F
ran Brown’s first season brought Syracuse back to national relevance. The Orange reached 10 wins and won a bowl game for the first time since 2018, finished the year ranked No. 20 in the nation and saw four players get selected in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The 2024 season is now in the rearview mirror, and SU’s second year under Brown will determine whether that success was just a flash in the pan or not. The Orange take on three top-10 teams and eight who received at least one vote in the Preseason AP Poll. With a grueling schedule and new faces leading the way, what do Brown and Co. have in store for an encore?
Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse football will fare in 2025:
Aiden Stepansky
Pay him
Record: 6-6 (4-4 ACC)
MVP: Yasin Willis
X-Factor: Pass rush
A reconstructed roster and one of the hardest schedules in the country significantly lowered the expectation compared to a year ago. While Brown is only satisfied with championship contention, a 6-6 record would be extremely impressive under these circumstances. Director of Athletics John Wildhack would be practically forced to extend Brown immediately, placing him among the top earners in the conference.
I do believe we will see Rickie Collins start at least a few games at some point, making it difficult to select Steve Angeli as my MVP. Instead, the Orange will showcase their seismic increase on the offensive line and establish a running game fit to Yasin Willis’ powerback abilities. No matter what struggles this squad faces in 2025, I don’t think many will be on the offensive side.
What could lead to SU’s downfall this season is a faulty defensive line. Their linebacker room carries question marks, though I believe they’ll be serviceable with Gary Bryant III and tackling improvements. The defensive line, however, could be pitiful after losing Fadil Diggs and failing to truly replace him in the transfer portal.
Syracuse’s season will be a year of splits. Go 2-2 in the first four games with losses to Tennessee and Clemson. Win 2-of-4 against Duke, SMU, Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech. Either defeat Bill Belichick at home or upset Miami again. And close the season with a loss to Notre Dame and a win over BC.
Brown won’t be happy, and he’ll say he’s still got tons of work to do. But six wins would be historic, giving SU a fourth consecutive bowl appearance for the first time since the Paul Pasqualoni days from 1991-2004. After all, that’s the era Brown repeatedly says he wants to get back to.
Cooper Andrews
Hammer the over
Record: 7-5 (5-3 ACC)
MVP: Steve Angeli
X-Factor: Demetres Samuel Jr.
I assure you this is not an endorsement to gamble on college sports. But I find it a tad interesting that Syracuse football’s win/loss total is set at 5.5 for most mainstream sportsbooks, including BetMGM. If you were in the Wild West and had the time and money to throw down a few stacks on the Orange’s 2025 season win/loss total, I would advise you to responsibly hammer the over.
Let’s get one thing straight: SU will see a wins decrease this season. Their schedule is brutal. Difficult games include Week 1 versus No. 24 Tennessee, Week 4 at No. 4 Clemson and a Nov. 22 battle at No. 6 Notre Dame — all of which appear to be surefire losses.
The Orange made beneficial changes this offseason to offset the losses of Kyle McCord, Oronde Gadsden II, LeQuint Allen Jr. and others. But I still don’t see Syracuse’s relatively inexperienced group shocking a Southeastern Conference opponent nor a pair of powerhouses in nasty road environments.
However, I trust Angeli to steer SU in the right direction for most of the season.
Last season, offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon showed that, if he has an array of weapons at his disposal, he can instill an explosive West Coast offense centered around a quarterback who thrives making anticipation throws from the pocket. That’s Angeli’s game.
He looked like a seasoned veteran when he stepped into ND’s College Football Playoff Semifinal game against Penn State last campaign. With studs like Darrell Gill Jr., Johntay Cook, Willis and maybe a few sprinkles of two-way freshman Demetres Samuel Jr., constituting his offensive artillery, Angeli is well-positioned to lead Syracuse back to another bowl berth.
Zak Wolf
Sophomore slump
Record: 5-7 (3-5 ACC)
MVP: Yasin Willis
X-Factor: Johntay Cook
On paper, Syracuse missing a bowl game following a 10-win season would be a failure. But that’s not the case when you have the Orange’s schedule. It’s very plausible SU won’t win a game outside of the JMA Wireless Dome this season. Their “easiest” road game is probably against Georgia Tech, who some see as a dark horse Atlantic Coast Conference contender.
Syracuse benefited from a light schedule last season, and now they’re facing a different reality. If the Orange want to make it to .500, they’ll have to go perfect at home. But it’s hard to foresee that happening. With trick games against North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Duke, SU is bound to slip up somewhere.
This is not an indictment on Brown or Syracuse’s roster. I actually like the way its offense is constructed. Angeli is a high-floor quarterback, and, with a deep receiving core led by Gill Jr. and Texas transfer Cook, he has plenty of options to throw to.
My problems lie with the defense. I don’t see where the pass rush production will come from. Relying on Denis Jaquez Jr. and David Omopariola — who’ve combined for four and a half career sacks — isn’t ideal. Even with experienced players like Duce Chestnut and Devin Grant in the secondary, its coverage can only hold up so long when there’s no pressure on the quarterback.
Even if SU can put up points, it’s not going to be able to stop most teams it faces. If Brown somehow gets this team to win seven games, hand him a blank check. Eight games? Get the statue ready. But that won’t happen.
Photograph by Lars Jendruschewitz | Senior Staff Photographer
Published on August 28, 2025 at 12:02 am