2025 Season Preview & Predictions for Syracuse Football

The Syracuse “Orange” will be returning 5 starters on offense and 7 starters on defense from last year’s squad that went 10-3. It was a very successful campaign for the Syracuse, one which came as a surprise to many sports analysts.

Fact of the matter is that Syracuse has been slowly building a good program. They have done it through a mix of recruiting and high-profile transfers.

Running back LeQuint Allen is also back. He rushed for 1,021 yards last season. Orande Gadsden Junior will be the main receiver. He nabbed 73 catches last year for 934 yards and 7 TD’s.

Syracuse’s returning defensive starters for the 2025 season are Denis Jaquez Jr., Duce Chestnut, Berry Buxton, Devin Grant, Derek McDonald, Maarad Watson, and David Omopariola. Syracuse shifted to a 4-2-5 base defense last season to try and limit explosive plays. They gave up 29 PPG (which is not good) but they were able to prevent the big plays, allowing only 36 pass plays of 20+ yards and 14 pass plays of 30+ yards.

Defense will need to step it up this year. The team struggled to generate sacks, recording only 27 sacks in 13 games, which placed them lower in the ACC. To address this problem, they brought in David Reese (DE, from Florida/Cal): The veteran edge rusher brought in to replace Fadil Diggs; averaged 5.5 sacks over two seasons at Cal and is projected to start or rotate heavily on the defensive line.

Syracuse 2025 Schedule

vs Tennessee
vs UConn
vs Colgate
@ Clemson
vs Duke
@ SMU
vs Pittsburgh
@ Georgia Tech
vs North Carolina
@ Miami
@ Notre Dame
vs Boston College

The schedule isn’t an easy one. Right from the jump they must face a ranked Tennessee team (neutral field). The Orange then have to play @Clemson, @ SMU, @ Miami and @Notre Dame. That is a brutal road schedule and every one of these games could be a loss. But don’t forget that this team was ranked #20 towards the end of last season. It will be up to them to continue that winning trend, but they have to do almost all the heaviest lifting on the road.

Odds and Predictions

Sportsbooks are giving this team no love at all. They have the total win over/under sitting at just 5.5 games. Yes, they have a tough schedule. But don’t forget they beat #18 Miami and #23 UNLV last season. Don’t think for a second that they cannot do it again. Take Over 5.5 total wins.

Syracuse is +100,000 to win the national title at sportsbetting.ag sportsbook. I really don’t think they have a great shot at this but if they beat Miami and Clemson the conversation around them will change very rapidly.

Game 1 vs Tennessee will be very telling. Sportsbooks currently have Tennessee as 14-point favorites. Seems like a large number for a team we consider to be overrated. I think Syracuse will cover this one.

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