After a surprising 3-1 start, which includes a dominant 34-21 upset win over Clemson on Saturday, the Syracuse orange just may be one of the biggest surprises of the college football season.
Junior quarterback Steve Angeli is a big reason for Syracuse’s success this season.
After a 45-26 blowout loss to Tennessee to open the season, the 21-year-old passer led the Orange to three straight wins over UConn, Colgate, and Clemson, firmly putting Syracuse on the map in the eyes of many college football analysts.
Angeli threw for a career-high 416 yards and two touchdowns two weeks ago, and he followed it up with a 382-yard, five-touchdown performance the following week.
He was on track for another impressive performance against the Tigers on Saturday (244 yards and two touchdowns), but his day—and now his season—was derailed after he left in the third quarter with an apparent injury.
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Steve Angeli #9 of the Syracuse Orange warms up prior to the 2025 Aflac Kickoff Game between the Syracuse Orange and the Tennessee Volunteers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 30, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Steve Angeli #9 of the Syracuse Orange warms up prior to the 2025 Aflac Kickoff Game between the Syracuse Orange and the Tennessee Volunteers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 30, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
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According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, that injury turned out to be season-ending, and he’ll miss the rest of Syracuse’s season because of it.
“Sources: Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli will be out for the remainder of the year,” Thamel wrote on X. “An MRI has revealed he tore his Achilles in Syracuse’s win at Clemson. He expects to have two more years of eligibility, as he expects to qualify for a medical redshirt this season.”
A former four-star QB recruit in the class of 2022 according to the 247Sports composite rankings, Angeli transferred to Syracuse after two disappointing seasons at Notre Dame.
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He won the starting job in fall camp, beating out sophomore Rickie Collins, and he picked up right where Kyle McCord left off last season, ranking second in the country in passing yards (1,316) and 11th in touchdown passes (10).
In Angeli’s absence, Collins will take over as Syracuse’s starter. The 20-year-old signal-caller completed 3 of 8 passes for 34 yards and a touchdown against Clemson. In three seasons, Collins has 137 career passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
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