Virginia football gets a chance to stop the slide against Syracuse
Virginia came out of the first two weeks looking like a team ready to make noise again. The Cavaliers handled NC State in the opener, then did what they were supposed to do against Norfolk State, and suddenly the ranking, the confidence, and the ACC Championship talk all felt real.
Three weeks later, that feeling is gone. Virginia was blasted 38-7 by Florida State last weekend, and now the Cavaliers return to Scott Stadium at 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the ACC trying to keep the season from drifting further off course. Syracuse comes in at 2-2 and 0-2 in league play, a team that didn’t look especially threatening before the season - though at this point, Virginia can’t afford to treat anyone like a soft landing spot.
The biggest question for Saturday is simple: was last week a wake-up call, or the start of a much rougher ride than anyone expected? That answer may hinge on Syracuse quarterback Amari Odom, who replaced Steve Angeli after Angeli managed just one touchdown and five interceptions in losses to California and Pittsburgh. Odom got the nod before kickoff against UConn and made the decision look easy, completing 73% of his passes for 335 yards and five touchdowns while adding another score on the ground in Syracuse’s 42-41 overtime win.
Odom’s performance likely put him in position to keep the job, but his status is still up in the air. He was listed as questionable Thursday with arm and shoulder soreness, which leaves the door open for Angeli again.
That uncertainty makes the Orange tougher to game-plan for, especially because Odom brings a lot more as a runner. He rushed for 347 yards and seven touchdowns last season at Kennesaw State, while Angeli has minus-20 career rushing yards.
The receiver Virginia has to track first is Umari Hatcher, a Woodbridge, Virginia native who has become Syracuse’s clear top target. Through four games, Hatcher has 29 catches for 434 yards and five touchdowns, and his production has outpaced the next three Syracuse pass-catchers combined. He was even better against UConn, catching 12 passes for 153 yards and three scores, a performance that landed him on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.
On defense, Keyshawn Johnson has already become a problem for opposing offenses. The UT Martin transfer has 3.5 sacks, plus a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a pass breakup on his 2026 stat sheet.
At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, he may not be the biggest linebacker around, but his job is obvious: chase the quarterback. After Virginia allowed 10 sacks against Florida State, Johnson has to be near the top of the scouting report.
Virginia’s offensive line is one of the defining storylines of the game. It was praised before the season for its experience and age, but it was overwhelmed in Tallahassee, where the Cavaliers gave up 10 sacks and constant pressure. Against a Syracuse pass rush that doesn’t look especially intimidating beyond Johnson, this should be the kind of matchup where Virginia stabilizes.
The other side of the ball is just as important. Florida State ran wild on Virginia for 281 rushing yards last weekend, including 136 yards and five touchdowns from quarterback Ashton Daniels.
The tackling was poor, the run fits broke down, and the Seminoles kept stacking explosive plays on the ground. Syracuse enters the weekend averaging 166.3 rushing yards per game, which ranks sixth in the ACC, so Virginia has to clean up that mess fast.
If Odom is unavailable, that could change the look of the game, but either way the Cavaliers need much better discipline against the run.
Virginia fans are waiting for the ground game that showed up in the opener against NC State to reappear. This is as good a spot as any to try to get it back, especially against a Syracuse defense that just allowed 41 points to UConn. The Orange were picked to finish 12th in the ACC preseason poll and have done little so far to argue otherwise.
So while the last two weeks have rattled the optimism around this team, it still feels like a good opportunity for Virginia to steady itself. If Syracuse doesn’t get a big night from Odom, the Cavaliers should have enough to snap the skid. Give Virginia the win by 10.
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