Syracuse’s 30-27 upset of No. 19 SMU wasn’t just another notch in the win column. It gave the Orange their first victory over a ranked opponent since the end of the 2024 season, and it pushed them to back-to-back ACC wins for the first time since 2024.
At 4-4, Syracuse suddenly has some momentum, and Pro Football Focus grades show exactly where it came from. The Orange got big-time production from a few key names, with the defensive front and a handful of timely offensive plays carrying the day.
Senior edge rusher Keyshawn Johnson was right in the middle of it. He piled up two sacks, two tackles for loss and six total tackles, continuing the kind of impact he’s brought all season. Syracuse’s pass rush was a difference-maker overall, finishing with six sacks and seven tackles for loss, and Johnson’s 85.2 PFF grade was the best among ACC edge defenders last week and seventh-best among FBS edge defenders.
That kind of pressure gives Syracuse a real chance to keep stacking wins. When Johnson is winning off the edge like that, the Orange can make life miserable for opposing quarterbacks and dictate more of the action at the line.
The interior of the defense showed up too. Sophomore defensive tackle Nissi Ogbebor added seven tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss, giving Syracuse another source of pressure from the middle. His 79.1 PFF grade ranked fifth among ACC defensive tackles last week and 68th among FBS defensive tackles.
Having multiple defenders making plays up front matters for Syracuse, because it keeps the rush from being one-dimensional. If the Orange are going to keep pushing toward bowl eligibility, that line play will have to hold up.
On the offensive side, senior quarterback Steve Angeli kept things steady after returning to the starting lineup. He threw for 200 yards and a touchdown, and he also scored on a 26-yard run that gave Syracuse an early first-quarter lead. His 80.3 PFF grade ranked fifth among ACC quarterbacks last week and 21st among FBS quarterbacks.
Angeli’s recent stretch has given Syracuse something it badly needed: stability. His downfield passing, decision-making and ability to convert important third downs have helped the Orange break out of their ACC skid and earn their first ranked win of the season.
Sophomore tight end Daunte Bacheyie delivered in the biggest moments. He finished with three catches for 47 yards, including a 25-yard reception, and one of his most important plays came late in the fourth quarter when he hauled in a 15-yard pass to the SMU 2-yard line with 27 seconds left.
That set up Syracuse’s game-winning touchdown. Bacheyie’s 82.6 PFF grade ranked sixth among ACC tight ends last week and 28th among FBS tight ends.
Syracuse needed those kinds of plays to close out SMU, and Bacheyie came through when the Orange needed him most.
The win over SMU was a clean snapshot of what Syracuse looks like when the pieces click together. Johnson and Ogbebor helped lead a disruptive pass rush, Angeli steadied the offense, and Bacheyie made the late catch that helped finish the job.
After beating North Carolina to end its ACC losing streak, Syracuse has now won two straight conference games and sits at 4-4 with bowl eligibility within reach. If these individual performances keep turning into team wins, the Orange could be setting themselves up for a much better finish than the season once seemed to promise.
In Other News...
Gerry McNamara Just Sent A Clear Message To Two Young Orange Pieces
Syracuse opened the season with a win over New Haven, and Gerry McNamara wasted little time using the game as a teaching moment for two of the Oranges younger pieces. Sophomore forward Sadiq White gave the staff the kind of production it wanted to see, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and McNamara pointed to that outing as the standard White is expected to meet as he settles into a bigger role.
Freshman point guard Ryan Moesch, meanwhile, got a far less encouraging review despite handing out 5 assists. McNamara made clear that the box score only told part of the story, and his comments served as a reminder that Syracuse is still sorting out how quickly its young guards can translate potential into consistent winning play. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Heads Into Clemson Week With One Big Concern Growing
With Clemson coming to town for homecoming, Syracuse is trying to turn a big Saturday into more than just another date on the calendar. Athletic director Brian Blair made it clear the Orange want a stronger showing in the stands, and the timing matters with a marquee opponent on the schedule and the program trying to build real momentum around its home atmosphere.
On the football side, Fran Brown spent part of the week sorting through personnel updates, including Malachi Nelsons ankle injury and the addition of Quinn Olcott to the roster. Brown also said Steve Angeli plans to return to college next season, while continuing to stress the kind of process-driven growth Syracuse has been leaning on as it heads into one of its biggest home games of the year. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse May Have Found The Rebounding Help It Desperately Needed
Syracuse got the kind of frontcourt effort it has been missing in a 74-58 win over New Haven, and it came from an unexpected pair. Gavin Doty and Sadiq White each posted double-doubles, with Doty finishing with 14 points and 13 rebounds and White adding 14 points and 10 rebounds, a strong answer for a team that had been fighting through rebounding issues.
For Syracuse, the bigger takeaway is less about the final score than the way the Orange controlled the glass. If Doty and White can keep providing that kind of presence inside, it gives Syracuse a much-needed path to steadier play in the games ahead, and a reason to think the rebounding problem may finally have a solution taking shape. [Read more 🡒]