(Photo: Icon Sportswire)
10-3 and champions of the Holiday bowl a year ago, Syracuse lost a lot from that team, and it shows. In 2025 they stand at 3–7 and are limping to the finish after a promising start, unraveled fast. They opened 3–1 before star transfer quarterback Steve Angeli — yes, that Steve Angeli — tore his achilles in game five. At that time he was leading the nation in passing. Syracuse hasn’t won since.
On a bye last week, in their last action the Orange lost at Miami 38-10.
Freshman walk on Joseph Filardi is expected to get his second start of the season at quarterback. In limited action he is 7-21 for 78 yards and 1 TD with no interceptions. Alabama transfer Rickie Collins may also see action and has played most of the snaps since Angeli’s injury but struggled, completing just 53 percent of his throws with six touchdowns, ten interceptions, and fifteen sacks.
Overall this offense has sputtered, badly — Syracuse ranks 83rd nationally in yards per game (362.4) and is #104 in scoring offense at 22.3 points per game.
Sophomore running back Yasin Willis (6-1, 235) is a bruiser, posting 558 yards and four scores at 4.3 yards per carry. Will Nixon adds a pass-catching element out of the backfield (22 grabs, 171 yards. Receivers Jontay Cook (41-518-2) and Darrell Gill (29-477-5) give Collins two legitimate targets on the perimeter — productive players who simply haven’t had a stable enough quarterback situation to maximize what they do best.
Defensively, second year head coach Fran Brown and coordinator Elijah Robinson employ a 4-2-5 base built on versatility and tackling fundamentals — but the results in 2025 have been rough. The Orange rank 123rd in total defense (430.4 ypg), 115th in scoring defense (31.5 ppg), and 121st against the pass (267 ypg). Missed tackles and breakdowns against the run have been glaring issues, all though defensive end Kevin Jobity Jr has provided a spark off the edge with five sacks.
Robinson’s group has shown short stretches of competence — like holding Miami scoreless for nearly a half — but consistency has eluded them.
Add it all up, and Syracuse is a team that plays hard but bleeds yardage, loses the turnover battle (-1.00 margin, T-125), and struggles to sustain drives (35.5% on third down). Fran Brown’s debut season has been defined by growing pains and what-ifs — starting with the one behind center.
Matchup vs. Notre Dame
This matchup tilts heavily toward Notre Dame’s physicality and depth. Syracuse’s run defense has been leaky all season, and the Irish ground game — especially behind a surging offensive line — should be able to dictate tempo early. On the perimeter, ND’s receivers will face a secondary that has talent but gives up explosive plays and ranks near the bottom nationally in passing yards allowed.
Offensively, Syracuse’s biggest issue is sustaining anything behind Collins. Notre Dame’s defensive front, one of the nation’s most efficient units, should be able to pressure him without blitzing and force the Orange into long-yardage situations where turnovers have been plentiful. Unless the Irish commit errors or give Syracuse short fields, it’s hard to see the Orange generating enough offense to stay in contact.
Prediction
Notre Dame controls the line of scrimmage, leans on a punishing run game, forces two-plus turnovers, and systematically pulls away.
Notre Dame is a 35.5 point favorite and the over/under is 50.5
The Fighting Irish Preview Prediction: Notre Dame 42, Syracuse 13.