Syracuse football's defense provides hope for 2026 season, despite brutal Cal loss

There are a lot of adjectives that can be used to describe the Syracuse Orange’s 21-18 loss to Cal. It was brutal, frustrating and avoidable all at the same time. It was also discouraging, above all else.

Ahead of the season, it was hard to envision the Orange winning six or more games and having a successful season without knocking off Cal at home in Week 2. Since that didn’t happen, the outlook for the rest of the 2026 season could look bleak to many.

However, no matter how many negative adjectives you attach to the Cal loss, there is no reason to throw in the towel. Even after losing a game they could have - and probably should have - won, all is not lost. Out of the shadow of that defeat comes new hope for the Orange, and it’s called the Syracuse defense, which could be even better than imagined and will give the Orange a chance to get things turned around.

How good was the Syracuse defense against Cal?

While they lost to the Golden Bears, giving up 21 points to any ACC opponent is a great feat. On top of that, the Syracuse defense only gave up one legitimate touchdown drive. Cal’s second touchdown came on a 29-yard drive following a Steve Angeli interception. Cal’s third touchdown came on a pick-six by Angeli. Take those turnovers away, and the Orange could have easily allowed 10 points or less to the Golden Bears.

Granted, it’s too soon to say if Cal’s offense will end up having a good season. The Bears are facing several questions on that side of the ball after their first two games. But Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is a proven ACC quarterback, and the Cal offense is in good hands with him at the helm. To give up just 249 total yards against Cal is a sign that the Orange could be something special on defense.

The full package

The Orange seems to have all of the ingredients to continue to play well on the defensive side of the ball. With the tandem of Demetres Samuel Jr. and Chris Peal, as well as the addition of Nazir Ward, the Syracuse secondary is as deep and talented as it's been in a long time. At linebacker, the trio of Antoine Deslauriers, Chris D’Appolonia and Gary Bryant III gives the Orange playmakers all over the field.

Before the season, the defensive line and the pass rush were Syracuse’s biggest questions. The lack of sacks against Cal does point to an issue. However, everyone who’s played along the defensive line in the first two games has made a positive impact. No matter the opponent, it looks like Syracuse isn’t going to get pushed around in the trenches this season, setting up the Orange’s secondary and linebacker corps to make plays.

The road ahead

Even if the Cal offense isn’t the best that Syracuse faces this season, there are plenty of teams left on the Orange’s schedule that may not be much better offensively. Next week’s opponent, Pitt, managed just 12 points in a win over Central Florida this past weekend. Likewise, UConn, who Syracuse plays in Week 5 following a bye, managed just 14 points against Maryland, showing that they could be overmatched by a power-conference opponent.

Among opponents Syracuse will play later in the season, Clemson has been beyond disappointing offensively early in the season. NC State also had a rough outing in its first ACC game of the season. The jury is also out on Boston College, despite beating a beleaguered Rutgers team last week.

North Carolina has also had modest offensive returns despite going 2-0 early in the season. Even if the likes of SMU, Louisville and Notre Dame present bigger challenges for Syracuse, those games are at home, where the Orange defense can be at its best.

Defense gives you a chance

Of course, Syracuse isn’t going to win games by turning it over three times and racking up 132 yards worth of penalties. The Orange needs Angeli and the offense to respond to the adversity against Cal and put points on the board. If that doesn’t happen, there’s only so much the Syracuse defense can do.

However, the 2026 season is far from over, regardless of the deep levels of disappointment after the Cal game. Without question, the Syracuse defense played well enough to win that game. As long as the Orange defense provides that type of effort every week, Syracuse will have a chance to win every game it plays.

The defense won’t win games by itself, but against Cal, it gave Syracuse fans enough of a reason to not give up on the season.

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