There were certainly mixed feelings after Syracuse football beat UConn 42-41 in overtime last weekend. For two and a half quarters, the Orange looked poised to turn its season around. But after blowing a 20-point lead and barely escaping with a win, that belief and optimism quickly dissipated.
It would be easy to lack confidence in Fran Brown’s team after that second-half collapse, with Syracuse needing to win four of its next seven ACC games to become bowl-eligible. But just like the Orange defense gave us hope after the frustrating loss to Cal, there are three reasons to believe that Syracuse is capable of winning every ACC game left on its schedule, making four more wins a realistic outcome.
The quarterback question has been solved
There is no doubt plenty of lingering problems coming out of the UConn game. Even the defense that played well in the first three games of the season had its first subpar game. There is a lot that Brown and the coaching staff have to fix if the Orange hopes to fulfill its DART philosophy. But the most important question has been answered, and it’s Amari Odom at quarterback.
Nobody is claiming that Odom was perfect, but against UConn, he showed that he should be the starter for the rest of the season. He connected on 73% of his passes with five passing touchdowns, not to mention one rushing touchdown and the game-winning 2-point conversion. His size and athleticism bring elements that Steve Angeli doesn’t have, and given the Orange’s other flaws, Syracuse needs a quarterback who can make up for weaknesses in other areas. Odom is also 14-6 in his career as a starter, and he gives the Orange a chance to win every game left on the ACC schedule.
Amari Odom with the 2-point conversion to win it in OT! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/VM94aLfoRv
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) October 3, 2026
The ACC of underachievers
In addition to the quarterback question being settled, the next reason why all of Syracuse’s ACC games are winnable is the ACC itself. While the Orange’s schedule looked daunting before the season, it doesn’t look quite as challenging a month into the season. Outside of Miami, the conference has slipped into its usual state of mediocrity. In other words, there is no team on Syracuse’s schedule (other than maybe Notre Dame) that is unbeatable.
Next up is Virginia, which started the season strong but has lost two of its last three games and got blown out by Florida State last week. Likewise, Louisville made a strong first impression, only to lose back-to-back games, while giving up at least 30 points against every FBS opponent the Cardinals have faced.
Even a ranked SMU team hasn’t looked the part of an ACC contender. They struggled to put away both Missouri State and Boston College at home and were lucky to escape with a road win over Florida State to open the season. Clemson, which looked like one of Syracuse’s toughest games before the season, looks even more winnable than the Orange’s upset of the Tigers last season. Dabo Swinney’s team appears to be experiencing a second consecutive down year and is no longer the ACC juggernaut the Tigers once were.
Finally, games against North Carolina, N.C. State and Boston College, all of which looked winnable before the season, still look winnable for the Orange. While Bill Belichick has made strides with the Tar Heels, they still have a long way to go. NC State looks solid, but the Wolfpack has played a lot of close games, making the Orange’s trip to Raleigh a toss-up, if nothing else. Finally, Boston College remains a team that Syracuse should beat, even if the Eagles have looked competitive in ACC action.
The toughest games are at home
Last but not least, it’s important to remember that many of the toughest games left on Syracuse’s schedule are at home. The Orange will host Louisville, SMU and Clemson at the JMA Wireless Dome, all in a span of four weeks. On paper, those are the most talented ACC teams Syracuse will play this season. But playing those games at home makes a win all the more winnable.
The obvious caveat is that the Orange needs to give fans a reason to pack the Dome for those games. That might be a little easier said than done. Syracuse still needs to fix many of the flaws that have been on display during the first third of the season. However, the Orange has its quarterback and a schedule that’s more manageable than you might think. If Brown can start to fix the other issues, Syracuse is more than capable of winning every ACC game left on its 2026 schedule.
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