Syracuse’s margin for error is already gone, and the numbers around the Orange made that pretty clear after Week 2.
Coming off a three-point loss to California in their first ACC game of 2026, Syracuse heads straight into another league test Thursday night against Pittsburgh. And across the college football landscape, the Orange took a noticeable hit in the wake of that result.
ESPN’s College Football Power Index dropped Syracuse six spots, from No. 54 to No. 60 overall. The Orange are now 14th among ACC teams, and FPI gives them a projected finish somewhere between 4.5 and 7.5 wins. ESPN also says Syracuse has a 27.4% chance of reaching six victories.
The Orange slipped again in ESPN’s SP+ Rankings, falling from No. 60 to No. 67.
Their current breakdown there puts them 84th on offense, 54th on defense, and 35th on special teams. Pittsburgh, by comparison, sits at No. 29 overall in FPI and checks in at 36th on offense, 46th on defense, and 59th on special teams in SP+.
Other outlets were less harsh, but the trend line still moved the wrong way. Syracuse rose one spot in CBS Sports’ rankings, climbing from No. 70 to No. 69, while Pitt sits at No.
- The Athletic nudged Syracuse down from No. 74 to No. 77, with Pittsburgh listed at No.
- College Football News also pushed the Orange back, moving them from No. 65 to No. 72 entering Week 3.
Pitt is No. 53 there.
In the local poll, Syracuse fell from 6th to 11th this week. Pittsburgh is 5th.
The Orange didn’t receive any votes in either the AP poll or the US LBM Coaches poll. Pitt picked up one vote in the AP poll and several in the Coaches poll.
Around the ACC, Week 2 was a busy one. Miami rolled Florida A&M 77-7.
Louisville beat Villanova 59-13. Virginia handled Norfolk State 59-3.
NC State blasted Richmond 73-0. Boston College edged Rutgers 28-21.
SMU beat UC Davis 56-10. Georgia Tech lost to Tennessee 45-24.
North Carolina beat East Tennessee State 35-3. Virginia Tech topped Old Dominion 44-21.
Wake Forest outlasted Purdue 38-36. Pittsburgh beat UCF 12-7.
Duke defeated Illinois 31-27. Clemson took down Georgia Southern 22-7.
Week 3 brings another full slate, with Syracuse and Pittsburgh set for Thursday night. The rest of the conference schedule includes Miami at Wake Forest on Friday, Mercer at Georgia Tech, North Carolina at Clemson, NC State at Vanderbilt, Maine at Boston College, Florida State at Alabama, SMU at Louisville, Wagner at California, Stanford at Duke, West Virginia at Virginia, and Virginia Tech at Maryland on Saturday.
In Other News...
Syracuse Heads To Pitt With One Lineup Call Fans Will Notice
After opening the 2026 season with a win over New Hampshire and a loss to California, Syracuse is heading into its third game with another reminder of how thin the margins can be early in the year. Fran Browns team now turns to Pittsburgh, where the Orange have not won in 25 years, and the projected depth chart for this one offers the first real look at how the staff is sorting through roles on offense, defense and special teams.
One lineup call is likely to draw the most attention because it speaks to where Syracuse sees its best options right now, especially with the schedule starting to sharpen. Depth charts are never final, but this one gives a pretty good sense of who the Orange trust heading into a road game that has carried extra weight for a long time. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Just Got Another Reminder Of How Far The Program Has Fallen
Syracuses slide has become hard to ignore, and the latest reminder came through ESPNs Big Monday plans for the upcoming season. With the Orange not included in the networks marquee broadcast lineup, it is another sign of how far the program has drifted from the national spotlight while it works to snap a five-season NCAA Tournament drought and avoid another spring on the outside looking in.
Gerry McNamara is trying to change that trajectory in his first year at the controls, leaning on transfer additions as he reshapes the roster and pushes toward a stronger foundation. The bigger goal is not just getting Syracuse back into the field next season, but building something that looks more like a threat again by 2026-27, when the program will be judged on whether it can climb back into the games and conversations it used to command. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Heads Into Practice With A Troubling Garwey Dual Question
Garwey Duals status has become one of the early storylines as Syracuse gets ready to open practice for the new season. The transfer guard is still working back from an offseason collarbone injury and has not yet been cleared for full contact, leaving the Orange to take a careful look at how he fits as the team ramps up toward exhibition play in mid-October.
For Syracuse, the concern is less about one players availability than how the guard rotation takes shape if Dual needs more time. Gavin Doty and Aiden Tobiason are also in the mix as the staff evaluates options at the position, making the next stretch of practice an important one for sorting out roles before the season starts to take form. [Read more 🡒]