Syracuse’s surge has its beat writers buying in, and all three are calling for the Orange to take down Clemson again Saturday.
That’s a sharp turn from where things looked not long ago. Syracuse’s win at Clemson on Sept. 20, 2025, had the feel of a breakthrough, but it ended up being the final victory of the season after quarterback Steve Angeli tore his Achilles tendon in the third quarter.
Now Angeli is back in rhythm after a midseason setback and a stretch away for a platelet-rich plasma injection in his leg, and Syracuse has strung together two straight wins - at North Carolina and then at home against then-No. 19 SMU.
The Orange enter the matchup at 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, while Clemson is 5-3 and 3-2 in the ACC. And the predictions from the beat writers all lean the same way: Syracuse by a field goal or a little more.
Noah Nussbaum sees a 27-23 Syracuse win and says he may be “drinking the Kool-Aid too much here by picking Syracuse to win a third straight game,” but he also points to the fact that this team has earned some trust. He writes that Angeli initially looked “helpless,” but now appears healthier, more agile and more poised.
Nussbaum also notes that Clemson is no longer the same force it was in the Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence years, and says the Tigers have not beaten an ACC team with a winning record this season. With Clemson cycling through Christopher Vizzina and Tait Reynolds at quarterback, Nussbaum believes Syracuse can exploit one of the country’s weakest passing attacks.
Nicholas Alumkal is also on Syracuse, projecting a 27-24 win. He admits he had no faith in the Orange after they opened conference play 0-4, but says they proved him wrong.
He calls Syracuse’s recent form a reason to believe again, pointing to Angeli’s turnover-free play, the rise of Umari Hatcher and Calvin Russell III as a two-receiver threat, and a defense that is finally matching coordinator Vince Kehres’ violent identity. Alumkal also says Syracuse will win its third straight ACC game in a season for the first time since 2022.
Harris Pemberton rounds out the sweep with a 26-20 Syracuse pick. He says he hasn’t backed the Orange in an ACC game since Week 2 against Cal, but the recent wins have changed his view.
Pemberton says Syracuse has not been perfect, yet the victory over SMU showed the Orange are learning how to win even when they are not clean. He also points out that Clemson has the fourth-worst scoring offense in the ACC, and says Reynolds will need to steady the Tigers against a Syracuse team that has averaged 30.5 points per game over its last two wins.
All three writers land in the same place: Syracuse has enough momentum, enough confidence and enough offensive life to beat Clemson again.
In Other News...
Syracuse Win Still Left Gerry McNamara Wanting Much More
Syracuse opened the season with a pair of wins, including a lopsided 102-49 rout of Central Connecticut State, but the early results did not exactly leave Gerry McNamara feeling satisfied. The Orange got meaningful contributions from Mark Morano, Gavin Doty, Luke Wilson and Sadiq White Jr., and the scoreboard looked plenty convincing, yet McNamara made it clear the standard inside the program is higher than simply piling up victories in November.
For Syracuse, the frustration is rooted in process as much as outcome. McNamara wants stronger performances and sharper execution even while the wins are coming, a reminder that the first week of the season can reveal as much about a teams habits as its record does. The Orange have the results they wanted, but the coach is already pushing for more from a group that has shown flashes and still has plenty to clean up. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Is Pulling Out All The Stops For Clemson At The Dome
Bryan Blair has been working the social-media circuit to give Syracuse football a little extra juice at the Dome, and it is the kind of hands-on push that usually shows how much the school wants the place full. The athletic director has been engaging directly with fans, including responding to a suggestion about a beer promotion and rolling out a student ticket deal called Slime Bryan, all in the name of making game day feel more like an event.
The timing matters with Clemson coming to town, because Syracuse is clearly trying to turn attendance into a real homefield edge. Student turnout has long been part of that equation, and the Orange are leaning into anything that might help pack the building and create a louder setting when one of the ACCs biggest draws arrives at the Dome. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Faces A Much Bigger Clemson Test Than Fans Realize
Syracuse heads into its matchup with Clemson riding a little momentum, which is more than it could say a few weeks ago. The Orange have won two straight ACC games, and now they get a chance to measure themselves against one of the leagues standard-bearers at home, with Steve Angeli expected to start at quarterback as the offense tries to keep its recent progress going.
The quarterback picture is still a real concern, though, with Amari Odom out for the season because of a shoulder injury and Malachi Nelson doubtful after ankle surgery. Syracuse has beaten Clemson twice since 2017, so there is recent history to lean on, but the bigger picture is just as important: with four games left, the Orange still need two more wins to secure bowl eligibility, which gives this one a little extra weight beyond the usual ACC spotlight. [Read more 🡒]