National Analyst Takes Strong Stand Against Tennessee as Josh Heupel Faces Uncomfortable Contract Reality

Big things will go down inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday, August 30. No. 18 Tennessee vs Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff. The Vols are coming off their first-ever CFP appearance and navigating the Nico Iamaleava drama. The general belief is they’re 13.5-point favorites. That’s the standard. But some people feel Josh Heupel is in for a nasty surprise. 

In a new episode of Bussin’ With The Boys on August 27, Will Compton made a bold prediction. “I like Fran Brown. I like Syracuse,” he said. “I like the 13 and a half against a Tennessee team who they’re going to be very good defensively, but I don’t know who they’re going to be offensively without Nico.” To his surprise, Josh Pate loved it. “I’ve been on it all week. Love it,” he said. “Steve Angeli, by the way. New quarterback for Syracuse. Transfer from Notre Dame. Good player. Competitive character of that team. Trusted a lot. Tennessee is not pulling away in that. So, Syracuse is going to cover that game… I’ve taken a strong position on Syracuse this week.” Because the Orange aren’t there to just represent.

Both programs enter 2025 with momentum. Tennessee posted a 10-3 record last season, putting up 35.7 points per game (12th nationally) while allowing just 16.1 (7th). Syracuse also finished 10-3, winning the Holiday Bowl and scoring 34.1 points per game, though their defense struggled, giving up 29.2 points per contest. Historically, the two schools have only met three times, with Tennessee winning all three, most recently 33-9 in 2001. But neutral-site games and new rosters make this opener far from a guaranteed Vols victory. 

There’s Steve Angeli, Syracuse’s new QB, fresh off Notre Dame. Veteran mindset, 72% completion rate, underrated legs. This guy is a real threat to rattle the Vols’ rhythm. Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar, meanwhile, embodies resilience. From Diablo Valley Community College to Appalachian State, the journey of the man under center in Knoxville is very intriguing. If he can limit mistakes and establish a clear go-to target, Tennessee could steamroll the Orange. With both teams primed for a high-stakes opener and the QB facing pressure from day one, another storyline looms large off the field. Which brings us to Josh Heupel’s contract situation.

Josh Heupel and the new Tennessee contract extension 

After leading the Vols to their winningest three-year stretch in decades, Josh Heupel got a contract extension through January 2030. Vice Chancellor Danny White praised the coach for reviving the program with a 37-15 record, 11 Top 25 wins, first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, and multiple double-digit win seasons. It may sound perfect, but no raise came with the extension. One extra year, same pay. 

Analysts like Caleb Calhoun on OffTheHookSports didn’t mince words when dissecting why there was no raise tied to Josh Heupel’s contract extension. “I’m going to give you my take. I think they just gave him the contract extension because it’s par for the course,” he said. “What does it mean to be par for the course? Let me be clear on this. Par for the course is you want your coach on a five-year deal while he’s recruiting. You want to keep him on a five-year deal.” That’s the uncomfortable reality the HC has to navigate as he enters year five on Rocky Top. .712 winning percentage, third-most wins in first four seasons in UT history, and still, the school plays it safe.

Saturday’s opener against Syracuse will test all of it. New QB, recruiting pressure, contract whispers, and a program eager to prove its playoff appearance wasn’t a fluke. Josh Heupel runs through the “T” with Vol Nation behind him, but don’t expect the Orange to make it easy.