It’s been a long season for Syracuse football (3-4, 1-4 Atlantic Coast Conference), but SU finally caught a break with its first ACC win in nearly 400 days, against North Carolina last Saturday. However, things don’t get any easier when the ‘Cuse hosts No. 19 SMU (6-1, 4-1 ACC) on Saturday.
SU quarterback Steve Angeli made his first start in more than a month against UNC. The last time the fifth-year quarterback stepped on the field was against Pittsburgh on Sept. 17. Against the Tar Heels, Angeli completed 20 of 34 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns. He connected with Calvin Russell III in the end zone for both the game-winning score and the two-point conversion.
Before last Saturday, Angeli had thrown five interceptions in just three games, including two in the second half alone against Pittsburgh. He missed several weeks with lingering lower-body soreness from an Achilles injury. After Syracuse’s win over North Carolina, SU head coach Fran Brown said the quarterback is finding his groove.
“Steve’s finally back to himself a little bit more. Just seeing him playing and he’s been saying it all week. Didn’t get to practice until Wednesday,” Brown said. “When you first get the chance to see him practice and start to move and go. You see the team, it just naturally lifts everybody up.”
Quarterback Steve Angeli made a return as the starter for @CuseFootball tonight after being out for the past three games.@DanPapillo and @McgahanConnor think Angeli should be here to stay.
— WAER Sports Talk (@WAERSportsTalk) October 25, 2026
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Against No. 19 SMU on Saturday, things get tougher for Angeli. The Mustangs have the best passing defense in the ACC, allowing fewer than 180 yards per game. SMU also has the second-most sacks in the conference with 21. Linebacker Alexander Kilgore leads the team with 39 tackles.
If Angeli wants to get through the Mustangs’ defense, he can rely on SU wide receiver Umari Hatcher. The sixth-year receiver caught four passes for 103 yards and a touchdown against UNC.
Umari is that guy 🔥🔥
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“It opened him up. I think it gave some guys a little more hope that, yeah we’re going to do this … I was happy for him too. He needed that,” Brown said of Hatcher’s score.
But it wasn’t just against the Tar Heels. Hatcher has been productive all season for SU. The wideout has totaled nearly 900 yards and eight touchdowns, both ranking second in the ACC.
If SU wants to walk away victorious, it will also have to stand tall on defense. SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has been stellar all season. The senior has thrown for more than 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns this year. Jennings ranks among the top three in the conference in almost every quarterback statistic. In the last two games, the Texas native has thrown five touchdowns.
“Jennings is one of the better players in the country. He’s legit … A Heisman candidate type of guy in my opinion,” Brown said.
Jennings has led SMU to four consecutive victories in which it has averaged 35 points per game. However, things look a little different for the Mustangs this weekend. It’s SMU’s first road game since Sept. 19, six weeks ago, when it lost to then-No. 23 Louisville.
The Orange have struggled in recent Halloween games. Last year, SU lost to North Carolina 27-10 on Oct. 31.
Syracuse and No. 19 SMU face off Saturday at noon in the JMA Wireless Dome. It’s SU’s first non-prime-time game in nearly a month. WAER’s pregame coverage begins with McClurg Remodeling Countdown to Kickoff at 11:30 a.m. on 88.3 FM.