Here’s my proposal: if the Syracuse Orange get to seven wins, just put up the statue of Fran Brown immediately, sign him t0 the supermax and never look back.
In my opinion, considering all the departures, the brutal difficulty of the schedule and so many new pieces to fit in, reaching a 7-5 regular season record in 2025 is like striking gold. Like Christian in his 6-6 piece, I’m starting off more on the pessimistic side, so making me having to pick seven wins is certainly a challenge, but there is a clear
path.
Here’s what I think would need to happen:
No. 24 Tennessee: Win (1-0, 0-0)
That’s right: Tennessee’s shake-up at the quarterback spot leads to its offense stumbling out of the gate, and Syracuse begins its campaign with a top-25 upset thanks to the defense holding out long enough and the offense doing just enough.
UConn: Win (2-0, 0-0)
Syracuse starts the game off slow and gives the Dome crowd a first-half scare in the home opener and then blows the doors totally open in the second half.
Colgate: Win (3-0, 0-0)
This isn’t an opponent that plays like an FCS East team from College Football 25 in the simulator, and Syracuse gets its first comfortable win from start to finish.
at No. 4 Clemson: Loss (3-1, 0-1)
Coach Dabo Sweeney pays back Fran Brown for getting Clemson into the ACC Championship game last year in the worst way possible — a 34-10 loss in Death Valley.
Duke: Loss (3-2, 0-2)
Syracuse suddenly goes from winning three straight to dropping two in a row. #MannyMagic pulls another rabbit (or Blue Devil) out of his hat and stun the Orange 17-14 in a slugfest.
at No. 16 SMU: Win (4-2, 1-2)
That’s right: Kevin Jennings may be back, but there are too many high-caliber departures on both sides of the field, and Syracuse shakes up the ACC title race in October.
Pittsburgh: Win (5-2, 2-2)
The Narduzzi Effect has no power in what will be one of the biggest home crowds for Syracuse this year, and the Dome becomes the Panthers’ own Pitt of Doom.
at Georgia Tech: Loss (5-3, 2-3)
One of the big nail-biters of the 2025 season, but Georgia Tech’s rushing attack proves too much for an Orange defense that has plenty of new players in the mix.
North Carolina: Win (6-3, 3-3)
The Bill Belichick-led Tar Heels get tricked and the roaring Orange crowd is treated to a thrilling win on Halloween night.
at No. 10 Miami (FL); Loss (6-4, 3-4)
As much as the anti-Miami crowd has its concerns, the Hurricanes wash out all the concerns, Carson Beck has a working shoulder, The U’s lead is too big for Mario Cristobal to mess up and the Orange’s road trip to Coral Gables ends on a sour note.
at No. 6 Notre Dame: Loss (6-5, 3-4)
A closer than expected game, but the luck of the Fighting Irish stays on Notre Dame’s side with costly turnovers for Syracuse determining this one.
Boston College: Win (7-5, 4-4)
The Eagles will get their usual six or seven wins, but this time, it won’t come from Syracuse as it closes the year with a double-digit win.
There’s a lot to unpack here with how I approached this. Let’s get the elephant out of the room early: upsetting Tennessee? Am I crazy?
A little, but here’s my logic: Syracuse last year went 9-3 before the bowl game, and all three of those losses were against the ACC (Stanford, Pitt and BC). That team was *really good. And obviously, the conference schedule is a lot harder this time around. Essentially, if Syracuse doesn’t beat Tennessee, it would need to once again go 5-3 against the ACC with an arguably more well-rounded team, but one that doesn’t have the same elite talent and uncertainty on offense.
There’s also this: I think Syracuse will be great at home, but it is highly unlikely to me they will be perfect. Hence, why I have ‘Cuse losing to Duke. In place of that game, I think it could lose to UNC if this whole Belichick thing works out.
As I’ll go on the record for with my actual predictions, I do think ‘Cuse will upset at least one top team in the ACC. In this scenario, I’ve got SMU just because there are just so many question marks around their team, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that becomes Miami if the Hurricanes struggle out of the gate and the wheels fall off the wagon by November.
Here’s my final thoughts: I would argue picking a 7-5 record is the toughest of all these to do, mainly because there are so many avenues to choose from, and with that, tough choices to make. Beating Tennessee will lay the groundwork for Syracuse being able to afford a loss to someone like a Duke or Georgia Tech. 2018 marks the last time ‘Cuse has won more than five ACC games in an eight-game conference schedule; it’s only won five or more twice since joining the conference. With pure history and speculation, it means having to win at least one non-con game between Tennessee and ND to reach the seven-win marker.
But now it’s your turn. How do you think Syracuse can reach seven wins?
