Syracuse’s quarterback picture is already getting murky for 2027, and the uncertainty starts with what happened Saturday.
The Orange fell to Clemson 18-13 inside the JMA Wireless Dome, and veteran quarterback Steve Angeli was at the center of the loss. Angeli finished 18-of-40 for 263 yards with one touchdown, one fumble and one interception, but the numbers only tell part of the story.
At least five times, he missed open Syracuse receivers, and several of those throws could have turned into first downs or even scores. One of the biggest misses came in the first half, when he threw behind Calvin Russell III in the end zone on what would have been a clear touchdown.
It has been a difficult season for Angeli overall. He opened the year as the starter, then lost the job in the middle of the season because of a mix of injury and performance problems.
Amari Odom took over, but injuries to both Odom and Malachi Nelson pushed Angeli back into action. Over the last two weeks, though, he did help Syracuse beat North Carolina and also led a comeback drive against SMU.
That’s where the present ends and the bigger question begins: who is the Orange’s quarterback in 2027?
The answer is far from settled. Under the new “five in five” rule, Angeli, Odom and Nelson can all return in 2027.
If that happens, Syracuse would already have a built-in competition heading into next year’s camp. But there’s also the possibility that one of them moves on in search of a starting job and a final shot at playing time.
The transfer portal could also shape the answer. Syracuse has already shown a pattern under Fran Brown of starting each season with a quarterback who didn’t begin his career with the Orange.
In 2024, the program landed former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord, who put together a record-breaking year and set the school’s single-season passing yards mark before moving on to a professional career. McCord is currently on the Miami Dolphins roster.
Then in 2025 and 2026, Angeli, a former Notre Dame quarterback, opened the season as “QB1.”
So while Syracuse still has games left to play this season, the roster math and the recent quarterback carousel make it clear that more changes could be coming before the Orange settle on their 2027 starter.
For now, Syracuse needs two wins in its final three games to reach six victories and become bowl eligible. The next chance comes Saturday, when the Orange travel to Raleigh, N.C. to face the North Carolina State Wolfpack at noon ET.
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