Syracuse closes 2025 with lopsided loss to Boston College on Senior Day

SYRACUSE, NY – It was 6-6 at halftime, but Boston College outscored Syracuse 28-6 in the second half to win Saturday’s regular-season finale 34-12 at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Fran Brown’s offense struggled once again, as true freshman quarterback Joe Filardi threw for just 65 yards. Since Steve Angeli’s season-ending injury in week four, the Orange offense hasn’t scored more than 18 points in a game. Brown said he plans to approach the quarterback position much differently next season.

“I’m going to make sure we’ve got four or five really good quarterbacks, especially when you’re able to use the portal,” Brown said.

Dan Villari took a large portion of Saturday afternoon’s snaps at wildcat quarterback. In his final college game, the senior tight end rushed for 44 yards and Syracuse’s lone touchdown late in the fourth quarter. After the game, Villari reflected on his career in Orange.

“You’re not judged on your wins, you’re judged on your losses,” Villari said. “When times have been tough, I made sure to play hard for my teammates and show who I really am.”

Brown said Villari epitomizes what a Syracuse football player should be.

“If everyone on the team does what Dan does, we’ll reach all our goals,” Brown said.

Syracuse finishes the season 3-9 — its worst year since going 1-10 in 2020. The Orange place 17th and last in the ACC.

No. 9 Notre Dame Obliterates Syracuse 70-7

SOUTH BEND, IN – There’s an old saying: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But when you’re in Head Coach Fran Brown’s shoes, what do you do when everything seems broken?

That question didn’t just linger over the afternoon in South Bend, it was put on full display as Syracuse dropped its seventh straight game of the season against Notre Dame, suffering a 70-7 defeat, the program’s largest loss in the 21st century.

Still searching for stability under center, the Orange turned to freshman quarterback Joe Filardi. But before he could find any rhythm, Notre Dame asserted its dominance. On Syracuse’s opening drive, safety Jalen Stroman jumped a route and returned a 44-yard pick-six with just 57 seconds gone, marking the fifth time this season the Orange have turned the ball over on their first possession.

Things unraveled quickly from there. As Syracuse lined up to punt, heavy pressure crashed in on punter Jack Stonehouse, forcing a mishit that the Irish scooped and returned for another touchdown with 12:19 remaining in the first quarter. Minutes later, cornerback Leonard Moore added yet another defensive touchdown with a second pick-six.

A quarterback change followed, giving true freshman Luke Carney a chance to spark the offense. He managed to add a few positive gains, but the Irish defense was suffocating, allowing no play longer than seven yards while their own offense had yet to even take the field.

The Orange defense showed brief flashes, including two pass breakups by A’varius Sparrow. But Notre Dame closed the first quarter, and eventually the half, with a commanding performance befitting the nation’s 9th best team, heading into the locker room with a 35-0 lead.

The second quarter picked up exactly where the first left off. The Irish scored another touchdown in the opening minute, continuing to pile on. One of the few bright spots for Syracuse came in the developing connection between Filardi and tight end Dan Villari, who combined for 22 receiving yards, the most for the Orange in the half. But even that was overshadowed by yet another Irish touchdown at the 8:56 mark, stretching the margin to 49-0.

Defensively, Syracuse again flashed potential with a sack by David Reese, and the offense briefly found life with a 14-yard completion from Filardi to Darrell Gill Jr. The Orange attempted to salvage the drive with a field goal, but the kick sailed wide, sending them into halftime still trailing 49-0.
Notre Dame wasted no time in the second half. Jeremiyah Love opened the third quarter with a rushing touchdown to push the score to 56-0. Moments later, Irish lineman Jason Onye recorded the team’s fifth sack of the day, dropping Syracuse for a seven-yard loss.

Another turnover followed, an interception intended for Gill was returned nine yards by Ethan Long. With 13:32 remaining in the third, running back Aneas Williams burst up the middle for a 30-yard touchdown, stretching Notre Dame’s lead to 63-0.

In the fourth quarter, the Fighting Irish found a way to finish strong. Their defense consistently pressured the Orange, holding them to just 112 rushing yards compared to Notre Dame’s 329. With nothing left to lose, Filardi took matters into his own hands during Syracuse’s first red-zone trip, breaking free for a 33-yard run with 15 seconds left to finally put the Orange on the board, making it 70-7.

“This was a humbling experience, a learning experience, and I know this may sound crazy but just the opportunity of getting a chance to learn from that and being able to watch that football game. Later on, tonight and throughout the week, and learn from that the entire off season,” said Head Coach Fran Brown during the post-game press conference.

The Orange will conclude their season at home on November 29 against Boston College.

Syracuse’s Skid Continues against No. 18 Miami

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Syracuse’s struggles continue Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium, as the Orange fell to No. 18 Miami, 38–10.

Since quarterback Steve Angeli’s season-ending Achilles injury, Syracuse has dropped six straight and failed to score more than 18 points in any game.

The Orange held their own early, keeping Miami off the board midway through the second quarter and sacking quarterback Carson Beck twice.

“If you watch the game and look at it from 26 plus minutes, you can see how good of a football team we can be,” head coach Fran Brown said.

That early momentum flipped quickly when Beck caught a touchdown pass from wide receiver Malachi Toney, opening the scoring for Miami. The very next drive, Syracuse quarterback Rickie Collins threw a pick-six to make it 14–0 in under a minute.

From there, it was all Hurricanes. Beck became just the second active FBS quarterback to surpass 10,000 career passing yards, connecting with Keelan Marion on a 61-yard touchdown that paved the way for a 38–3 lead.

Syracuse’s only offensive output came on the last drive of the game, when freshman walk-on Joe Filardi connected with freshman tight end Elijah Washington-Baker for the first scores of both their careers.

“We’re looking to build a program. Both of those guys work hard and deserved to be out there,” Coach Brown said.

Syracuse (3–7) is no longer bowl-eligible with just two games left in the season and now look to right their wrongs headed into a bye week.

Gallery from Syracuse vs. University of North Carolina

Syracuse spooked by North Carolina, Orange complete just four passes in 27-10 defeat

SYRACUSE, NY – On Halloween night, Syracuse football turned to true freshman quarterback Joseph Filardi in an effort to snap a four-game losing streak. The experiment, however, was in vain as the Orange offense could not get going in a 27-10 defeat to the North Carolina Tar Heels. Syracuse’s four total passing completions tied for the lowest number of completions in a game for the Orange since 2002.

Syracuse held a 10-6 halftime lead with a defensive touchdown by Syracuse linebacker Anwar Sparrow being the sole difference after neither offense could find production in the first 30 minutes of play. In the second half, the Tar Heels offense woke up and ripped off 21 unanswered points to claim North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick’s first conference win.

Filardi finished with 39 yards (4-18) passing and added eight yards on the ground. North Carolina amassed 278 more total yards than Syracuse, with an average of 6.9 yards per play to 2.9. Syracuse running back Yasin Wilis lead the Orange on the ground with 15 rushes for 61 yards.

“Stop all this, ‘We just went winning every year,’ said Syracuse head coach Fran Brown during the postgame press conference. “I just want to make sure we’re going to get this going and we’re going to keep building it. It’s going to be done the right way. And as we do start to win, we’re going to be able to sustain it.”

In the first half, defense was the story of the game. North Carolina forced back-to-back three-and-outs on Syracuse’s first two possessions. Meanwhile, the Orange came up with a vital goal-line stand on the Tar Heels’ second drive of the game. Syracuse surrendered only a field goal following a 4th-and-goal false start by the North Carolina offense that resulted in coach Belichick opting not to go for it after originally keeping the offense on the field.

On the Tar Heels’ third drive of the half, Syracuse linebacker Devin Grant laid a strong hit in the middle of the field on North Carolina’s Shamar Easter who had made just his first catch of the season. Syracuse’s Anwar Sparrow scooped up the fumble and returned it 51 yards to the end zone for the touchdown to get the Orange on the board and give them the 7-3 lead.

Filardi orchestrated their most promising drive of the game in the second quarter — 13 plays, 51 yards — following a third North Carolina punt, but the Tar Heels defense held strong in the red zone and forced a Orange field goal that made the game 10-3. With the Syracuse offense averaging merely 2.5 yards per play up to this point, a touchdown lead was an astonishment.

North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez put together a drive of his own for the Tar Heels — 8 plays, 67 yards — near the end of the half, yet the Syracuse defense was able to stall the Tar Heels once again and conceded a second field goal to go into the half with a 10-6 advantage.

The Tar Heels out-gained the Orange though the air with 86 passing yards to 25, as well as on the ground with 122 rushing yards to 46. Even with a lone single passing completion from Filardi (1-11) after 30 minutes of play, Syracuse’s scoop-and-score touchdown managed to keep the Orange in front by four going into the second half.

Following a Syracuse punt on the first possession of the third quarter, Lopez threw a screen pass to North Carolina running back Demon June on the first play of the drive, and June did all of the rest. After making two Syracuse defenders miss and stiff arming another, June took off down the right sideline for 72-yard touchdown to give the Tar Heels the 13-10 lead.

Looking for a spark from the offense, head coach Fran Brown made a quarterback change on the second possession of the half and subbed in Luke Carney, Syracuse’s other freshman signal caller. Running back Yasin Willis barreled for two first down runs at the start of the drive, and Carney scrambled for another 18 yards to get Syracuse in scoring range, however the North Carolina defense sacked Carney twice to push the Orange out of field goal range and forced a punt.

On the ensuing series for North Carolina that started on their own-20, the Tar Heels engineered a 12-play, 80-yard drive which concluded with June bouncing off multiple defenders for a 5-yard touchdown. With his second score on back-to-back possessions, June increased North Carolina’s advantage 20-10.

Coach Brown opted to go back to Filardi at quarterback going into the fourth quarter, but the drive was short-lived after North Carolina defensive lineman Melkart Abou Jaoude was able to punch the ball out of Filardi’s hands on the fourth play of the series and North Carolina’s defensive lineman Smith Vilbert jumped on the fumble just before the ball went out of bounds.

With great field possession off of the fumble recovery, Lopez found North Carolina wide receiver Jordan Shipp open in the back of the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown, ballooning Syracuse’s deficit to 17. The Syracuse defense, which was fully “bend don’t break” and the story of the game in the first half, looked to be simply out of gas in the second after yielding three consecutive Tar Heel touchdowns.

“I want to win guys, I want to win by all means necessary,” said coach Brown. “And last year, we were able to go do that. But I had 12 guys leave and go to the NFL. So when 12 dudes go play in the National Football League, naturally there wasn’t 12 waiting to go to the league next year.”

With the defeat, Syracuse extends their losing streak to five with a 3-6 overall record and a 1-5 mark in ACC play. North Carolina, meanwhile, moved to 3-5 overall and claimed their first ACC victory. Friday’s game was just the eighth all-time meeting between the two schools, with the Tar Heels extending their series lead 5-3 after winning the last matchup in Chapel Hill in 2023.

“I have a lot of respect for the way my guys have fought all year long, especially after a couple tough losses,” said coach Belichick. “Things didn’t go great at the beginning of the game, but then they just kept battling. We emptied out the tank tonight, and we’ll go back to fill it up this week.”

After Friday’s game, Syracuse will have consecutive road games against No. 10 Miami on November 8 and No. 12 Notre Dame on November 22 before returning home to close out the regular season against longtime rival Boston College. The game next Saturday against the Hurricanes will be at 3:30 p.m. EST.

Syracuse vs. SMU Football Photo Gallery

Syracuse’s strong starts fall short to Georgia Tech’s consistency

Atlanta, GA – The Syracuse Orange took on #7 Georgia Tech at noon this Saturday.

The Orange began both halves with incredible play, but Georgia Tech’s offense was clinical throughout.

It was a dream start for Syracuse as they jumped on a fumble in Tech’s opening drive and broke off a 41-yard rush by Yasin Willis. But then lost momentum resulting in a field goal for Syracuse’s opening drive.

Tech would respond with a field goal of their own and the quarter ends with both teams tied at 3-3.
In the second quarter, Syracuse’s offense would slow, and Tech continued their efficiency scoring 17 points with two touchdowns by tight end Josh Beetham.

Opening the second half, the Orange once again worried the jacket faithful as Rickie Collins throws a 34-yard passing touchdown to Darrell Gill Jr. cutting the lead to 20-10 with 14 minutes left in the third quarter.

The second half was the same story as the first, Syracuse slowed down after a strong start and Tech kept producing putting up 21 points in the half.

Syracuse did find paydirt one more time in the fourth with a Will Nixon rushing touchdown, but it wasn’t enough as Tech would win 41-16.

“I need to clean up my play a bit; I have turnovers in each game starting and I need to fix that.” Said quarterback Rickie Collins.

Coach Brown believes with their 4-game skid, “we need to come together and not turn our backs, we have to be one to move forward.”

The Orange fall to 3-5 on the year and 1-4 in ACC play. They will play North Carolina at home on Halloween, October 31st next.

Photo Gallery from Syracuse vs Georgia Tech

By: Adam Crooks

Syracuse vs. Pitt Football Photo Gallery

Syracuse Football Comes Up Empty vs. Pitt

The Orange continue to go through some serious growing pains in preparation for visiting three ranked opponents in their next four games of the season.

SYRACUSE, NY – The Loud House lived up to its name early this homecoming game as Syracuse Football returned to its home turf from the bye to take on the Pittsburgh Panthers, October 18 at 7:30 p.m.

Thunderous cheers reverberated off the roof of the JMA Wireless Dome. Frustration would soon kick in from the Orange faithful. Those cheers turned into resounding boos, as ‘Cuse would drop its third straight game in a 30-13 loss.

Tensions are destined to rise when an opponent like Pitt comes to town. A foe dating back to 1916. They say you never forget your first, and it was rivalry at first sight for these two football teams. Saturday marked their 81st meeting—the most times Syracuse has faced the same opponent.

Mistakes were already written on this one for ‘Cuse, and they would make plenty of them. On quarterback Rickie Collins’ first drop-back of the game, he threw an interception, which set the Panthers up for a 36-yard quarterback rushing touchdown on third and nine. He would throw another before the end of the half, trying to connect with Johntay Cook on a deep crossing route, and then a third in the fourth quarter. This marks back-to-back three-interception games for Collins.

“It’s like he’s training on the job right now,” head coach Fran Brown said. “He’s in a development point right now, so we just have to keep getting him better.”

Brown also was not perfect as a coach, and he was quick to admit it. Syracuse forced a stop late in the first half and regained possession with 30 seconds left on the clock. They elected to pass on three consecutive plays but were unable to cross the first down marker. They punted with 12 seconds left, in which Pitt would return for 68 yards and a touchdown. The Orange entered the locker room trailing 17-7.

“That was probably one of the worst I’ve done as a football coach here and one of the worst decisions I’ve made,” Brown said as he reflected on the decision.

Coming back out onto the field after halftime, Brown elected to give true freshman from Texas, Luke Carney, a chance under center.

“Just wanted a spark,” Brown said.

Carney completed two of three passes for 10 yards and rushed for nine on a limited number of snaps before being swapped back out for Collins on a crucial third down. Collins got tripped up well behind the line of scrimmage trying to evade the Panthers’ pass rush, leading to more booing from the home crowd.

“I didn’t even hear it,” Collins said. “It’s very hard to win…there’s going to be times like this where we get punched in the mouth.”

Collins finished the game, completing 16 of his 32 throws for 126 yards and two touchdowns, and was much more efficient in the red zone than he was against SMU two weekends ago. The issue was that the Orange couldn’t find ways to get down the field.

On the other side of the ball, the Syracuse defense held its own, despite what the score shows. The pass rush brought down Pitt’s Mason Heintschel seven times. Lineman Kevin Jobity Jr. led the charge with three sacks – his first career multi-sack performance.

“We’re going to go after quarterback,” Brown said. “We are trying to create an identity on defense of, that’s who we are and that’s how we play.”

Defensive back Devin Grant felt that they could’ve done a better job carrying out Brown’s vision of the defensive identity.

“We should’ve let up no touchdowns,” Grant said. “There’s always more that you can do; you can’t get complacent. Yes, we had a decent game, but it wasn’t our best game, and it didn’t show the true defense that we are.”

Looking ahead, the Orange will tread rough waters as they face three nationally ranked opponents in the span of four games. Brown said he wants to put the team in the best position to compete in those games and believes that Collins currently gives them the best odds.

He urges the fans to remain patient as he continues to work out some of the trouble spots in Syracuse’s game.

“The crowd gon’ be the crowd. That’s the game,” Brown said. “Understand that we are building a program…I’m going to do what’s best for the ‘S’, for Syracuse.”

While the path ahead is a challenging one, the Orange will look to learn from these setbacks and refine their game as they head to Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, October 25, to take on the No. 12 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at 12:00 p.m., aiming to remain competitive and prove their growth.

Turnovers Haunt Syracuse in 31–18 Loss to SMU

By Danny Erb

DALLAS, TX — Under a cloudless Texas sky, Syracuse’s offense once again couldn’t get out of its own way.

Quarterback Rickie Collins threw three interceptions, including two inside the red zone, as the Orange fell 31–18 to SMU on Saturday at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.
The loss marked the first time head coach Fran Brown has dropped consecutive games at Syracuse. His young offense flashed promise — Collins ran for a touchdown and threw another to Conty Cook — but early mistakes buried the Orange.

“He started getting a little better,” Brown said. “He threw a touchdown pass, didn’t throw one last week, ran one in. So he’s getting better. Just got to keep working… I got to make sure that I’m able to do that and have his back and be behind him 100% as he’s learning and going through these rough patches.”
Collins finished with just over 200 total yards. “I have to do better executing, getting us in the right situation and getting the ball to our playmakers,” he said. “I was very inaccurate today.”

Running back Yasin Willis added perspective on the team’s red-zone struggles: “You get a good drive going down the field, and then you get to the red zone and things don’t go your way. … When things aren’t going our way, how are we going to respond to that?”

Syracuse enters its bye week 3–2 before hosting Wake Forest on Oct. 18 at the JMA Wireless Dome.

Syracuse vs. Duke Football Photo Gallery

Syracuse Struggles in First Game Without Angeli

Syracuse, NY – Syracuse football’s first full game without starting quarterback Steve Angeli ended in a 38-3 loss to the Duke Blue Devils. The Orange’s performance in the first half on offense and defense played a major role in the defeat.

In the first half, the Orange allowed a dominant offensive performance from Duke. The team gave up 319 total yards of offense, including 203 passing yards and 116 rushing yards. Blue Devils running back Nate Sheppard rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown on six attempts, and wide receiver Cooper Barkate caught four passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half.

Syracuse also struggled to get its defense off the field. Although the Orange held Duke to 3-for-7 on third-down conversions in the first half, the Blue Devils went 2-for-2 on fourth-down conversions. The Orange forced Duke to punt only once in the half.

“As a defense we need to play more complimentary football,” Berry Buxton III said. “We weren’t doing our jobs, and we weren’t relying on our teammates next to us. We were trying to do too much or did too little. If everybody does their job next week…we’ll do a lot better.”

Duke ended the game with 504 total yards of offense, 268 passing and 236 rushing, and went 6-for-13 on third-down conversions.

“Learn from it,” Buxton III said. “As teams get better, we are not going to be able to come back, and we can’t put that on Rickie and the offense to score 50 points for us to win. On defense we have to limit them so we can have a better chance of winning.”

This was the Blue Devils’ first time this season with a single rusher logging more than 100 yards and the first time surpassing 200 rushing yards as a team.

“We just got punked,” coach Fran Brown said. “We didn’t play tough football.”

Offensively, Syracuse gained 158 total yards in the first half, 90 passing and 68 rushing. Quarterback Rickie Collins had trouble early moving the ball downfield, with some completions called back for penalties, missed throws and one interception.

The Orange ended the game with 314 total yards of offense, 228 passing and 85 rushing. Collins, in his first start at Syracuse, went 24-for-37 for 229 yards and one interception.

“I think he is going to do a good job down the line and continue to get better; he can’t get worse right?” coach Brown said. “He was able to move the ball, there were a lot of flags and things that happened at weird times that never gave him a chance to get the drive started and sparked…There are some things he did well, and there are some things we will fix. I’m comfortable and thankful he is our quarterback.”

The only major bright spot for the offense was running back Yasin Willis, who rushed for 52 yards on five attempts in the first quarter, including an electric 35-yard run where he hurdled a defender, causing the crowd to erupt. Willis didn’t provide more production after his stellar first quarter due to limited touches. He finished with 11 attempts for 63 yards.

“We got to give Yasin the ball,” Coach Fran said. “He needs the football, and he has to get the ball more.”

As the game went on, nothing seemed to go Syracuse’s way. The Orange lost the turnover battle 3-0, including a fumble by Johntay Cook that was originally flagged for targeting but was overturned and upheld as a fumble. The crowd was enraged by the call from the officials as the stadium rang with boos. Although Cook later lost another fumble in the third quarter, he finished as the Orange’s leading receiver with eight catches for 84 yards.

Coach Brown acknowledged that Duke’s coaching staff did a great job with play calling. He admitted he felt outcoached and should have switched things up on defense to give the team a better chance to make plays.

With tougher opponents ahead on the road, Georgia Tech, Miami and Notre Dame, Syracuse will have to put the loss behind and move forward. The Orange will play the SMU Mustangs next Saturday on the road at 3:30 p.m. EST.

“This is good for our players,” Coach Fran Brown said. “I would like for our players to look at their phones right now and see the text log and then see the text log from last week. I want them to remember that and work, just understand no matter what you still have to work tomorrow. Don’t allow those things to mess you up, you have to live in the moment at all times.”

Syracuse vs. Clemson – Football

Graduate student Jacob Beadles ’26 photographed the Syracuse Orange on the road versus ACC rival Clemson Tigers on September 20th, 2025.

‘Cuse Shocks Clemson

Syracuse pulls off an upset for the ages, but at what cost?

CLEMSON, S.C. – The Syracuse Orange opened up their eight game ACC schedule with a statement victory on Saturday as they traveled to South Carolina and defeated the Clemson Tigers in Death Valley 34-21.

Syracuse jumped out in front early, and although weather and significant injuries tried to slow them down, they would not be denied, improving to 1-0 in ACC play, and doing so in commanding fashion.

This was the first time that Syracuse has emerged victorious from Clemson, and Fran Brown acknowledged the excitement surrounding both the team and the school.

“I can’t wait to get back and see the community party and have a fun night…I am excited to get back and go out to eat, maybe I can eat somewhere free tonight,” Coach Brown said.

While there are so many positives to take away from the game, the main storyline concerns the future of the quarterback, Steve Angeli, who put no pressure on his left leg as he limped to the sideline during a non-contact injury with 3:10 to go in the third quarter. He was seen on the sideline and outside of the locker room with crutches and a boot on that left leg.

Sunday it was announced Angeli is lost for the season with a torn achilles tendon.

However, there were so many positives to take away from the game, especially on the defensive side of the ball and within the wide receiver core.

Syracuse defensive coordinator, Elijah Robinson, had a phenomenal game plan and kept Klubnik guessing all afternoon long, and between wide receivers Johntay Cook, Justus Ross-Simmons and Darrell Gill Jr., Syracuse’s offense was firing on all cylinders.

The Tigers won the opening coin toss, and elected to defer, giving the Orange the ball out of the gate.

Running back, Yasin Willis, who was questionable coming into the game today, was able to suit up for Syracuse and made a big impact early, running for a 32-yard gain on the second play of the game. Two plays later, Steve Angeli was forced to his right and scrambled for an eight-yard gain and a first down, however stayed on the ground after being hit, scaring all Orange fans.

Backup quarterback Rickie Collins was forced into the game and took two snaps, but then Angeli emerged from the medical tent and re-entered the game as if nothing had ever happened.

He marched the offense down the field and threw a beautiful back shoulder ball to Justus Ross-Simmons, who continues to impress every time he steps on a football field, for a twelve-yard score.

“I have made that play a hundred times before, so when I saw the ball in the air and the defensive back’s back turned, I was like ‘oh yeah, I got this,'” Ross-Simmons said.

Then, Fran Brown did the unthinkable. He dug deep into his playbook and pulled a rabbit out of a hat, calling an onside kick from kickoff specialist Jayden Oh, who was able to recover it to keep possession with the Orange.

After the gutsy call, and another one on 4th and 2 in the middle of the drive, Syracuse was able to extend on their lead with a 23-yard field goal from Tripp Woody to make it 10-0.

However, Clemson would respond when they finally got the ball, and Tiger quarterback Cade Klubnik was able to connect with sophomore receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. on a moon ball for a 38-yard score. Memorial stadium was rocking as Clemson gained all the momentum.

That was until Darrell Gill Jr. made a toe-tap reception right in front of the Clemson bench for a 19-yard gain to move the chains on 2nd and 12 the ensuing possession, and Syracuse did not look back. Offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon dialed in the rushing attack and Willis, as well as Jeff’s son and the backup running back, Will Nixon, took matters into their own hands.

Will finished the drive with a nine-yard score, extending the Syracuse lead to 17-7 as Memorial Stadium began to get restless. That restlessness continued as Syracuse forced Clemson to punt on their ensuing drive, and then drew two roughing the passer penalties as they looked for more.

That was when Steve Angeli connected with Darrell Gill Jr. once more on a beautiful back shoulder ball in the corner of the endzone and the Orange led 24-7. Memorial stadium was stunned, and the boo birds were out.

After trading punts, Clemson finally was able to march down the field, and after a taunting penalty from Syracuse deep in their own territory, the Tigers capitalized with a score of their own, as Klubnik found Adam Randall in the back of the endzone to cut the deficit to 10 with 1:06 remaining, giving the Clemson faithful a glimmer of hope.

However, after both teams squandered opportunities in the final minute, that would be the score heading into the half, Syracuse leading Clemson 24-14.

Then, the clouds rolled in, and after a lightning strike was detected within eight miles of the stadium, the game entered a delay that would officially last for 96 minutes, and causing a significant portion of the Clemson faithful to head for the exits.

Everyone has their own methods on how to stay loose and ready during a lengthy delay, but for junior Devin Grant, who led the team on the day with ten tackles, it was to catch a little shut eye.

“I was doing some ankle mobility to make sure I didn’t get too relaxed, but to be honest I took a ten-minute nap just to get my energy back because it was hot,” said Grant.

Regardless of your preparation, a weather delay of any kind adds a new layer to the game, but even after spending over an hour and a half off the field, Syracuse was able to come out get a huge stop to open the second half as they forced Clemson to punt.

Angeli, wearing a knee brace after the break, kept his foot on the gas as he connected with Johntay Cook for a 59-yard strike right up the middle of the field. Although the offense could not move the ball after that, Tripp Woody would drill his second field goal of the day to make it 27-14 Syracuse.

Cook finished the day with 113 receiving yards as well as 18 more yards on the ground and Fran Brown says there is more in the tank.

“I don’t think he’s fully healthy yet, but he’s getting there. But I do think he is 100% healthy mentally. His body is still catching up, but once it does, you will see him be different. We have seen him do stuff in practice that y’all haven’t seen yet,” said Brown.

Clemson, needing two touchdowns, got the ball back and was moving with efficiency. However, in the blink of an eye on their own 44, the Orange forced a turnover on downs, and Fran Brown was ecstatic showing love to every defender on the Syracuse sideline after the pass breakup.

After trading punts once again, Syracuse got the ball back, but on 2nd and 7, Angeli took off, scrambling to his right once again, and going down once again, but this time as a non-contact injury. He stayed on the field for a long period of time, and eventually was helped to the sideline, putting no pressure on his left leg.

“It was hard seeing that, seeing a brother like that, we are not just teammates, we build bonds on this team and that is a brother to me now. So, seeing that, it really sucks,” said Rickie Collins, who was asked for the second time in the game to fill in for Angeli, but this time finishing the game for the Orange.

Collins came in and immediately threw an incomplete pass, and as punter Jack Stonehouse trotted onto the field, it felt like this might be the momentum swing as the Clemson fans that had not left Memorial Stadium started to get loud once again.

That optimism was short-lived, as freshman linebacker Antione Deslauries was not impacted by it, as he immediately punched the ball out from Adam Randall and forced a turnover for the Orange. The next play from scrimmage, Rickie Collins triple clutched, threw up a ball to the corner of the endzone, and once again Ross-Simmons made a play.

The senior, who caught his first touchdown pass of the game four hours earlier, just turned around and the ball fell right into his lap for the score. 34-14 Syracuse. They could taste the upset.

“I mean you got to be ready to for your moment. I got mine and God gave me that. Coach Fran believes in me, to put me out there, so I am thankful,” said Collins.

The upset felt even more real when Clemson once again found themselves in Syracuse territory, but the Syracuse defense stepped up. Braheem Long Jr. was able to tackle Cade Klubnik short of the line to gain on 4th and 2 as the third quarter came to a close.

Clemson would make it a 13-point game as Bryant Wesco Jr. hauled in a nine-yard score with nine minutes remaining, but with 5:07 to go, freshman defensive back Davien Kerr put the icing on the cake as he high pointed the football on 4th and 10, coming down with his first career interception.

A significant win for the entire city of Syracuse, as Fran Brown just keeps on winning.

However, even with the win, Syracuse will have a lot of questions to answer as they prepare for their third home game of the season, and their second ACC matchup next Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome against the Duke Blue Devils.

Syracuse Looks to Carry Momentum into ACC Play After Dominant Win Over Colgate  

SYRACUSE, N.Y — Syracuse football lit up Friday night lights in the Dome, defeating the Colgate Raiders 66-24 in a long-standing Central New York rivalry. 

The Raiders were led by first-year head coach, Curt Fitzpatrick, who came to Colgate after a decorated run at SUNY Cortland, where he won a national championship in 2023 and collected four straight Empire 8 titles. Syracuse has now won 18 straight matchups against Colgate including last season’s 65-0 shutout victory. 

The Orange wasted no time setting the tone. On the opening drive, quarterback Steve Angeli connected with wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons on a 26-yard touchdown pass. The drive lasted just two minutes and 29 seconds and covered 65 yards. Yet that early highlight was also the last time Ross-Simmons appeared in the game. 

Ross-Simmons remained on the sidelines with his helmet off until he went into the locker room. Coach Brown confirmed in his postgame press conference that he injured his finger but will return next week.  

Colgate attempted to answer quickly. Quarterback Zach Osborne started moving the ball before Syracuse safety Braheem Long Jr. intercepted him to swing the momentum back to the Orange. Syracuse, however, gave the ball right back when Will Nixon fumbled, and the Raiders capitalized on the opportunity to score with a 40-yard field goal cutting the deficit to 7-3.  

Pass after pass, Syracuse found their rhythm and Quarterback Steve Angeli set the tone for the rest of the first half. He continued to make completions and also tested his limits of being a mobile quarterback, making carries of his own. His connection with Darrell Gill Jr. became the story of the night. Their first being a 43-yard touchdown to extend the lead 14-3 late in the first quarter. 

Following a quick three and out by Colgate, cornerback Davien Kerr returned the punt to the Raider’s 36-yard line. That field position helped Nixon bounce back from his earlier turnover, punching in his first rushing touchdown of the season to open the second quarter. 

From there, the Orange offense kept rolling. Angeli continued to gain yards throughout the first half, but the Raiders defense was starting to get more comfortable. Gill continued to stretch the field, including another 43-yard reception. 

The Angeli and Gill duo was unstoppable as the first half continued. A 35-yard touchdown was completed for Gill, his second for the evening so far, and third total for the Orange. Gill was the star of the half, leading Syracuse’s offense with 152 receiving yards and two TDs. 

Freshman wide receiver Jaylan Hornsby also made his mark, securing his first career touchdown just before the half. And Colgate’s best scoring chance of the half, cornerback Demetres Samuel Jr. intercepted Osborne in the end zone. 

There were plenty of ‘firsts’ for Samuel including this pick, his first catch on offense, and a punt return. He said those moments were possible because of his preparation.  

“Really just taking it week by week,” Samuel said. “…It just felt comfortable in the moment because we’ve been getting these reps in practice, we just finally got to put it to use in a game.” 

At the break, Syracuse led 38-3.  

Syracuse picked up where they left off. Freshman receiver Darien Williams made his end zone debut with his first career TD bringing the score 45-3. But Colgate refused to go quietly. Wide receiver Reed Swanson broke through late in the third quarter, claiming their first touchdown of the game. 

Moments later, Colgate defensive back Taytum Johnson intercepted Syracuse backup quarterback Rickie Collins, setting up another score. Swanson struck again, making his way back into the end zone to make the score 45-17.  

Swanson, who finished with 7 receptions for 110 yards, impressed Syracuse head coach Fran Brown. 

“He’s a good player. I think the sky’s the limit for that kid,” Brown said. “That’s a big deal for him to play at Colgate and getting a great education, but then to come out in the football game against Syracuse and be able to catch two touchdowns — he did a good job.” 

Angeli returned to steady the offense and responded immediately with a touchdown himself, tying the all-time single game record for Syracuse with five touchdown passes and 1 rushing touchdown. He is now the first quarterback in program history with over 400 passing yards in back-to-back games. 

“To me, it’s not really individual because some guys got to catch the football for me,” Angeli said. “…it’s really just a special group and I’m so thankful to be here.” 

Even with Angeli’s heroics, the defense let up again as Colgate running back Cole Fulton broke free for a 44-yard rushing touchdown to make it 52-24. On the night, Fulton had 97 of the over 400 total yards the offense racked up, and Brown acknowledged the defensive struggles.  

“I thought they did good in the end zone, but we had the two fades and the one long run,” Brown said. “Just the game, it’s the monotony of football. You’ve got to get the young guys to come in and still have the same mentality as the older guys were.” 

He said they’ll keep getting better. Brown wants them to have opportunities to get reps in practice so they can be ready for game time.  

With about nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, Brown gave Collins another chance, and he proved himself. Collins, seeking redemption, rushed for 15-yards, and the next play found receiver Gabe Daniels for a touchdown bringing the score 59-24. 

A bad snap and turnover for the Raiders was not what they were expecting, resulting in a three-play 13-yard drive for the Orange. Freshman quarterback Luke Carney made his debut and topped it off with a 9-yard rush into the end zone.  

The Orange came out on top, walking away with a strong victory and improving to 2-1 on the season. Fitzpatrick and the Raiders will leave the dome still searching for their first win.  

Syracuse now turns its attention back to ACC play, traveling to face No. 12 Clemson on September 20. The Tigers will also be looking to rebound after falling 24-21 to Georgia Tech earlier in the day. 

Syracuse Bounces Back with Overtime Victory in the Dome over UCONN

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Orange completed a crucial comeback at the JMA Wireless Dome to defeat the UCONN Huskies in overtime on Saturday afternoon.

The game started slowly, with neither team scoring in the first quarter. The Orange put together a promising first drive that resulted in a failed fourth-down conversion inside the red zone.

The Huskies found the end zone on a double-pass trick play to start the second quarter. UCONN wide receiver John Neider received a pass from quarterback Joe Fagnano and threw a touchdown pass to tight end Alex Honig for the first score of the game.

‘Cuse once again made their way down the field to UCONN’s red zone in response to the Huskies’ scoring drive. Just like Syracuse’s first drive, they opted to go for it on fourth down and were stopped by the Huskies’ defense, this time fumbling the ball backwards to the 39-yard line.

The Orange tallied their first points of the game on a 38-yard field goal by kicker Tripp Woody after a high snap on a Husky punt attempt gave Syracuse the ball on the opposition’s 19-yard line.

UCONN wasted no time finding an answer. Running back Mel Brown sprinted through the Syracuse defense for a 45-yard touchdown on the next drive. The Orange converted a 32-yard field goal with five seconds in the half to cut the lead to one score.

The fourth quarter started just as badly for the Orange as the third. Woody missed a 48-yard field goal and quarterback Steve Angeli threw an interception on ‘Cuse’s first two drives of the quarter. The energy inside the JMA Wireless Dome went flat, and things were not looking good for the Orange.

The Huskies opened the second half with another three points on a 35-yard field goal from kicker Chris Freeman. Frustration built as the Orange once again fell to a two-score deficit.

Orange fans in the dome grew increasingly impatient with their team as the next three series all resulted in punts, with only one first down picked during that period. Syracuse was shutout during the third quarter with no scoring opportunities.

When asked about a potential quarterback change, Coach Fran Brown said, “Right now this is Steve’s moment and Steve’s team”, once again standing by his starting quarterback.

Hope was restored on the Syracuse sideline after Angeli linked up with wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons for a 53-yard touchdown with 05:41 left in the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful, but the Orange started to believe they could come back.

UCONN took a methodical drive that dwindled the time down to under four minutes. The Orange regained possession from a punt with 2:06 left to play.

Angeli led his team to a near-flawless drive from their own 20-yard line that ended with running back Yasin Willis crossing the goal line from three yards out. Angeli went 6/7 passing on the drive and linked up with wide receiver Darren Gill Jr. for a successful two-point conversion to take a three-point lead with 48 seconds left to play.

The Huskies marched down the field with three completions to wide receiver Skyler Bell and kicked a game-tying field goal from 41 yards out to force overtime.

Syracuse got the first look in overtime and took full advantage. Angeli found Ross-Simmons with one-on-one coverage and trusted his receiver to beat the Husky defender. Ross-Simmons caught the ball and extended it past the goal line for the game-winning score.

“I’ve made that play before. So even though it is new to everyone in the world, it was a routine play for us”, said Ross-Simmons.

The Orange shut down the Huskies on their overtime attempt and completed a massive overtime victory in the dome.

“We have a lot of fight in us because of how we train and how we practice and ultimately practice is harder than a lot of these games – we just practice so hard…we never gave up”, said tight end Dan Villari.

Syracuse vs. UConn Football 9/6/25 Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Graduate student Cadence Dudley ’26 photographed the Syracuse Orange game that faced rivals Connecticut Huskies on September 6th, 2025 in the JMA Wireless Dome.

SU falls to No. 24 Tennessee in season opener

The Orange show toughness and identity but missed tackles and big plays leave them unable to keep up with Vols.

ATLANTA — Syracuse Football stepped onto a big stage Saturday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium with hopes of knocking off a ranked opponent and building on the promise of last year’s 10-win season.

There were moments when the Orange showed that toughness and identity that second-year head coach Fran Brown preaches.

But it was missed tackles and No. 24 Tennessee’s timely responses that left Syracuse unable to capitalize on the moment in a 45-26 season-opening loss.

The Orange attempted to set a strong tone early, winning the coin toss and deferring to put their defense on the field first. But once the offense took over, quarterback Steve Angeli, the Notre Dame transfer, struggled to settle in against Tennessee’s strong defensive front. He held on to the ball too long at times, ending drives before they could gain momentum.

“Sacks are on us as an offense, but first and foremost they’re on me as the quarterback,” Angeli said.

Tennessee wasn’t sharp out of the locker room either. The Vols dropped passes and fumbled twice, but Syracuse couldn’t seize it. Missed tackles turned what should have been short gains into big plays, including a third-and-long that stretched into a 20-yard pickup.

Linebacker Derek McDonald admitted the defense “didn’t tackle well enough today,” saying there were plays left out there because they “didn’t swarm to the ball.”

One area Syracuse did deliver was on fourth down. Brown made it clear he wouldn’t coach timid players, and the Orange converted three of four fourth-down attempts. Each extended a drive that ended in a touchdown, reinforcing the bold identity Brown wants.

“It was just something that you had to do at that moment just because of the magnitude of the game and where the game could have went to,” Brown said. “You didn’t want the momentum to stay on their side … so I just told them go for it.”

At the half, Syracuse trailed 31-14. Tennessee capitalized on defensive lapses and executed when it mattered most. Then came a dagger — Vols quarterback Joey Aguilar delivered a 73-yard bomb that blew the game open and erased Syracuse’s efforts. Tennessee’s ground game kept the Vols a step ahead. They piled up more than 200 rushing yards, consistently finding the edge and forcing Syracuse’s defense to chase. Combined with Aguilar’s arm, it gave Tennessee balance throughout every play.

The second half showcased Syracuse’s best stretch of football. The offensive line began winning up front, and running backs broke free for consecutive 10-yard gains. Angeli found a rhythm with play-action, setting up drives that Willis capped with touchdowns.

Willis said the key was “just really going back to the basics… you’ve got to be relentless and tough,” and his play backed it up. He was the catalyst as he carried the load on the ground, running through contact, and rushing for 91 yards with three touchdowns. In the red zone, his mindset was simple.

“They can’t tackle me, that’s it. That’s my mentality,” Willis said. “Get through.”

Alongside Willis, Johntay Cook II added 58 yards and a touchdown, making key catches.

For a minute, it looked like Syracuse was back in the game. The ground game rolled, Willis ran with power and Cook II kept chains moving.

But every Orange score was met with a Tennessee answer. Long runs after broken tackles and screens that slipped past defenders kept the Vols in control.

By the end, Tennessee held the edge, but Syracuse’s second-half surge, fourth-down conversions, and reliance on its strengths showed the identity Brown is working to build.
Syracuse starts 0-1, but it wasn’t an upset — it was a testament to toughness from a team that should not be counted out. A team that refuses to be intimidated.

“The biggest thing is to keep fighting,” Angeli said. “The culture we have here at Syracuse, we’ve gone through a lot of adversity as individuals. Collectively when we come together, I believe we have the strongest culture in the country.”

Aflac Kickoff Game: Syracuse vs Tennessee Football

Graduate student Kyra Wood ’25 photographed the game as the Syracuse Orange faced the Tennessee Volunteers on Saturday, August 30, 2025, for the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.