After picking up a statement win at Clemson last weekend, Syracuse football returns to the Hill to host Duke this Saturday afternoon in another Atlantic Coast Conference showdown.
The Orange handled the Tigers in week four, although the 'Cuse lost redshirt junior quarterback Steve Angeli in the process. Angeli said in a post on X that he had a successful surgery on his torn Achilles tendon on Monday, but he will miss the remainder of the 2025 season, which is heartbreaking.
Against the Blue Devils, redshirt sophomore Rickie Collins, a transfer from LSU, will replace Angeli as the Orange's starting quarterback. Collins has big shoes to fill, as Angeli was leading the country in total passing yards entering week four.
— Steve Angeli (@SteveAngeli_125) September 23, 2025
The 'Cuse looked fabulous on offense, defense and special teams at Clemson, and hopefully, that will carry over to Saturday's home affair versus Duke, which is also coming off a quality victory this past weekend.
Both the Orange and the Blue Devils sit at 1-0 in ACC competition in the early part of the league docket, so this encounter will enable one of the two programs to move to 2-0 in conference play.
Syracuse football versus Duke odds, spread and total
When I wrote this article, FanDuel had the 'Cuse as a 5.5-point betting underdog at home against the Blue Devils, with the over/under set at 59.5 points.
Syracuse football versus Duke how to watch
Date: Saturday, Sept. 27
Game Time: 12:00 pm EST
Venue: JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.
TV/Streaming: ACC Network and fuboTV
Clemson's record: 2-2 overall, 1-0 in the ACC
Syracuse's record: 3-1 overall, 1-0 in the ACC
Syracuse’s full 2025 schedule: Click here
Syracuse football versus Duke prediction and pick
In their short all-time series together, the Orange is just 1-4 against the Blue Devils, according to cuse.com. The ACC's preseason media poll had Duke at No. 6 in the conference, as compared to No. 12 for the 'Cuse.
Entering week five, Syracuse football is second in the ACC in passing yards per game, at 354.0, while the Blue Devils are No. 3, at 331.8. Duke is led by redshirt sophomore quarterback Darian Mensah, a transfer from Tulane. To date in 2025, Mensah is completing 67.3 percent of his passes for 1,305 yards with 11 touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Blue Devils have beaten Elon and N.C. State at home, while Duke has lost to Tulane on the road and Illinois in Durham, N.C. Last Saturday, the Blue Devils trailed the Wolfpack 20-7 in the second quarter but rallied for a 45-33 triumph.
As Collins settles into the starting quarterback role, Syracuse football has three winnable games coming up. The Orange will host Duke, travel to SMU, have a bye week and then host Pittsburgh. If the 'Cuse can win those three ACC contests to get to 6-1, that would prove huge as some more daunting games will arrive later on in the 2025 campaign.
Even with Angeli sidelined, I think the Orange can dispatch of Duke, regardless of what the odds-makers say. I'll forecast Syracuse football to defeat the Blue Devils, 31-27, and inch closer to residing in the major top-25 polls.