Tennessee football knows who is going to lineup under center for its opposition in its season opener.

Syracuse coach Fran Brown made the announcement that Rickie Collins has won the starting job.

"He's getting a lot better," Brown said. "He seems to be moving into the leader of this football team. I'm liking what I'm seeing. I think the players are behind him, everybody is behind him. He's going to be our quarterback. I'm really excited and happy about it. He puts the work in daily, learning how to lead right."

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

Collins is in his first season with Syracuse. He joined the Orange during last season's bowl preparation as a transfer.

Prior to Syracuse, Collins played at LSU. He is a redshirt sophomore after spending two years in Baton Rouge.

There, Collins served as a back up quarterback. He played in four games while completing 7-of-7 pass attempts for 38 yards and taking seven carries for 37 yards.

Collins was a four-star recruit out of high school. He went to Woodlawn in Baton Rouge before committing to his hometown school of LSU.

He was the No. 219 player in the 2023 class, No. 16 player out of Louisiana and No. 4 dual-threat quarterback in the cycle.

Collins beat out a pair of quarterbacks also vying for the starting job at Syracuse. Other candidates were Michael Johnson Jr., a redshirt senior who began his career at Penn State and FAU but played last season with the Orange, and redshirt freshman Jakhari Williams, a former three-star recruit.

Collins will now replace former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord who rounded out his career with a successful season at Syracuse. He threw for 4,779 yards with 34 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2024.

The Orange went 10-3 a year ago in Brown's first season as head coach. Syracuse capped off the year with a 52-35 win over Washington State in the Holiday Bowl.

Kickoff is scheduled for August 30 in Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium as a part of Aflac Kickoff Game. The start time and broadcast details are yet to be announced.

The Vols are currently 3-0 all-time against Syracuse. The most recent meeting was in 2001 in Knoxville when Tennessee dismantled the Orange, 33-9.

Prior to that, the Vols went north to Syracuse to win 34-33 in the 1998 season. Tee Martin and Tennessee defeated the Donovan McNabb-led Orange to begin an undefeated, championship year.

The first meeting was an 18-12 win in Jacksonville in 1966.

– TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM.

– ENJOY VOLREPORT WITH A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION.

– SUBSCRIBE TO THE VOLREPORT YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

– FOLLOW VOLREPORT ON TWITTER: @TennesseeRivals, @ByNoahTaylor, @RyanTSylvia, @Dale_Dowden, @ShayneP_Media.