Syracuse is sitting near the bottom of the ACC power picture as October arrives, even after a week off. The Orange slipped to No. 16 in the latest conference rankings, dropping one spot while idle in Week 4.
That place in the pecking order comes with a clear message: Syracuse still has work to do before anyone can feel good about where the team stands. Head coach Fran Brown’s group needs clarity at quarterback, and that uncertainty is driving the conversation around the Orange right now. Steve Angeli is expected to start this weekend, though Amari Odom also appears likely to get on the field.
At the top of the league, Miami has started to separate itself from the pack. The Hurricanes added another emphatic non-conference win in Week 4, rolling past Central Michigan 52-3.
Through four games, Miami has outscored opponents 207-36, and the combination of that dominance plus the chaos elsewhere in the conference has widened its lead in the rankings. Clemson is next on the schedule, which could be Miami’s toughest test yet.
Virginia checks in at No. 2 after benefiting from the way last weekend unfolded across the league. The Cavaliers now get a chance to make their case directly when they face Florida State this weekend. Virginia was only a few plays away from winning the conference in 2025.
Virginia Tech moves up to No. 3 for similar reasons, aided by the results of SMU and Louisville. James Franklin has the Hokies at 4-0 and 1-0 in ACC play, and they’ll host Pittsburgh on Friday night in Blacksburg, Va.
Louisville falls to No. 4 after a damaging 30-27 upset loss to Wake Forest. The Cardinals entered that game as a double-digit favorite, and the setback makes their road to the ACC title game much tougher. With six of the 17 teams still unbeaten in ACC play, the race remains crowded.
SMU rounds out the top five after surviving Missouri State 34-24 in a game that was far too shaky for comfort. The Mustangs trailed by double digits in the first quarter before rallying back. Even though Missouri State is not an ACC opponent, another conference loss would likely shut the door on SMU’s College Football Playoff hopes.
The rest of the conference shakes out with Clemson at No. 6, Florida State at No.
7, Duke at No. 8, Wake Forest at No.
9, North Carolina State at No. 10, Pittsburgh at No.
11, North Carolina at No. 12, Stanford at No.
13, Georgia Tech at No. 14, and California at No. 15.
Boston College sits at No. 17 behind Syracuse.
This weekend’s ACC slate is headlined by Virginia Tech-Pittsburgh on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. ET. On Saturday at noon ET, Stanford visits Wake Forest and Boston College travels to SMU.
In Other News...
Former Syracuse Transfers Are Already Creating One Early Debate
The first month of the 2026 season has already offered a clearer picture of what Syracuse lost when 20 football players hit the transfer portal after the 2025 campaign. A review of 10 of those former Orange shows a familiar split that can make portal fallout so hard to judge early on: some players have quickly found roles and are logging game action for new programs, while others are still waiting to get on the field and establish where they fit.
For Syracuse fans, the early debate is less about where those players landed and more about what their departures mean for the roster that remains. The mixed start has underscored how unpredictable transfer movement can be, with some exits already looking like immediate contributors elsewhere and others still in limbo as the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
UConn Has A Real Shot To End One Frustrating Syracuse Streak
UConn and Syracuse are meeting in a nonconference game with both programs looking for a reset after uneven starts. The Huskies come in at 2-2 after recent losses, while Syracuse is 1-2 and trying to stop a two-game skid, which gives this matchup a little more edge than the usual early-season crossover. Both coaching staffs spent the week talking through quarterback play and the availability of key pieces, a sign that neither sideline is quite settled yet.
For Syracuse, there is also the possibility of getting another young weapon involved if freshman Calvin Russell III is ready to make his debut. That kind of fresh energy can matter in a game like this, where the Orange are trying to steady themselves and avoid letting a frustrating stretch linger. UConn, meanwhile, has a chance to walk in and make life even tougher for a Syracuse team still searching for traction. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Depth Chart Hints At Fran Browns Next Big Calls
Syracuse is already at a familiar early-season crossroads under Fran Brown, with a new defensive staff and a fresh system still being sorted out as the Orange move through the third game of the year. After opening with a win over New Hampshire and then dropping games to California and Pittsburgh, the focus has shifted to how Brown and his staff want to line up the roster heading into the UConn matchup.
The projected depth chart for that game offers the clearest snapshot yet of where some of those choices stand on both offense and defense, showing starters and backups across the board. For a team still trying to settle into its identity, the chart is less a finished answer than a preview of the next set of decisions Brown has to make as Syracuse tries to steady itself. [Read more 🡒]