Syracuse Heads South to Face No. 18 Miami in Must-Win Clash

Syracuse Heads South to Face No. 18 Miami in Must-Win Clash

Syracuse Heads South to Face No. 18 Miami in Must-Win Clash

It’s game day in college football, and all eyes are on Miami Gardens, Florida, where the Syracuse Orange are set to face the 18th-ranked Miami Hurricanes this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern. The matchup will be broadcast on ESPN and streamed live through DIRECTV Stream and FuboTV, both of which are currently offering free trials—so fans looking to catch the game without YouTube TV have a few options.

For Syracuse, this game couldn’t come at a more crucial time. The Orange have hit a rough patch, dropping five straight contests, including a tough 27–10 loss to North Carolina. That result pushed their season record to 3–6 overall and 1–5 in ACC play. In response, head coach Fran Brown has been shaking things up, particularly on the offensive side. Receivers coach and passing game coordinator Myles White was recently let go, with veteran offensive mind Josh Gattis stepping in to fill the role. Gattis brings a strong résumé—he even won the Broyles Award back in 2021 as the nation’s top assistant when he was with Michigan.

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There’s also been movement in the quarterback room. Freshman walk-on Joe Filardi, who got the start against North Carolina, struggled to find rhythm, completing only 4 of 18 passes. That performance opened the door for Rickie Collins to return as the starter against Miami. Collins, a transfer from LSU, has been candid about how humbling his first season with Syracuse has been. In his four starts so far, he’s completed 54.9% of his passes for 858 yards, with four touchdowns and seven interceptions. This week, he’ll be working under the guidance of Michael Johnson, a coach with NFL experience who’s mentored big names like Michael Vick and Drew Brees.

Meanwhile, on the defensive side, linebacker Antoine Deslauriers has been a standout performer for Syracuse. The true freshman leads the team with 50 tackles—an impressive stat that actually ranks first among all true freshmen nationally. Deslauriers has shown consistency, notching five or more tackles in seven of the team’s nine games this season, along with two forced fumbles and two pass breakups.

The matchup history leans heavily toward Miami, who hold a 16–8 advantage in the all-time series. Syracuse hasn’t visited Hard Rock Stadium since 2017, and once again, they’ll be facing a ranked Hurricanes squad. Miami enters as a 28.5-point favorite according to FanDuel, making this an uphill battle for the Orange.

Still, a win here would be massive. It would mark Syracuse’s first victory over a ranked opponent this season and give head coach Fran Brown his fifth career win against a top-25 team. For the Orange, it’s about pride, progress, and proving that they can still finish strong down the stretch.

So whether you’re tuning in on ESPN or catching a free stream through DIRECTV or Fubo, this one’s worth watching. Syracuse may be the underdog—but in college football, anything can happen.

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