For the third time in the 2026 season, Syracuse football lost by one score or fewer. On Saturday night at the JMA Wireless Dome, with numerous four-star recruits in attendance, the Orange came close yet again, but close doesn't cut it.
Louisville picked up a road win, 34-26, over a struggling Syracuse football team (2-4 overall, 0-4 in ACC) that now finds itself in the Atlantic Coast Conference's basement at the halfway point of the current campaign for the 'Cuse.
To be fair, the Orange did win one close game earlier this season by one point at UConn in overtime. But the 'Cuse has also fallen by eight points or fewer to California at home, Virginia on the road and, most recently, Louisville (4-3 overall, 3-2 in ACC) on the Hill. In their all-time series, the Cardinals moved to 14-8 against the Orange.
Some SU fans, understandably, have declared the 2026 season over. I get that sort of sentiment. Not only is Syracuse football last in the ACC at this juncture, but the Orange has also lost 11 consecutive league encounters. SU's last conference triumph was at Clemson in September 2025.
Yes, Syracuse's injuries at quarterback - and they're extensive, no doubt about it - are hurting the program, but so are the penalties, among other things. The 'Cuse will look to rebound when it heads to North Carolina this coming Saturday evening.
Syracuse football is in a downward spiral, and how the team recovers is anybody's guess.
Given the eight-point margin, it's not a surprise that the Orange and the Cardinals were neck and neck in many statistical categories, although there were some outliers. Syracuse football led in time of possession by nearly five minutes. The 'Cuse had 11 more first downs and ran 22 more plays.
Total yards? Syracuse football had 462. Louisville had 425. Both defenses picked off the opponent twice, but the Cardinals also had a takeaway via a fumble recovery. Neither squad fared all that well in the rushing department; Louisville averaged 3.3 yards per carry, while the 'Cuse was at 3.2 in this arena.
Oh, the penalties. The Cardinals committed 10 for 90 yards. For SU, it was eight for 88 yards. No penalty was more emblematic of Syracuse football's 2026 season than when five-star freshman wide receiver Calvin Russell III caught his first collegiate touchdown, then threw the football up in the stands to his family.
I understand Russell's excitement. However, he was, of course, flagged for a 15-yard penalty, and that backed up the team on its PAT attempt. As we all know by now, the Orange's kicking game is having a rough go in 2026, and SU missed the point-after attempt.
After the game, head coach Fran Brown said regarding Russell, "I asked him, 'Is that intelligent?' I said I understand your adrenaline. I understand what you’re going through at the moment and the excitement you have, but you have to control that because you are a pro. You’re going to do that a lot. Are you going to throw 60-plus footballs into the stands?"
Hatch is over 200 yards receiving through 3+ quarters 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/gEBbhv89QW
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) October 18, 2026
Russell, SU's highest-ranked signee in more than two decades, had six catches for 53 yards and that TD. Sixth-year wide receiver Umari Hatcher was fabulous, hauling in 13 receptions for 224 yards and one score through the air.
Even though the Orange's average yards per carry were poor, senior running back Ahmad Miller had himself a game. The transfer from Jackson State rushed 18 times for 123 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Senior quarterback Malachi Nelson was a warrior on Saturday night. He entered the game with bruised ribs and wasn't able to finish the ACC contest after suffering a right-foot injury. Nelson, a UTEP transfer, completed 26-of-39 passes for 315 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Nelson fumbled once, and Louisville sacked him five times. Fifth-year player Danny Lauter, a Georgetown transfer, finished out the game for Syracuse, going 3-for-5 for 24 yards. It's feasible he could start for the Orange in Chapel Hill, N.C., next Saturday evening.
Following this weekend in college football action, the 'Cuse is last in the country at the FBS level in penalties committed per game, at 10.17, and penalty yards per contest, at 94.33.
Add us as a preferred source on Google