UNC will return home to host Syracuse at Kenan Stadium Saturday night. The Orange enter 2-4 overall and 0-4 in ACC play. Syracuse’s only FBS win this season was an overtime victory at UConn earlier in October. The Orange have lost to Cal, Pitt, Virginia and Louisville in the ACC.
Fran Brown is in his third season leading the Syracuse program. Brown arrived at Syracuse following a successful two-year run as the defensive backs coach at Georgia, during which he helped the Bulldogs win a national title and established himself as an outstanding recruiter. Brown’s first year with the Orange saw them win 10 games and end the season ranked in the AP Poll, but since then Syracuse has won just five games across the next one-and-a-half seasons.
Syracuse head coach Fran Brown is in his third season leading the Orange. (Image via Syracuse Athletics)
What’s the history?
UNC and Syracuse have met eight times overall, with the Tar Heels holding a 5-3 edge in the series. Since the Orange joined the ACC, the Tar Heels have won three out of four meetings, with those three wins each coming in blowout fashion. Carolina beat Syracuse by 25 points in 2020, by 33 points in 2023 and by 17 points in 2025. The 2025 game was Bill Belichick’s first ACC win as UNC head coach.
‘A few plays away’
Belichick is not fooled by Syracuse’s poor record, noting that the Orange are “a few plays away” from being 6-0 as opposed to 2-4. Belichick is not entirely off base: the Orange’s four losses have come by a combined 28 points, with a 14-point loss at Pittsburgh accounting for half of that total. Syracuse lost by three to Cal, by three at Virginia and by eight against Louisville last weekend. Against Cal, a late pick-six won the game for the Bears after Syracuse had led for much of the game. At Virginia, the Cavaliers scored 21 consecutive points in a span of less than 15 minutes to flip what had been a 10-point deficit, and a pair of missed field goals loomed large for the Orange. And against Louisville, Syracuse led at multiple junctures in the first half before turning the ball over five times (a fumble, two interceptions, and two turnovers on downs) in the second half. Like UNC, the Orange have lived in close games. They just haven’t been winning them.
A revolving door
Four Syracuse quarterbacks have already thrown at least one touchdown pass through the team’s first six games. Steve Angeli, Malachi Nelson, Amari Odom and Danny Lauter have all taken turns slinging it for Syracuse. Angeli was named the Orange’s opening day starter, but he has not played since Sep. 17 as he continues to undergo treatment on the Achilles tendon he tore last season. Odom replaced him for the Orange’s game at UConn and threw five touchdowns, but a shoulder injury suffered late in that game has since kept him on the sidelines. Nelson has taken the bulk of the snaps in the team’s last two games, completing 42 of 68 passes for 532 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
“I don’t think I’ve ever coached that’s had four quarterbacks that are all legitimate players,” Belichick said. “They’ve all played, and they’ve all played well.”
Nelson is a former five-star recruit who at one point was the No. 1 recruit in his class. A collegiate journeyman, Nelson joined USC out of high school in 2023 but only appeared in one game. He moved on to Boise State in 2024 where he again failed to catch on, playing in three games and completing only 12 passes. In 2025, Nelson took his talents to UTEP, where he saw more action. He made his first collegiate start in the Miners’ first game and ended his season with 1,163 yards and eight touchdowns. Syracuse is Nelson’s fourth school in four years.
Syracuse QB Malachi Nelson has also played at USC, Boise State and UTEP. (Image via Syracuse Athletics)
Despite the constant personnel changes, Syracuse’s passing offense is still one of the most potent in the ACC. The Orange average 291.2 yards per game through the air, good for fourth in the league and 12th in all of college football. Syracuse will provide the stiffest challenge to date for a banged-up UNC secondary.
What are the odds?
At the time of publication, UNC is an 8.5-point favorite in the game.
Featured image via Syracuse Athletics
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
2026 UNC Football Opponent Preview: Syracuse Chapelboro.com.
Hence then, the article about 2026 unc football opponent preview syracuse was published today ( ) and is available on chapelboro ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( 2026 UNC Football Opponent Preview: Syracuse )
Also on site :
- Tate McRae’s New Perfume at Ulta Is ‘the Perfect Mix of Musky, Floral and Vanilla’
- Leila Cobo Presents Regional Mexican Airplay Label of the Year to Universal Music Latin’s Angel Kaminsky .. Latin Music Power Players 2026
- ‘Friday Night Lights’ Stars Hit The Field For James Talarico’s Smashmouth Attempt To Score Texas Senate Race Win