Observations from SU’s OT win over UConn: Odom’s 1st start, defense lets up
Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — Syracuse’s bye week couldn’t have come at a better time. The Orange lost two straight to Cal and Pitt beforehand, burned by consistent errors that included red zone offense, missed field goals, penalties and most importantly, Steve Angeli’s interceptions.
The 1-2 Orange were trending toward another losing season and no bowl game appearance. But their easiest remaining matchup — against UConn — was up next.
For that reason, it was a must-win. Fran Brown said SU would “stick with what we’ve been doing at quarterback” Monday, insinuating Angeli would start. But it was revealed Amari Odom would just before the game. Five-star freshman receiver Calvin Russell III’s debut also provided some optimism.
Syracuse took care of business — barely. Odom looked phenomenal in the first half, helping SU take a 27-14 lead that eventually ballooned to 34-14 in the third quarter. But UConn clawed back in the second half, scoring three straight touchdowns to tie the game early in the fourth. The contest went to overtime, and Syracuse snagged the win via an Umari Hatcher touchdown and the subsequent two-point conversion.
Here are some observations from Syracuse’s (2-2, 0-2 Atlantic Coast) 42-41 win over UConn (2-3, Independent) Saturday at Rentschler Field.
Odom’s mixed 1st start
In his weekly press conference Monday, Brown said Odom would mix in with Angeli against UConn. Instead, Odom led the offense Saturday, with Angeli not playing at all.
Odom went a perfect 8-for-8 after Angeli was benched in the fourth quarter versus Pitt. Angeli entered Saturday with five picks in SU’s two recent losses.
Odom’s first drive Saturday went swimmingly. It included a nine-yard keeper, moving across midfield, then he tossed his first touchdown, a 40-yard dart to Hatcher. The play came after Odom fumbled the snap and collected himself, hitting Hatcher in stride in the end zone.
On his third drive, Odom completed a 25-yard checkdown to David Clement, then another to Cole Weaver down the left sideline to put SU five yards outside the red zone. It resulted in a Noah Meyers four-yard score that he laid out to haul in. The next drive ended with the same result in a different way — Odom converted a designed run for a six-yard score.
Odom tossed another long touchdown to Hatcher right before the half, pushing him to four scores on a 14-of-16 hit rate.
The Kennesaw State transfer wasn’t as surgical after the break, resulting in UConn’s comeback. He threw two picks, the first not being consequential, but the second killing Syracuse’s momentum inside the 15 as it looked to respond to the Huskies’ game-tying score.
Odom finished 27-for-37 with 335 yards and six total touchdowns, most of which came in the first half. He came up big when it mattered, though, tossing an overtime touchdown on the run to Hatcher with the game on the line. He rushed in for two to seal the win.
Defense lets up
Syracuse’s defense has been up and down in its last two contests. It only allowed 14 points to Cal, and Pitt had 200-plus rushing yards.
SU was in good shape early, making many crucial third-down stops to take a 20-point lead. Syracuse allowed an early touchdown via multiple completions, but on the next couple series, it improved.
The first resulted in a punt before Nissi Ogbebor’s hurry forced intentional grounding. The Orange pressured Osborne again on UConn’s next drive, forcing him out of the pocket. He threw an awkward pass across his body and was called for an illegal forward pass, resulting in a punt from the end zone.
Later in the second, Syracuse finally got Osborne down, as Tunmise Adeleye strip sacked him on a crucial red zone third down. Keyshawn Johnson recovered the fumble.
SU went 4-of-6 on first-half third downs before UConn’s final drive of the half, a roughing the passer in the red zone late in the frame causing UConn’s second touchdown. The stops got Syracuse in a groove to retake the lead after UConn’s early advantage. The Huskies didn’t score again until 11 seconds remained in the first half.
But the second half looked completely different. UConn scored 20 straight points to tie the game at 34 with 11:52 left in the fourth. First, it was Cyncir Bowers’ rushing touchdown with a little less than three minutes left in the third. Then, Osborne hit a wide-open Xavier Watson for a walk-in seven-yard score. Bowers finished the comeback, hitting a gaping hole and sprinting 71 yards to the house.
Syracuse finally got a fourth-down stop with UConn in its territory following the touchdown but dropped the ball in overtime again. The Huskies scored a touchdown on the second play of overtime, but Odom bailed out the unit.
Hatcher takes over amid Russell’s debut
One of the most intriguing aspects Saturday was Russell’s debut. He was Syracuse’s third-ever five-star recruit, but his football entrance — after arriving early to play with the Orange’s basketball team — was delayed after tearing his Achilles in spring camp.
He returned Saturday after a speedy six-month recovery, though didn’t see much action. He first got on the field midway through the first drive but wasn’t targeted until 6:46 remained in the second.
His first target was an inside screen, bouncing off a tackle for nine yards. The next play went to him as well, as Odom hit Russell on the outside for five and the first down.
However, it was still Hatcher who led the Orange’s receiving corps. He established a strong connection with Odom on the first drive, burning his defender down the middle for his first touchdown. After a few more shorter completions, the two linked again to make it 27-7 near the end of the first, as Hatcher adjusted to a pass and hauled it in despite strong coverage.
Hatcher ended the first half with 102 yards on five catches, 68 more than any other Syracuse player. It continued the trend through the first three games, as Hatcher entered with a team-leading 282 yards.
He completed two first downs on SU’s first second-half drive, though was relatively silent until overtime. And as Syracuse struggled finishing, Hatcher was the closer, hauling in his third touchdown on the Orange’s last breath.
Hatcher finished with 152 yards on 15 targets, 11 more than any other SU player.
SU’s kicking woes persist despite change
Syracuse’s kicking situation has been in flux all season. Tripp Woody, the Orange’s starter last season, began 2026 with two missed field goals against Cal and another versus Pitt. He was later benched against the Panthers for freshman Shay Barker.
Barker subsequently nailed his next two attempts. Monday, Brown confirmed he’d stick with the freshman on field goal and extra point attempts against the Huskies, while Woody took kickoff duties.
Barker’s day started as poor as it could’ve. On Odom’s touchdown to Hatcher four minutes into the first, his extra point barely got off the ground, flying laterally into his own offensive line. Barker then made his next three attempts, as Syracuse led 27-7.
Late in the first half, Barker got his first field goal try, but it didn’t provide much optimism. The 46-yarder landed well short and right.
His only second-half field goal attempt was the most important one — missing a game-winning 44-yarder wide right.
Barker went 4-of-5 on extra points and 0-for-2 on field goals. Syracuse is now 1-for-4 on field goals past 40 yards this year and hasn’t attempted one past 50.
