Syracuse’s Halloween afternoon looked headed for a trick, then turned into a treat.
Down late and staring at another frustrating finish, the Orange got the answer they needed from Steve Angeli, who found Noah Meyers on a 2-yard touchdown pass with 17 seconds left to lift Syracuse past No. 19 SMU, 30-27, at the JMA Wireless Dome. It was Syracuse’s first win over a ranked opponent since beating Miami at the dome in 2024, and fans in costume rushed the field afterward.
The victory moved Syracuse to 4-4, and the game had just about everything: a strong opening stretch, a second-half collapse that nearly swallowed the day, and a final drive that bailed the Orange out.
Syracuse came out sharp and built one of its best first halves in recent memory. The Orange scored on four of their five possessions before halftime, converted all three of their fourth-down tries, and forced a turnover when Demetres Samuel Jr. caused a fumble that Davien Kerr recovered. The defense also made SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings uncomfortable enough to keep the Mustangs from settling in early.
But the second half nearly unraveled everything.
SMU outgained Syracuse 150-27 in the third quarter, and the Orange’s offense lost its edge after halftime. Jeff Nixon’s play-calling turned conservative, and the lack of adjustments showed.
Syracuse had a huge gain wiped out when freshman receiver Calvin Russell appeared to break free for 63 yards on a 3rd-and-15, only for a holding call on Umari Hatcher to erase it. On the next snap, Angeli was called for grounding in the end zone, giving SMU a safety and trimming the lead to 20-19.
The Mustangs kept rolling from there. They turned the next possession into a touchdown and two-point conversion to go ahead 27-20 with 9:04 left, and the momentum felt like it had completely flipped.
Syracuse still found a way to answer. Angeli led a scoring drive, though the Orange had to settle for a field goal after he missed an open Hatcher in the end zone on 3rd-and-goal. That cut the deficit to 27-23 and kept the door open.
Then Angeli closed it.
He guided Syracuse on an 11-play, 68-yard drive and finished it with the touchdown to Meyers that sent the dome into chaos and sealed the win.
Jennings was a problem all afternoon for Syracuse’s secondary. He completed 29 of 36 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns, using his mobility to extend plays and repeatedly stress the Orange defense.
Kerr had a rough day in coverage, but Syracuse’s pass rush still made its presence felt with four sacks. That’s a significant number against a quarterback who had only been sacked eight times coming into the game.
Tunmise Adeleye delivered one of the biggest defensive plays of the day when he sacked Jennings on a 3rd-and-16 in the fourth quarter, setting up the chance for Syracuse’s offense to get back on the field and finish the job.
The running game also played a major role in getting Syracuse to the finish line. The Orange outrushed SMU 115-26 in the first half, with Ahmad Miller gaining 49 yards and Tylik Hill adding 46.
Angeli even joined the ground attack with a 26-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter. Syracuse managed only 23 rushing yards after halftime, but the early production helped set the tone.
One area that still needs work is third down. Syracuse went just 4-for-17 in those situations, hurt by both execution and play-calling. The Orange, however, were perfect on fourth down, going 3-for-3, which helped keep drives alive when they needed them most.
Special teams were steady, too. Tripp Woody made all three of his field goals and all of his extra points in a season where that spot has been anything but settled. Quinn Olcutt, the new kicker brought over from the men’s soccer team, handled kickoffs but was not needed for placekicking duties.
For Syracuse, Halloween ended with a full-sized candy bar after all.
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 🡒]
Fran Brown Just Gave Syracuse The Jolt It Desperately Needed
Halloween at the JMA Wireless Dome brought Syracuse the kind of win that can reset a season. The Orange knocked off No. 19 SMU, 30-27, to move back to .500 at 4-4, and it felt like more than just another upset on the schedule. For Fran Brown, it was the kind of result that changes the conversation around a program that had been taking on some heat in recent weeks.
With four games left, Syracuse still has a path to bowl eligibility, and the math is simple enough: win at least two more and an invitation stays in play. The bigger question now is whether this victory can carry over beyond one night, because Brown and the Orange needed a jolt, and they finally got one when it mattered most. [Read more 🡒]