Syracuse RB Yasin Willis reportedly out vs. No. 9 Notre Dame
Syracuse running back Yasin Willis will miss its penultimate contest of the season against Notre Dame Friday, placing backup Will Nixon in a more prominent role. Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor
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Syracuse running back Yasin Willis is expected to miss Saturday’s matchup against No. 9 Notre Dame, Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reported Friday. Willis leads the Orange in rushing with 558 yards and four touchdowns.
SU isn’t required to release an injury report to the Atlantic Coast Conference this week due to the Fighting Irish serving as a nonconference opponent. But Willis spoke to the media on Tuesday, stating he’ll be coming back to Syracuse for his junior year in 2026. The Newark, New Jersey, native also said he spent his bye week getting his body healthy again through treatment.
With Willis down, the Orange’s task against Notre Dame becomes even more challenging. SU will likely turn to Will Nixon for most of the carries, while true freshman Tylik Hill could also get plenty of run.
However, they’ll have a tall task, as ND is one of 13 teams in the country currently allowing under 100 rushing yards per game. Syracuse is also expected to start freshman walk-on Joe Filardi for the second time this season, and he’ll look to snap the Orange’s six-game losing streak.
