Syracuse keeps finding a way to make life miserable for ranked teams in the JMA Wireless Dome.
That trend held again on Saturday, when the Orange knocked off No. 19 SMU, 30-27, to move back to 4-4 and stay in the hunt for a bowl bid. The result added another chapter to a home pattern that has become hard to ignore: Syracuse has now won four of its last five home games against ranked opponents.
The list is a strong one. Syracuse beat No.
8 Miami, 42-38, in 2024, followed that with a 31-28 win over No. 23 Georgia Tech later that same season, and took down No.
15 North Carolina State, 24-9, in 2022. The lone blemish in that stretch was a 38-3 loss to Florida State in 2022.
Saturday’s win did not come easily. Syracuse carried a 20-10 lead into halftime, then found itself trailing 27-23 late in the fourth quarter before Steve Angeli put together the decisive drive. He finished it with a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Noah Meyers.
Angeli has now won two straight since regaining the starting job. His season was interrupted by a three-game absence against UConn, Virginia and Louisville after he received a PRP injection in his surgically-repaired Achilles.
The defense also did its part, finishing with six sacks and two fumble recoveries.
Syracuse will get another shot at a ranked opponent later this season when it hosts No. 4 Notre Dame in the final regular-season game on Nov.
- The game time has not been announced.
Before that, though, the Orange still have Clemson, Boston College and North Carolina State ahead of them.
Around the program, there’s more movement elsewhere in the league that could end up circling back to Syracuse. North Carolina State and Florida State have both fired their head coaches, and there’s speculation that former NFL quarterback Philip Rivers could be in the mix for the NC State opening. Florida State, meanwhile, will have plenty of candidates to sort through.
And on the basketball side, Syracuse opens its season Monday night at 7 p.m. ET against New Haven. It will be the first game for head coach Gerry McNamara, who is expected to coach despite the death of his father on Saturday.
In Other News...
Clemsons Injury Trouble Could Change Everything For Syracuse Saturday
Syracuses matchup with Clemson took on a different look after Dabo Swinney said several Tigers starters were injured in the loss to Florida State and are expected to miss Saturdays game in the Dome. Among the players sidelined are running back Gideon Davidson, left guard Elyjah Thurmon, center Harris Sewell and linebacker Kobe McCloud, a cluster of absences that hits both the offensive line and the defensive front of one of the ACCs most physical teams.
For Syracuse, the timing matters. Clemson is already turning to backup players to fill those spots, and the Orange now get a chance to test a reshuffled opponent in a game that could carry real weight in the conference race. The injuries do not guarantee anything, but they do change the margin for error and add another layer of intrigue to a matchup that had already been important. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Made An Early Impression On A Quarterback Fans Should Watch
Zymere Weavers visit to Syracuse for the game against SMU gave the 2028 quarterback a close look at what the Orange can offer on a big fall Saturday. The trip included a chance to soak in the game-day atmosphere at the JMA Wireless Dome, and Weaver came away impressed by the way Syracuse carried itself on the field, especially the discipline it showed throughout the game.
Weaver also spent time with Syracuse coaches, talking through his own high school season and the style of play he brings to the position. He had plenty to notice from Steve Angelis performance as well, and the visit appears to have given Syracuse an early foothold with a quarterback fans will want to keep an eye on as his recruitment develops. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Bowl Hopes Are Back With One Big December Question
Syracuse has put itself back in the bowl conversation, but the margin for error is still thin. With four games left, the Orange need two more wins to reach bowl eligibility, and that has kept the seasons late stretch meaningful even as different outlets have started mapping out possible December destinations.
The projections have been all over the place, with some sending Syracuse to the San Juan Bowl against Marshall or Georgia Southern, others linking the Orange to the Gasparilla Bowl against Minnesota or the Birmingham Bowl against Auburn. Still, there is no consensus, and some analysts are not projecting a bowl trip at all, which leaves the final month with plenty riding on how Syracuse closes. [Read more 🡒]