executives to early retirement. What should have been a straightforward season opener stretched into a nearly four-hour epic, with the Volunteers ultimately prevailing 45-26 in a game that had everything except respect for the broadcast schedule. Joey Aguilar, Tennessee’s new quarterback stepping into the spotlight after Nico Iamaleava’s departure to UCLA, looked every bit the part of a seasoned starter.

The Appalachian State transfer threw for multiple touchdowns and managed the game with the kind of poise that had Tennessee fans tweeting “Nico could never” before halftime. Aguilar connected with Braylon Staley for a spectacular 73-yard touchdown strike that showcased both his arm strength and decision-making under pressure.

Syracuse refused to fold quietly despite falling behind early. Steve Angeli, the Orange’s signal-caller, battled through costly turnovers, including a fumble that Tennessee’s Nathan Robinson knocked loose, leading to a scoop-and-score touchdown by Colton Hood. The Orange managed to claw back repeatedly, with Yasin Willis punching in multiple short-yardage touchdowns to keep the scoreboard moving and the game competitive well into the fourth quarter. Syracuse’s resilience turned what looked like a potential blowout into a legitimate contest, forcing Tennessee to earn every yard and keep its foot on the gas throughout the afternoon.

The Volunteers’ defense made the crucial plays when it mattered most, generating turnovers at key moments and limiting Syracuse’s explosive potential. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel praised Aguilar’s performance afterward, noting that “he handled himself really well” and “made some plays down the field,” while acknowledging there were still things to clean up. By the time the final whistle mercifully sounded, Tennessee had secured its season-opening victory, but not before creating the scheduling nightmare that sent Alabama and Florida State fans scrambling for streaming apps.