Syracuse football looks to regroup after a tough loss in week one to No. 24 Tennessee in Atlanta when the Orange hosts another non-conference foe, UConn, this Saturday afternoon.
The 'Cuse hung around with the Volunteers, but the Orange's defense couldn't stop Tennessee in a 45-26 setback that reflected the improvements that Syracuse football must make, but also the encouraging signs that provide optimism for the team's 2025 season.
The Huskies, an independent in FBS football, aren't on the same level as the Vols, but make no mistake about it. Connecticut isn't a cupcake or a pushover. The Huskies are lead by head coach Jim Mora, who previously was the head coach at UCLA and for two NFL teams.
In 2024, UConn played the Orange extremely close on the road, and the Huskies would go 9-4 overall, including a win at the Fenway Bowl in Boston over fellow Atlantic Coast Conference team North Carolina.
Syracuse football vs. UConn odds, spread and total
When I wrote this article, FanDuel had the 'Cuse as a 6.5-point betting favorite at home against the Huskies, with the over/under set at 58.5 points.
Syracuse football vs. UConn how to watch
Date: Saturday, Sept. 6
Game Time: 12:00 pm EST
Venue: JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.
TV/Streaming: ACC Network Extra and fuboTV
UConn's record: 1-0 overall
Syracuse's record: 0-1, 0-0 in the ACC
Syracuse’s full 2025 schedule: Click here
Syracuse football vs. UConn prediction and pick
In their all-time series together, per SU Athletics, the Orange is 7-6 against the Huskies. Last year, UConn, on the road, gave Syracuse football all it could handle. The Huskies simply wouldn't go away, although the 'Cuse prevailed by a final count of 31-24.
In that late November tussle, Syracuse football record-setting senior quarterback Kyle McCord tallied 470 passing yards and two touchdowns through the air in the Orange win. The 'Cuse would stun top-10 Miami the following weekend to finish up its 2024 regular season at 9-3 overall under head coach Fran Brown.
Here is the Orange's week-two depth chart, courtesy of 247Sports. No big changes to the depth chart from week one, although it's only Monday, so things could change.
In week one, playing at home, Connecticut throttled in-state foe Central Connecticut, 59-13. Granted, Central Connecticut isn't an overly daunting foe, although the Huskies racked up a school record 638 total yards.
I like Syracuse football to bounce back and beat UConn, but Saturday's affair is no gimme for the Orange. The 'Cuse over the Huskies, 38-27.