Tennessee legend to serve as ‘honorary captain’ for season-opener vs. Syracuse
By Derek Hryn
Published:
Tennessee football will have a legendary presence on the field when the Vols open the 2025 season against Syracuse in just over a week.
Al Wilson, the former Tennessee linebacker and College Football Hall of Famer, will serve as an honorary captain for the Vols during the pregame coin toss before the noon ET kickoff on Aug. 30 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
On the flip side, Syracuse’s honorary captain for the matchup is former Orange standout and former Tennessee Titans Pro Bowler Keith Bulluck.
Both Wilson and Bulluck were on the field when Tennessee and Syracuse met in 1998, a classic contest that saw the Vols escape with a 34-33 win on the road en route to a national championship.
Wilson starred for Tennessee from 1995 and 1998. He was a team captain during Tennessee’s most recent 1998 national championship and earned All-American honors. Selected in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, Wilson became a five-time Pro Bowler before retiring in 2008 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
As for year’s game between the Orange and Vols, App State and UCLA transfer Joey Aguilar will make his Tennessee debut under center, while Syracuse will go with Notre Dame transfer Steve Angeli.
