For the third straight season, Syracuse football and non-conference foe UConn played a game that was decided by one score or less. And for the third consecutive campaign, the Orange squeaked out a win, this time on the road.
Led by new starting quarterback Amari Odom, a senior transfer from Kennesaw State, the 'Cuse nearly blew a 20-point lead but prevailed in overtime, 42-41. Odom, who replaced fifth-year player Steve Angeli as SU's QB1 on Saturday afternoon at Rentschler Field, made some mistakes, but he also did a lot of positive things as Syracuse football improved to 2-2 overall and will head to Virginia next Saturday night.
The Huskies (2-3 overall) erased a 34-14 deficit about midway through the third quarter, as UConn's offense came alive while exposing SU's defense, and the Orange's offense went cold. In overtime, the Huskies scored a touchdown first, putting pressure on the 'Cuse to answer.
WWWWWWW@Amar1Odom pic.twitter.com/eugrAcglZ6
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) October 3, 2026
Syracuse football had its back against the wall, with a long 4th-and-goal. Odom found his favorite target of the day, sixth-year wide receiver Umari Hatcher, for a touchdown reception. A penalty on UConn moved up SU's point-after attempt, and head coach Fran Brown went for the victory. Odom ran the ball in for the two-point conversion and a one-point triumph.
Here's what stood out in Syracuse football's one-point win at UConn.
Odom completed 27-of-37 pass attempts for 335 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had a rushing touchdown. Will he be the Orange's starting signal-caller for the remainder of the 2026 season? I think that remains to be seen.
Hatcher was fabulous. He caught 12 passes for 152 yards and three scores through the air. Sophomore tight end Daunte Bacheyie and senior tight end Noah Meyers each had a touchdown reception.
Five-star freshman wide receiver Calvin Russell III, Syracuse football's highest-ranked commit in more than 20 years, made his college debut after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in late March. He caught two passes for 14 yards. On the ground, sophomore running back Tylik Hill had 28 carries for 140 yards, good for five yards per carry.
Once again, the Orange was undisciplined in the penalties department. The 'Cuse committed eight penalties for 84 yards. Each team had two turnovers. Syracuse threw two interceptions, while UConn lost two fumbles.
Defense was optional in this contest. The Orange compiled 509 total yards, and the Huskies weren't far behind, with 499 total yards. Special teams remain an issue for the 'Cuse, as the team missed an extra point. Freshman placekicker Shay Barker was 0-of-2 on his field-goal attempts.
On the defensive side, Syracuse football was led by senior linebacker Chris D'Appolonia, who had nine total tackles, three solo tackles and 0.5 tackles for a loss. Sophomore linebacker Antoine Deslauriers had seven total tackles, four solo tackles and a forced fumble, while junior defensive back Davien Kerr finished with four total tackles, three solo tackles and two pass breakups.
Undeniably, that wasn't a pretty win for the Orange, given that it almost coughed up a game it clearly should have emerged victorious in, much like last month's home loss to California. However, Odom, by and large, was electric, and maybe he's injected a jolt of momentum into this 'Cuse program.
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