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For the first time under second-year head coach Fran Brown, Syracuse is on a losing streak. The Orange responded from a 35-point home shellacking against Duke with a 13-point loss in Dallas to SMU.

Here are position-group grades from Syracuse’s 31-18 defeat to the Mustangs:

Quarterback: C

Rickie Collins reached the end zone twice and totaled over 300 yards. The issue? He tallied three interceptions en route to his second straight loss as the starting quarterback. Collins showed some improvements from last week but still has plenty of work to do.

Early on, the Orange showed a clear identity that involved Collins handing the ball off over double the amount of times he dropped back to throw. When they did allow him to pass, Collins stared down his receivers, and SMU’s defenders acted accordingly.

Collins used his legs more versus the Mustangs, resulting in 57 rushing yards. He also ripped some impressive throws through the middle of the field to Justus Ross-Simmons and Johntay Cook. But as quality control coach and offensive specialist Josh Gattis ripped into Collins on the sideline, it was representative of another poor display for the quarterback.

Running back: C+

Based on the first drive of the game, one would think the running backs shined to an excellent grade. But Yasin Willis finished with only 15 carries and an average of 2.7 yards per carry, forcing SU’s offense into another spiral.

Will Nixon was effective through the air with three receptions for 25 yards, but outside of that, he didn’t help much either on the ground with seven rushes for 10 yards.

It’s hard to blame Willis for a poor performance, considering his lack of opportunity. At this point, it appears that once SU falls into a deficit, the running game is largely forgotten. Brown continues to speak on wanting to get Willis the ball more, but his words don’t seem to match offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon’s actions. As a result, the running backs suffer.

Receiver/Tight End: B

Ross-Simmons’ expected absence going forward could throw a wrench into the success of this unit. But if anyone did their jobs in Dallas, it was Syracuse’s wide receivers and tight ends.

Tight end Dan Villari was a net positive for SU. He became a security blanket for Collins with five catches for 61 yards. All six of his targets came between the numbers, per Pro Football Focus. His usage in a wildcat formation to move the sticks was also effective.

Johntay Cook II continues to look like a star with seven receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown — the first touchdown for the Orange in eight quarters. It wasn’t nearly enough, and Ross-Simmons missing time could bring more attention to Cook.

Offensive line: B-

Syracuse’s offensive line came out with vengeance in the first half, moving SMU’s defenders to create holes for Willis to dart through. The unit eventually fell apart in short-yardage situations, which ultimately derailed the offensive progression.

Right tackle Da’Metrius Weatherspoon, center Austin Collins and left guard TJ Ferguson played all 81 offensive snaps. Collins and Ferguson each earned pass-blocking grades over 80, according to PFF. Backup left tackle Naquil Betrand did, too.

SU’s quarterback was only sacked twice. He was kept clean on 41-of-54 dropbacks. This game wasn’t on the offensive line. Though there are certainly ways the unit could help the offense more.

Defensive line: D+

The Orange are halfway through their 2025 campaign. They’ve picked up just three sacks from defensive linemen, with a half-sack coming from hybrid linebacker David Reese. Saturday was yet another day with no sacks for the unit.

SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings was wheeling and dealing all afternoon. He was kept clean on 78.9% of his 38 dropbacks, allowing for a career-high four touchdowns and 29 completions on 35 attempts.

The Mustangs didn’t run the ball much and were held to just 2.7 yards per carry. That’s an improvement from a week ago. SU also induced a safety late in the contest with David Omopariola making an impressive tackle. But two points don’t make up for a game — and season — worth of poor play.

Linebackers: C-

Jennings’ ability to move out of the pocket and keep Syracuse’s linebackers honest became apparent from the opening snap to the final possessions when the game was already wrapped up. Antoine Deslauriers and Gary Bryant III each recorded tackles for loss and over five tackles each. But it was the linebacker corps’ play in coverage that hurt it.

Derek McDonald didn’t play again, and as a result, Anwar Sparrow and James Heard earned plenty of reps. Sparrow was burned in coverage multiple times, as was Heard Jr., miscommunicating with his defensive backs.

Jamie Tremble tallied his second sack of the season. His presence has added physicality to the linebacker unit, but it feels more like a hit or miss than a consistent threat.

Secondary: C

This was not the finest hour for SU’s secondary. Just as Jennings did to the linebackers, he kept the defensive backs off balance. Davien Kerr notched a late interception to keep the game in reach. But early in the contest, he was burnt in the slot to produce the Mustangs’ first touchdown.

SMU’s second score was a clear miscommunication between Heard and Berry Buxton III in coverage. Braheem Long Jr., while recording eight tackles, missed a key one in space to allow the Mustangs’ fourth touchdown and 28-point lead.

Since Devin Grant’s excellent game at Clemson, he’s been near-nonexistent since. Duce Chesnut played only 28 snaps and also didn’t add much. The veterans must do more to complement the young stars. Just look at Demetres Samuel Jr. He allowed only three receptions on six targets, grading at a team-high 81.1.

Special teams: B

SU’s special teams didn’t have much opportunity again. Jack Stonehouse slammed four punts for 45.5 yards on average. Tripp Woody made his only field goal attempt from 38 yards out. A Jadyn Oh onside kick attempt was nearly placed to perfection.

With SU’s offense reeling, it could use a big play on the punt or kick return. Though Brown is advising kick returners to let the ball go for a touchback. And punt returners have called for a fair catch nearly every time. This unit didn’t add much. But it didn’t hurt the Orange either.

Coaching: C-

A second straight loss for this coaching staff is rarified air. It showed repeated mistakes, something we’ve yet to see much in Brown’s tenure. Despite a clear desire to feed Willis, Syracuse didn’t do it nearly enough.

There was also a lack of creativity on short-yardage and goal-line plays in the first quarter, forcing multiple turnovers on downs despite Brown’s aggressiveness. Defensively, a tempo offense with a semi-mobile quarterback was far too much to handle. Sound familiar? That’s because the same formula worked against the Orange the week prior.

This is the most Brown and Co. have been battle-tested yet. They’ve already matched last year’s loss total. Their backup quarterback isn’t prepared yet to be the starter. And the Orange enter their first bye week with more issues to fix.

Published on October 5, 2025 at 10:58 am
Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky