Through three games, Syracuse football has turned penalties into its loudest storyline. The Orange are not just near the top of the national list - they sit alone at the top of the entire FBS and the Power Four in flags.
That’s where the frustration starts, and the numbers make it even starker. Syracuse has been penalized 36 times so far in the 2026 season, more than any of the 138 FBS teams.
Only Missouri St., UCLA, UTSA and Syracuse have reached 30 penalties or more. For perspective, 23 penalties is enough to land inside the top 100 nationally, and Syracuse is already 13 above that mark.
The yardage loss has been just as damaging. Syracuse has given away 329 penalty yards, and only UTSA, with 345, has more. That puts the Orange at the top among Power Four teams and at nearly 110 penalty yards per game.
It hasn’t been a one-game problem, either. In each of Syracuse’s three games, the Orange have been on the wrong side of the penalty battle against their opponent. Put all of that together, and Syracuse is basically giving away about three more penalties per game than the team across from it, along with nearly 35 extra penalty yards each week.
The fouls have shown up everywhere - on offense, defense and special teams, before the snap, during the play and after it. Some have drawn questions, but most have been clear-cut.
Now the Orange head into a bye week with plenty to clean up before their next game, a road matchup against UConn. If Syracuse doesn’t get the self-inflicted mistakes under control, the cost will keep piling up.
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Tommy DeVito has quickly re-entered the conversation, with social media pushing the idea of a return to New York after his time with the Giants made him a favorite among supporters. DeVito is now a backup quarterback for the Patriots after being claimed off waivers ahead of the 2025 season, but the buzz around a possible comeback shows how quickly a thin quarterback room can send fans back to names they already know. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Fans Are Finally Seeing A Different Approach From Leadership
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Haynie and Blair laid out that vision in a joint interview on the "Syracuse Sports" podcast, using the platform to talk through the culture change they want to foster across Syracuse athletics. For a fan base that has spent years wanting to feel more connected to the people in charge, the new approach is at least a meaningful signal that leadership sees the relationship as part of the job, not just a backdrop to it. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Bye Week Just Made Its Quarterback Debate Impossible To Ignore
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Now the staff has a week to sort through a decision that can shape the rest of the season. The Orange do not have the luxury of ignoring the position after a game like that, and the bye gives them time to weigh experience against upside, stability against a possible spark. Whether they stay with Angeli or turn to Odom, the choice will say plenty about how Syracuse wants to navigate what comes next. [Read more 🡒]