W
ith two games remaining for Syracuse in 2025, there’s not much to play for. SU’s 38-10 defeat to then-No. 18 Miami sealed its fate for a disappointing campaign. Expectations were high in Fran Brown’s second year in charge, but the Orange have fallen well short of them.
Poor quarterback play has been the main reason since starter Steve Angeli suffered a season-ending injury. Syracuse has lost six straight games, and none of them have been close. SU looks to avoid its first seven-game skid since 2020 with a trip to No. 9 Notre Dame Saturday.
A win looks unlikely. The Fighting Irish are one of the hottest teams in the country, winning eight in a row after dropping their first two. They’re vying for a spot in the College Football Playoff, while Syracuse has nothing to play for.
Here’s how our beat writers feel Syracuse (3-7, 1-6 Atlantic Coast) will fare against No. 9 Notre Dame (8-2, Independent):
Aiden Stepansky (7-3)
The ‘What if’ world
Syracuse 6, Notre Dame 48
Syracuse’s schedule has featured some star-studded opponents in epic venues. But when looking at SU’s path in the preseason, this game was circled on my calendar. Under the lights in Notre Dame Stadium, Angeli takes on his old team as the face of his new program. What a fairy tale that could’ve been.
Unfortunately, the “what if” world doesn’t exist, and the football gods stripped Angeli of the opportunity to do so with a season-ending injury. Instead, this matchup becomes one between a team surging for the College Football Playoff and another already preparing for 2026. The difference will show early and often, and the Fighting Irish will pummel the Orange for their worst loss yet.
The pleasantry and history of South Bend shouldn’t be overlooked in this massacre. SU’s young core will continue to see increased playing time and, once again, on national TV. The experience can be advantageous for the future, but in the present, I don’t see how Syracuse scores a touchdown. Notre Dame’s defense has allowed only two of its last eight opponents to score over 20 points. SU is yet to score over 20 points since the Angeli injury.
The continued quarterback scramble won’t do the Orange any favors. Rickie Collins continues to give Syracuse its best shot to win, but starter Joe Filardi showed some poise late against Miami and will play. Luke Carney has just one game left to redshirt, and Boston College is probably a better option for him to use it. Either way, Notre Dame will prevail by a wide margin.
Cooper Andrews (7-3)
Needing ‘Touchdown’ Jesus
Syracuse 3, Notre Dame 47
Notre Dame is such a beautiful campus. The golden dome, the full, inviting trees layered between vintage academic buildings and, of course, the palpable pageantry from its student body that makes random people from California call themselves Fighting Irish fans.
The best part of South Bend, Indiana, though, has to be “Touchdown Jesus.” Named the Word of Life Mural, the stone mosaic artwork stands 134 feet high and 68 feet wide, depicting Jesus Christ as the central figure of all Christian saints, artists and thinkers. The artwork shows Christ making a symbol with his arms that resembles the touchdown signal in football. And it directly faces Notre Dame Stadium’s north end zone.
On Saturday, Syracuse battles the Fighting Irish in front of this famous, picturesque setting. But, yikes, Brown and his squad will need their own “Touchdown Jesus” if the Orange are to have a mere shot at upsetting ND. Unfortunately for them, I don’t see this team scoring a touchdown this weekend. Syracuse will get demolished in a classic late-season beatdown as Notre Dame fights for its College Football Playoff life.
For one, Jeremiyah Love is the best running back in the country. Period. He will run for over 100 yards against SU. On the other side, the Orange haven’t activated a consistent, effective running game since the early stages of nonconference play. And nothing will change against a Notre Dame defense that ranks tied for the 15th-best unit in the FBS, per Pro Football Focus, especially since Syracuse still doesn’t have a reliable quarterback.
Zak Wolf (9-1)
Love is in the air
Syracuse 10, Notre Dame 42
Syracuse’s season is a lame duck. There’s no beating around the bush. And with nothing to play for, this will be another miserable result. As Aiden mentioned, this could’ve (and should’ve) been a marquee matchup. Yet Syracuse comes in as a 35-point underdog. I don’t mean to be Captain Obvious, but that’s not ideal!
Notre Dame will pummel Syracuse in all three phases, headed by Love. The junior is arguably the best non-quarterback in the country and has put together a solid Heisman Trophy resume. Just look at what he did to Pittsburgh last week. The Panthers have the second-best run defense in the ACC, and Love toyed with them, rushing for 147 yards on 23 carries. His 56-yard touchdown, boosted by a nasty spin move, made Pitt look silly. Syracuse will suffer an even worse fate Saturday.
Star players have torn Syracuse apart this season. Quarterbacks like Darian Mensah, Kevin Jennings, Carson Beck and Haynes King have tormented the Orange’s defense. Love is the catalyst for Notre Dame, but signal caller CJ Carr is plenty capable. With SU’s defense focused on Love, Carr’s poise will pick apart the Orange.
Syracuse’s starting quarterback situation also remains a moot point. Even with Filardi starting, nothing will change for the Orange. Marcus Freeman is an elite coach, and his team is playing its best football at just the right time. Meanwhile, Brown has had a tough time managing SU’s struggles this season and will be begging for 2026 to come after the Fighting Irish pummel the Orange.
Photograph by Joe Zhao | Senior Staff Photographer
Published on November 20, 2025 at 12:00 am