Syracuse’s 30-27 upset of No. 19 SMU on Halloween afternoon did more than improve the Orange to 4-4. It gave Fran Brown the kind of win that can shape how his tenure is viewed from here.
The Orange were home underdogs by double digits according to multiple sportsbooks, but they found a way to rally late and knock off a ranked Mustangs team in front of their home crowd. For a program that has already been through plenty this season, the timing mattered just as much as the result.
Brown has already had a signature season in his first year on the job, when Syracuse reached double-digit wins and beat Washington State in the Holiday Bowl. That was only the second double-digit win season for the program since 2002. But the follow-up year brought a hard reset, with Syracuse starting 3-1 before dropping eight straight to finish 3-9.
Year three has brought its own grind. Syracuse has dealt with multiple injuries at quarterback, special teams problems, and stretches where it has been the most penalized team in the country. That backdrop has fueled questions about Brown’s future, especially after a photo surfaced of him speaking with athletic director Bryan Blair following a recent loss to Louisville.
Beating SMU doesn’t erase any of that, but it does change the conversation. The win quiets some of the recent criticism and gives the program a much cleaner runway heading into the final stretch. It also comes with encouraging signs from younger players, including freshmen and sophomores such as Calvin Russell III and Demetres Samuel, who are beginning to leave a mark on the roster.
There’s still a path to a bowl game. Syracuse has four regular-season games left, and winning two of them would get the Orange to six victories, which is the mark needed for bowl eligibility.
If Brown gets Syracuse there, he would become the first head football coach to lead the Orange to two bowl games in his first three seasons since Paul Pasqualoni in the early 1990s.
The next step comes next Saturday, when Syracuse hosts Clemson in the second game of back-to-back home dates. Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m.
ET inside the JMA Wireless Dome. Clemson will be coming off its game against Florida State this week.
In Other News...
Syracuse Just Gave Fran Browns Season New Life
For a Syracuse team that had been trying to find some traction in the middle of the season, Saturdays 30-27 win over No. 19 SMU at the JMA Wireless Dome felt like more than just a good night. Steve Angelis late touchdown pass to Noah Meyers finished off a victory that had been hard to come by against ranked competition, and it gave the Orange a result they can point to as the kind of turning point a season sometimes needs.
It was Syracuses first win over a ranked opponent since November 2024, and it came at a time when the margin for error in the ACC had already started to shrink. At 4-4 overall and 2-4 in conference play, the Orange still have work to do, but this was the kind of performance that can change the tone around a team and keep the rest of the schedule from feeling like a long climb. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Just Delivered Another Ranked Win Fans Wont Forget
Syracuse keeps finding ways to make November feel bigger than the calendar says it should. Under Fran Brown, the Orange knocked off 19th-ranked SMU 30-27 at home, leaning on a defense that never let Kevin Jennings get comfortable even as the Mustangs quarterback still managed 351 yards and two touchdowns. The pressure came from all over, with Keyshawn Johnson and others getting to Jennings and Demetres Samuel Jr. helping swing the game with a forced fumble.
Noah Meyers then delivered the kind of finish that turns a good win into a memorable one, scoring the game-winning touchdown and sending the home crowd into the kind of celebration Syracuse has been chasing in ranked matchups. For a program trying to build real staying power under Brown, this was the sort of result that matters beyond one Saturday, because it showed the Orange can win a tight game against a ranked opponent by making the decisive plays late. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Finally Got The Ranked Win Fans Needed But Not Easily
Syracuse finally got the kind of ranked win its fans have been waiting for, but it took every bit of 60 minutes to get there. The Orange knocked off No. 19 SMU 30-27 on a late touchdown pass from Steve Angeli to Noah Meyers, a result that not only snapped their drought against ranked opponents but also pulled them back to .500 at 4-4. It was the sort of game Syracuse had to have, and for a while it looked like the Orange might control it with a strong first half.
Instead, the second half turned into a grind, with SMU pushing back and forcing Syracuse to answer possession after possession. The Orange still found enough from its defense and rushing attack to stay in the fight, and when the moment arrived, Angeli delivered the throw that made the difference. For a team trying to steady its season, it was a much-needed win, even if it came with plenty of stress attached. [Read more 🡒]