Syracuse is headed into Saturday night at Virginia with a third different quarterback likely to start, and the name at the top of the depth chart is a familiar one to anyone who followed recruiting a few years ago.
Malachi Nelson is expected to get the nod for the Orange, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. It would be his first Syracuse start and the seventh start of his college career.
The quarterback picture shifted late in the week as the ACC injury report changed again. Starting quarterback Amari Odom moved from “Questionable” on Thursday to “Doubtful” on Friday night. Steve Angeli, Syracuse’s original starter, went from no injury designation Thursday to “Out” on Friday.
That leaves Nelson in line to handle the offense in a game Syracuse badly needs as it continues searching for its first ACC win of the 2026 season. The Orange and Virginia kick off at 7:30 pm ET at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, and the game will air on ACC Network.
Nelson has been around the block already. He started six games for UTEP last season and threw for 1,163 yards with eight touchdowns and nine interceptions in those outings.
Before that, he also saw action in three games for Boise State and one game for USC. He did play in Syracuse’s season opener against New Hampshire, though he didn’t post any offensive numbers.
His resume out of high school was as loud as they come. Nelson was the No. 1 overall recruit in ESPN’s rankings for the 2023 class and a consensus five-star prospect.
ESPN rated him ahead of quarterbacks Dante Moore, Arch Manning and Nico Iamaleava. He also won California’s Gatorade Player of the Year award twice.
Syracuse had hoped Odom would be the one to take on ACC competition after his strong debut as a starter. Against UConn, he threw for 335 yards and five touchdowns, with two interceptions. He also ran for a touchdown and scored the game-winning two-point conversion.
If Odom couldn’t go, many around the program likely expected Angeli to be next in line before Nelson. But Angeli’s return has been rocky. He threw five interceptions in Syracuse’s two losses this season, even after leading the nation in passing yards last season before an achilles injury cut his 2025 campaign short.
Behind Nelson, Syracuse still has some depth if it needs it. Georgetown transfer Danny Lauter is expected to back him up Saturday, with sophomores Joseph Filardi and Rich Belin and true freshman Zaid Lott also available.
In Other News...
Syracuse Faces A New Quarterback Test Fran Brown Couldn't Avoid
Fran Brown had little choice but to reshuffle the quarterback picture this week, with Syracuse set to turn to Malachi Nelson against Virginia after injuries knocked Amari Odom and Steve Angeli out of the mix. Odom is listed as doubtful with a shoulder injury, while Angeli is already out, leaving the Orange to pivot to a passer with plenty of pedigree but still a lot to prove in this setting.
Nelson arrives with the kind of rsum that keeps coaches intrigued, a former top recruit who has already moved through multiple schools before landing at Syracuse. Now the Orange need him to stabilize a position that has suddenly become fragile, and the timing makes this more than just another lineup change. For Brown, it is a quarterback decision he could not dodge, and for Nelson it is another chance to show he can handle a stage that has been waiting for him. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]
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 🡒]