Syracuse football: what’s college football saying about the Orange heading into Week 7?

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA - OCTOBER 10: Malachi Nelson #16 of the Syracuse Orange hands off to Tylik Hill #20 during the game between the Virginia Cavaliers and the Syracuse Orange at Scott Stadium on October 10, 2026 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Roger Wimmer/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Get

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What is the story about?

The Syracuse Orange remain without a conference win in mid-October. Surprisingly, after a close but eventual loss to Virginia, the current results have the rankings all over the place going into the Louisville game.

Syracuse returns to the JMA Wireless Dome for the first time in over a month this weekend. Here’s how the Orange and Cardinals rank heading into the contest:

ESPN

Syracuse dropped four spots (from No. 68 to No. 72) in ESPN’s updated SP+ rankings. The Orange are now at 86th on offense, 66th on defense,

and 78th on special teams. Louisville is at No. 25 overall.

ESPN’s College Football Power Index moved the Orange up three spots to No. 63. At 2-3, Syracuse’s win total ranges from 4.4 to 7.6, with just under a one-in-five chance of reaching six wins. Louisville jumped 12 spots to No. 24.