Syracuse is making another quarterback switch, and this one brings a fresh layer of intrigue to Saturday night’s game against Virginia.
After Fran Brown handed the reins to backup Amari Odom for his first start in a Syracuse uniform just a week ago, the Orange are now expected to go in a different direction again. Per Pete Thamel of ESPN, Malachi Nelson is set to start when Syracuse kicks off against Virginia at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The timing comes after a turbulent stretch under center for the Orange, who are 2-2 and fresh off a wild 42-41 overtime win over UConn. Steve Angeli opened the season as Brown’s starter, but his first action in a calendar year never really found traction.
Syracuse went 1-2 in his three starts, he completed 54.8 percent of his passes, and he threw four touchdowns against five interceptions. All five picks came in the second halves of losses to Cal and Pitt.
Odom gave Syracuse a jolt in Week 5. The transfer from Kennesaw State produced six total touchdowns, including five through the air, and also powered in the game-winning two-point conversion in overtime to beat UConn.
But his status on Friday’s final injury report told the story of where things stood: Odom was listed as “doubtful,” while Angeli was marked “out.” Odom had already been listed as questionable on Wednesday because of a shoulder injury, and there had been no previous report of an Angeli injury.
That leaves the job to Nelson, a former five-star recruit who once carried the top overall ranking in the Class of 2023. His path since then has been anything but straightforward.
Nelson spent 2023 at Southern California, where he redshirted after appearing in one game. In 2024 at Boise State, he played in three games and went 12-of-17 for 128 yards with an interception.
This season at UTEP, he has played six games and completed 54.7 percent of his passes for eight touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Now he gets another chance, and Syracuse is betting on him at a spot that has already been a season-long storyline. Angeli started four games last year before tearing his Achilles and missing the final eight, and Syracuse went 0-8 after that because the depth chart at quarterback ran thin.
Brown tried to fix that in the offseason by adding both Odom and Nelson. The Orange have already seen that plan work once.
On Saturday, they’ll find out whether it can work again.
In Other News...
Syracuse Faces A Sudden QB Twist Ahead Of Virginia
Syracuses quarterback picture took a sudden turn heading into Virginia, with Amari Odom downgraded to doubtful and Steve Angeli ruled out. That leaves Malachi Nelson expected to take the first snaps for the Orange, a significant shift at a position that had already been under the spotlight as the team prepared for a key ACC matchup.
The changes do not stop there. Running back Shavane Anderson Jr. has been ruled out, while linebacker Antoine Deslauriers and defensive back Nazir Ward are both listed as questionable, adding more uncertainty on both sides of the ball. For a Syracuse team trying to steady itself before kickoff, the injury report has turned into a major part of the story. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Heads Into Virginia With A New Question At Quarterback
A week that already carried plenty of uncertainty around Syracuses offense now seems set to put Malachi Nelson back in the spotlight. With Amari Odom listed as doubtful and Steve Angeli ruled out on the latest injury report, the Orange are expected to turn to Nelson at quarterback when they visit Virginia, giving the former top high school recruit another chance to steer the attack.
It will be Nelsons seventh collegiate start, a reminder of how much experience he has picked up even as the search for stability continues at the position. Syracuse has been navigating injuries at quarterback all week, and the trip to Virginia now brings a fresh layer of pressure, with the Orange needing Nelson to settle in quickly and give the offense a workable rhythm. [Read more 🡒]
Gavin Doty Just Framed Syracuses Mindset For A Huge Season
At the ACC Tipoff event in Charlotte, Syracuse coach Gerry McNamara was joined by Gavin Doty and Aiden Tobiason, giving the Orange a chance to start putting a public face on what they hope is a meaningful season ahead. Doty used the platform to talk about his own growth, his excitement for the year, and the bigger goals around the program, which include being competitive in the ACC and pushing for NCAA Tournament success.
The setting mattered because this is the kind of preseason stage where a team can either sound generic or sound like it has a clear sense of purpose, and Doty came off as someone already leaning into the latter. The full conversation, featured on the Juice on the Cuse Podcast, offered a glimpse of where Syracuse thinks it is headed, with McNamara and his players presenting a group that wants more than just a respectable showing in conference play. [Read more 🡒]