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There was hardly anything the Syracuse defense could do to stop No. 23 Tennessee on Saturday, but they certainly tried.
The Volunteers walked out of Atlanta with a 45-26 victory over the Orange, but a moment in the second quarter – in what became a touchdown drive for Tennessee – took the game’s announcers by surprise.
With about 1:25 left in the first half, the Volunteers were marching down the field, quickly gaining 63 yards on two plays.
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A general view of the field prior to the College Football game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Syracuse Orange on September 7, 2024, at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, NY. (Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
After Joey Aguilar hit Mike Matthews for 16 yards, Syracuse defender Demetres Samuels Jr. fell to the turf, and another beside him also looked like he was going down before standing back up.
That, of course, stopped the clock, much to the chagrin of not just the Tennessee fans, but commentators Bob Wischusen and Louis Riddick on the call.
“This isn’t a good look. This one looked blatant,” Riddick said. “They’re trying to crack down on this kind of thing, faking injuries, and I don’t want to assume anything about any player, but this one looked suspicious.”
Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews (4) runs the ball during the Aflac Kickoff Game between the Volunteers and Syracuse held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on August 30, 2025. (Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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“That’s just not what college football wants,” Riddick added. “They’re trying to get this out of the game. We understand strategically why defenses try to do this when they’re on their heels … but this is something you’re going to wind up getting penalized for if referees catch it.”
Samuels was back on the field shortly after, which Wischusen, who called out Tennessee for doing it earlier, jokingly called a “miraculous recovery.”
The apparent tactic didn’t work, as Tennessee went up 31-14.
Aug 30, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Braylon Staley (14) catches a touchdown pass against the Syracuse Orange in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis/Imagn Images)
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Syracuse will host UConn next week in hopes of earning their first victory, while Tennessee will look to go 2-0 when they host East Tennessee State next week.
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