Syracuse football: why the Orange will go 4-8 in 2026
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As we prepare for the 2026 Syracuse Orange football season to begin, we bring back a TNIAAM staple this week. These previews are not our actual predictions, but rather a look at how the Orange could end up with a certain record this season.
Every year we try and figure out a suitable range for the Orange, and sometimes like last year, we don’t start low enough. If you missed them, here are the previous visits to the CFB Multiverse:
Today we look at a season which falls just short of the projected win total of 4.5…..but falls way short of Orange fan expectations.
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New Hampshire: W (1-0, 0-0)
Syracuse starts fast in this one. Fran Brown gets Angeli out after the half and fans see both Odom and Nelson, who connect on touchdown passes. In a pretty cool moment, Brown puts Danny Lauter in the game late and Lauter scrambles for a touchdown as he points to Lawrence Moten’s retired 21 jersey in the rafters.
California: W (2-1, 1-0)
After a week of listening to the Calgorithm brag after beating UCLA, the Ottotarians get the bragging rights when the Orange when a shoot out with the Golden Bears. The win brings some question to the run defense, but hey 2-0 is 2-0 right….
at Pittsburgh: L (2-1, 1-1)
We want Bryan Blair to find a way to get us a different rival.It’s no fun seeing a happy Pat Narduzzi after these games. The only upside of losing on Thursday night is that it doesn’t ruin your entire Saturday. Yes, we’re trying to cope here.
at UConn: W (3-1. 1-1)
It’s a revenge game for a number of reasons but in the Vince Kehres’ defense slows down Nunzio’s offense. The Orange clinch the win behind Demetres Samuel’s first career intereception return. We celebrate this one because only the basketball exhibitions, it counts.
at Virginia: L (3-2, 1-2)
Is Beau Pribula a good quarterback? On this day he uses his legs to beat the Orange, so we spend the next few days between games debating how good a QB is when he goes 8-21 passing but wins.
#24 Louisville: L (3-3, 1-3)
This is the most exciting game of the season as both offenses light up the Dome scoreboard. While it’s fun in the moment, it’s hard to have great memories when the Cardinals score late and escape with a 51-48 win.
at North Carolina: L (3-4, 1-4)
Remember those warning signs in the 2nd week about the run defense? Well they come back in this game as Belichick gets a lead then leans into the running game to kill the clock. A last-ditch effort by Syracuse only leads to a 57-yard field goal attempt that falls short in the final seconds.
#19 SMU: L (3-5, 1-5)
Orange fans can do the math and the bowl hopes are slipping away as the Mustangs come to town. It’s Kevin Jennings’ legs that keep SMU’s ACC title hopes alive while sending Syracuse sliding lower and lower.
Clemson: L (3-6. 1-6)
Dabo gets his revenge and knocks off Fran Brown, then he proceeds to trash talk Fran’s hoops game and we beg the ACC Network to make it happen. Look, we need to distract ourselves with something other than the on-field play.
at NC State: L (3-7, 1-7)
Angeli has a career day throwing for 444 yards and 4 scores, but CJ Bailey becomes the latest quarterback to beat the Orange defense with his legs. It’s another high-scoring game that ends in a loss as commenters wonder why Fran hired a DC from a MAC school.
at Boston College: W (4-7, 2-7)
Did you know that BC has a running quarterback? Well Bill O’Brien did his scouting and Mason McKenzie has 25 carries as the Eagles do their best Army impression all afternoon and hold the ball away from Syracuse’s offense. An ugly 16-13 loss ends the bowl hopes and has fans turning their attention to every former Syracuse coach out there. But it doesn’t matter when Angeli hits Calvin Russell on a 67 yard bomb late in the game to pull out a 17-13 win.
#4 Notre Dame: L (4-8, 2-7)
The Irish are rolling into the CFP but they get a lot more than they can handle in the Dome. Syracuse shows they are willing to fight for their coach and each other as they push the Irish. A 48 yard Tripp Woody field goal sends the game into overtime where Notre Dame survives when Angeli’s 4th down pass gets tipped and falls to the turf before Cole Weaver can get to it. The season ends with a solid effort, but not enough wins.
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You don’t need me to tell you how much harder it will be to get fans to care about the program if they can’t bounce back from last year….so let’s hope we’re still being too pessimistic here.
What do you think?
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