Beat writers unanimously pick No. 7 Georgia Tech to destroy Syracuse
Since Rickie Collins has replaced an injured Steve Angeli, SU has lost three games in a row for the first time under head coach Fran Brown. Joe Zhao | Senior Staff Photographer
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Fran Brown’s first signature win as Syracuse’s head coach came against Brent Key and Georgia Tech. The Orange knocked off the then-No. 23 Yellow Jackets 31-28 for Brown’s first-ranked and Atlantic Coast Conference victory.
This time around, the circumstances are far different.
SU is in a three-game losing streak following the loss of starting quarterback Steve Angeli to a season-ending Achilles injury. The Orange haven’t held a lead in over a calendar month, while GT is 7-0 and holds its highest ranking since the final AP Poll of the 2014 season.
Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse (3-4, 1-3 ACC) will fare against No. 7 Georgia Tech (7-0, 4-0 ACC) Saturday:
Aiden Stepansky (5-2)
Fatal sting
Syracuse 19, Georgia Tech 34
If Angeli were healthy, this could’ve been a marquee matchup with possible ACC Championship Game implications. Instead, the Orange are spiraling into Atlanta, holding onto any last breath for a Bowl game. GT will promptly take care of business.
Amid its 7-0 start, Georgia Tech’s defense has yet to allow 30 or more points. This seems like a recipe for disaster for Rickie Collins and SU, as they haven’t held a lead since their win over Clemson on Sept. 20, and scored 11.3 points per game over its last three.
There’s an alternate universe where Syracuse can win this game. The Yellow Jackets, opposite of Pitt, allow the most rushing yards per game in the ACC. This could allow Yasin Willis to finally have a breakout game and take immense pressure off Collins. Additionally, SU’s pass rush can continue its momentum despite GT allowing only three sacks through seven games.
The odds of both of those things going the Orange’s way are extremely unlikely. Haynes King will run rampant on SU’s defense as Collins and Co. fail to find a groove early on. The Yellow Jackets are one of the hottest teams in the country. Falling to a now-ACC bottom feeder at home isn’t in the cards. What’s one more fatal sting at this point for Syracuse anyway?
Cooper Andrews (4-3)
Basketball season is near
Syracuse 12, Georgia Tech 36
The only thing relating to Syracuse and Georgia Tech that you should be focusing on at this point is Yellow Jackets’ transfer point guard Naithan George — primed to star as the Orange’s primary ball-handler in 2025-26. When it comes to SU and GT’s matchup on the gridiron Saturday, I’d recommend watching this highlight reel. Or this one.
Because, Syracuse fans, it’s officially time to get into basketball season mode.
The Orange stand no chance against the No. 7 Yellow Jackets, especially on the road. SU holds no advantages in any facet of the game. King is a physical, uber-athletic quarterback who Syracuse will not contain at all.
Once the Yellow Jackets presumably take an early two-possession lead, running back Jamal Haynes will grind SU’s defense to a pulp. With Collins under center for Syracuse, I envision its offense suffering from the turnover bug and playcaller Jeff Nixon being forced to abandon the run game again.
It’ll be another game that’ll make you wonder: Is Luke Carney really that unprepared? Brown flat-out said after the loss to Pittsburgh that the freshman hasn’t fully grasped SU’s offense. Considering Pitt is led by a freshman quarterback in Mason Heintschel, that’s a pretty interesting excuse from Brown.
Any way you draw it up, the circus that is Syracuse’s quarterback situation is a clear indication of why central New Yorkers’ focus must shift to SU men’s basketball’s regular-season opener on Nov. 3 against Binghamton.
Zak Wolf (6-1)
Don’t even bother watching
Syracuse 13, Georgia Tech 37
When a football team is bad, it’s really easy for fans to check out and stop following the season. Syracuse has gotten to that point. Over halfway through the season, there’s a lack of excitement around the Orange. Frankly, they’re a hard team to watch. Yes, Collins has only started three games, but he’s performed so poorly that it’s hard to see things improving anytime soon. His biggest test comes this weekend in Atlanta.
SU’s games against Duke, SMU and Pitt were supposed to be a warm-up for a mammoth back half of the schedule, which includes three road games against top-15 opponents. Instead, they went as poorly as they could’ve, with the Orange scoring just four touchdowns over the past three games. Facing a stout GT defense, things aren’t going to get any better for Collins.
On the other side, King, who’s been in college since 2020, is battle-tested. He rarely makes mistakes in the passing game, while his brute-force running style will give Syracuse problems. GT has a three-headed rushing attack, led by King’s 560 rushing yards — the second-most in the ACC — alongside running backs Haynes and Malachi Hosley, both of whom have over 400 yards on the season.
Georgia Tech is too well-rounded for Syracuse to handle. The Yellow Jackets don’t beat themselves and should control time of possession. It’s a grim reality, but, right now, SU just doesn’t have the means to beat a team like Georgia Tech.
