Syracuse’s 30-27 win over No. 19 SMU on Saturday did more than move the Orange to 4-4. It added another loud entry to the growing list of ranked teams that have walked into the JMA Wireless Dome and left empty-handed.
Even with a sparse crowd on hand, Syracuse kept doing what it has been doing at home under third-year coach Fran Brown: beating teams with a number next to their name. The Orange have now won four of their last five home games against ranked opponents, and they are 3-0 against Associated Press Top 25 teams at home under Brown.
That reality was all over social media after the game, where the Dome itself became the star of the show. One post called the JMA Wireless Dome “the biggest trap environment in CFB,” while another leaned into the old nickname with, “That ol’ Carrier Dome … it’ll get after ya.”
The game also gave Syracuse fans plenty else to celebrate. The Orange got attention for sliming chancellor Mike Haynie, debuting helmets featuring Otto, and once again leaning on a clutch game-winning drive from quarterback Steve Angeli. Fans stormed the field in Halloween costumes after the upset.
The helmet detail drew its own reaction online, with one post noting, “Weird stat: Syracuse has never lost when wearing Otto the Orange on its helmets. Orange upset SMU 30-27”
Angeli, meanwhile, was a major theme in the postgame chatter. One former player wrote, “Also how sick am I when I look back at some of our losses….
We finally found the right pairing on the OL.
Angeli is healthy.
We have the best 1-2 WR tandem in the country.
Defense getting after the QB.
And we can kick FGs?!?!!
You don’t want to see @CuseFootball”
Others pointed to how different Syracuse has looked with Angeli back. One post said, “Syracuse has been a different team since Steve Angeli returned. Back-to-back wins over North Carolina and SMU.”
Another added, “If Steve Angeli was healthy all season Syracuse would be 6-2. Maybe 7-1.
Happy Halloween! 🎃 🍊 🎃 🍊”
The reaction kept rolling from there, with posts calling Angeli clutch and describing the field storming after Syracuse’s second straight upset. For one night, though, the biggest takeaway was simple: the Dome has become a very uncomfortable place for ranked teams.
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Syracuse Just Gave Fran Browns Season New Life
For a team that spent much of the fall looking for a spark, Saturday night at the JMA Wireless Dome delivered one in a big way. Syracuse knocked off No. 19 SMU 30-27 in an Atlantic Coast Conference game, and the payoff came from a late touchdown pass from Steve Angeli to Noah Meyers that gave the Orange a signature win when they needed one most.
It was Syracuses first victory over a ranked opponent since November 2024, the kind of result that can change the feel of a season in a hurry. At 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the ACC, the Orange still have work to do, but this was the sort of performance that can give Fran Browns team a new layer of belief heading into the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Finally Got The Ranked Win Fans Needed But Not Easily
Syracuse got the kind of result its season had been waiting for, and it came with plenty of stress attached. The Orange knocked off No. 19 SMU 30-27 behind a late touchdown pass from Steve Angeli to Noah Meyers, a finish that capped a game Syracuse had mostly controlled early before having to withstand a much tougher second half.
The victory was Syracuses first over a ranked opponent since 2024 and moved the Orange back to .500 at 4-4. It also offered a fuller picture of where this team is right now, with a strong first-half showing, meaningful help from the defense and rushing game, and enough resilience to survive when SMU pushed back late. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Faces A Huge Test Against SMU With Key Availability In Focus
Saturdays matchup with SMU has plenty of intrigue before the first snap, and the availability report already gave Syracuse a bit of clarity. Defensive back Jai Eugene Jr. has been ruled out, while quarterback Steve Angeli appears to be healthy, a reassuring sign for an Orange team trying to handle one of its biggest tests of the season at the JMA Wireless Dome. The game is airing on ESPN2, with live updates tracking every scoring play and defensive stop as the afternoon unfolds.
For Syracuse, the pregame backdrop matters almost as much as the opponent. SMU brings a tough challenge into a game that could say plenty about where the Orange stand, and the injury picture helps shape how theyll try to answer it. With Angeli available, Syracuse can at least lean into its offensive plan with more confidence, even as the absence on the back end leaves a hole the defense will have to manage against a dangerous Mustangs attack. [Read more 🡒]