When Tennessee football takes the field in just over a week, the Vols will have an honorary captain in Al Wilson. The legendary UT linebacker will join the team captains at midfield for the pregame coin toss prior to the noon ET kickoff on Aug. 30 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Syracuse’s honorary captain is Keith Bullock. Both Wilson and Bullock were on their respective teams when the squads met in 1998. Tennessee won the game 34-33 on the road en route to a national title. Wilson posted a team-high 13 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Bullock led the Orange with 14 tackles along with two tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.
Wilson was a star defensive piece for the Vols from 1995-98 under the watch of Phillip Fulmer. As a team captain, he helped steer Tennessee to its most recent national title while being named an All-American. He also won back-to-back SEC titles in 1997 and 1998.
He was picked by the Broncos in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He was a five-time Pro Bowler before retiring in 2008. He was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
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Kickoff between the Vols and Syracuse in Atlanta, Georgia, is set for noon ET inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The game will air on ABC.
Both teams will be starting spring transfers in the game. The Vols named Joey Aguilar, an Appalachian State and UCLA transfer, as their starter, while the Orange will go with Notre Dame transfer Steve Angeli.
Tennessee’s home-opener will be held the following Saturday on Sept. 6. The Vols will welcome in-state FCS program ETSU to town for a game scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ and ESPN+. The following week, Tennessee will begin its SEC slate by hosting No. 4 Georgia at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
