Syracuse got the win it was supposed to get, but the biggest moment of the afternoon had nothing to do with the final score.
It was Steve Angeli getting back up.
The Orange quarterback, making his first appearance after a long rehab from a torn Achilles tendon, briefly sent a jolt through the JMA Wireless Dome in the second quarter against New Hampshire. With 7:21 left before halftime, Angeli was back on the turf and surrounded by trainers and coaches, a sight Syracuse fans had already lived through too many times during his recovery.
That’s what made the next part so important. After rising carefully, Angeli shuffled toward the sideline - and then suddenly turned it into a sprint.
The crowd let out the kind of release that says more than a cheer ever could. The student section started chanting his name.
From there, Syracuse rolled to a 66-3 win on Saturday and came out of it without losing any key players to injury.
Angeli had already taken one hard shot earlier in the game, a late hit on the home sideline in the first quarter that sent him down on the leg. He popped back up with obvious energy, and teammates Byron Washington and Kam Pringle immediately confronted New Hampshire linebacker Trevor Barry, drawing an offsetting personal foul. Angeli stepped in to calm them down.
The quarterback’s return then settled into the kind of efficient afternoon Syracuse wanted all along. He finished 20 of 29 for 263 yards and three touchdowns before coming out halfway through the fourth quarter.
Umari Hatcher was on the receiving end of Angeli’s first and last touchdown passes, and the wideout finished with eight catches for 147 yards. Angeli said Hatcher had been especially supportive during his recovery.
Syracuse’s ground game piled on too. First-year running back Shavane Anderson Jr. scored three touchdowns in his first college game and ran 10 times for 102 yards. Second-year back Tylik Hill added the first touchdown of his career and finished with 15 carries for 90 yards.
By halftime, the Orange had already blown the game open at 42-0. New Hampshire didn’t cross midfield until late in the first half, and by then it was already staring at a six-touchdown deficit.
The defense kept the pressure on throughout. Transfer defensive end Keyshawn Johnson had 2.5 sacks, defensive tackle Rashard Perry picked off a pass, and linebacker Zyian Moultrie-Goddard closed the scoring with a 26-yard fumble return.
Backup quarterback Amari Odom entered for one play after Angeli’s second scare, then stepped aside when Angeli returned to the action. Soon after, Angeli was even part of the blocking on Shavane Anderson Jr.’s 15-yard run that pushed Syracuse ahead 27-0.
New Hampshire, which had already been handled by Albany in its season opener last week, never had a chance to settle in. Syracuse controlled both lines from the opening whistle and kept the game from ever becoming competitive.
The Orange improved to 22-0 against FCS opponents since Division I split into two levels in 1978.
The challenge gets real fast now. With the ACC moving to nine league games this year for the first time, Syracuse opens conference play in Week 2. California comes to town next, along with promising second-year quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.
For Angeli and Syracuse, Saturday was more than a blowout. It was a statement that the quarterback is back, and that the Orange expects to be ready too.
In Other News...
Syracuse Just Got A Big Chance With One Of Its Top Local Targets
A familiar name is back on Syracuses recruiting radar, and this time the Orange get a real chance to make their case at home. Arthur Jones IV, a four-star defensive lineman in the 2028 class and one of Syracuse footballs top local priorities, is set to come back for multiple games during the 2026 season, including the opener against New Hampshire. The Christian Brothers Academy junior has already built a long offer sheet, but Syracuse has been in the mix since extending an offer in June 2025.
For Syracuse, the appeal goes beyond the rankings. Jones grew up in the city and carries a family tie that already makes every step of his recruitment feel personal, with his father, former Syracuse standout Arthur Jones III, having passed away in October 2025. Getting him on campus for several games gives the Orange an extended runway to show him what the program, the atmosphere and the community can mean, and it keeps one of the areas most talented prospects close to home for now. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Fans Have One New Weapon Worth Watching In Week 1
Syracuses passing game has a new target to keep an eye on in Week 1, as Cole Weaver is lined up to make his debut against New Hampshire. The redshirt junior transferred in from Miami (Ohio) after leading that team in receptions last season, and he arrives with a reputation that fits what the Orange want from a reliable wideout: strong hands in traffic, willingness to block and a steady edge in how he carries himself.
Weaver was also honored as Miami (Ohio)s Offensive Skill Position Player of the Year, which gives Syracuse another proven piece to work into its offense right away. For a team still sorting out its identity early in the season, his first game offers a chance to see how quickly he can translate that production into a new system and whether he becomes the kind of dependable option quarterbacks lean on when plays break down. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse's Opener Is Already Testing New Offensive Pieces
Syracuses season opener at the JMA Wireless Dome has already started to show how the offense may need to adapt around its newest pieces and its missing ones. The Orange were up 14-0 after the first quarter against New Hampshire, with early drives getting a boost from Umari Hatcher and Shavane Anderson Jr. even as several players were unavailable, including transfer backs JuJuan Johnson and Ahmad Miller along with defensive linemen Isaiah Hastings and Nathan Nyandoro.
Those absences matter because they force Syracuse to sort through its backfield options right away, rather than easing into the rotation over the first few weeks. Hatcher and Anderson have helped set the tone so far, but the opener is already giving the Orange a look at how much they can lean on the next group of running backs and whether the offense can keep finding balance while pieces are still settling in. [Read more 🡒]