3identity shift
Syracuse shifts fanbase identity, redefining program.
Fran Brown's 2nd season opens with a 3-9 losing record, raising questions about whether the program's historic-northeast-football identity can hold under new fan expectations.
Syracuse3-9Latest
Syracuse fans are split on what comes next.
belief cooled ↓ 0.8vs prior week
Fanbase belief
Mixed
52/100 · 174 mentions
~ our readGrounding
backed by facts
17% cite a stat · 7% typical ✓ counted
~ our readVolatility
Chaotic
σ 27 pts
~ our readThe model
#124
CFB Zeitgeist · -6.4
✓ measured3Hope-Doping·Offseason
Syracuse owns the first Black Heisman, a 1959 national title, and the number 44 — and is betting that Fran Brown, the Camden kid who came home to coach, is the one who finally makes the Orange matter again, even after a torn Achilles cost them their breakout season.
Title DroughtSince 2004 · 21 yrs
Fans are tired of being the program everyone files under 'historic Northeast football' and forgets — the place pundits treat as a recruiting pit stop, a job Fran Brown is supposed to use as a launchpa…
offseason · quiet
Roster Reload - Syracuse
2026 snapshot - 2026-08-06Returning Production14%Low continuity / heavy reload
Talent Composite#34 nationally247 composite 727.8
Portal Additions19Primary repair: TE
Portal Losses29Primary pressure: WR
Draft Loss0No NFL Draft departures recorded
Recruiting Reload#35Development class
WRin 3 - Matt Outtenout 8 - Darrell Gill Jr.Starter Risk
current room: 198 lbs avg (2025 roster)
QBin 3 - Amari Odomout 3 - Rickie CollinsEven
current room: 207 lbs avg (2025 roster)
DLin 3 - Dillan Fontusout 3 - Eric ThomasEven
current room: 292 lbs avg (2025 roster)
CBin 2 - Nazir Wardout 3 - Ibn McDanielsDowngrade
current room: 194 lbs avg (2025 roster)
RBin 2 - Ju'Juan Johnsonout 3 - Yasin WillisEven
current room: 216 lbs avg (2025 roster)
LBin 1 - Chris D'Appoloniaout 3 - James Heard Jr.Starter Risk
current room: 234 lbs avg (2025 roster)
Belief EKG
WinLoss · hover for scorePrior seasons
Approaching
30 days
until kickoff · vs New Hampshire · Sat Sep 5 · 16:00 UTC
The experience
Syracuse is the ACC program whose Carrier Dome dome-roof era + Donovan McNabb / Marvin Harrison Sr. canon + 2018 10-3 + 2024 10-3 under Fran Brown define what historic-northeast-football looks like.
Offense: PoorDefense: PoorDefensive shape: Gives up the big play
Syracuse faces a high-volatility season with heavy roster turnover and a low returning player
The team's recruiting class ranks #35 and features significant transfer activity, but only 14% of players return from last year.
- Roster reloadSyracuse has a low returning player of 14% and a high volatility score of "high", indicating significant roster changes.
Data as of 2026-08-01
·
Validated against program evidence
Otto the Orange is patient.
Syracuse · the story right now
7 storylines developing
What Syracuse's offseason is really about
the open questionwhere does it go from here?
program_outlookthis cycle~readnew
Syracuse collapsed 70 spots in SP+ — the 3-9 record and bottom-quintile returning production raise one question: can Fran Brown’s second season salvage the historic-northeast-football identity before it fades?
what happenedSyracuse enters 2026 rated No. 115 in 2025 SP+ (-13.1), down 70 spots from 2024. ✓ fact
the contextbottom-quintile returning production — heavy turnover entering the season
narrative tension · our read
program_outlookthis cycle~readnew
Syracuse collapsed 70 spots in SP+ — Fran Brown's second season opens with bottom-quintile returning production and an uneasy fanbase defining historic-northeast-football.
what happenedSyracuse enters 2025 rated No. 115 in SP+ (-13.1), down 70 spots from 2024. ✓ fact
the contextbottom-quintile returning production — heavy turnover entering the season
narrative tension · our read
money downthis cycle✓ factnew
Johntay Cook II isn't a money-down weapon -- his 3rd-down conversion rate lags the position, and his per-target value drops further in that spot.
narrative tension · our read
garbage timethis cycle~attributednew
Will Nixon: a garbage time merchant signal screened this season.
narrative tension · our read
short yardagethis cycle~attributednew
Yasin Willis converts 3rd/4th-and-short at a below-average rate.
narrative tension · our read
coordinatorsthis cycle~readnew
Fran Brown's second season opens with a 3-9 losing record hanging over Syracuse, raising questions about whether the coordinator-driven reshaping can elevate a program still in the ACC's lower tier.
what happenedSyracuse: coordinator change reshaping a unit. ✓ fact
narrative tension · our read
identitythis cycle~readnew
Fran Brown's 2nd season opens with a 3-9 losing record, raising questions about whether the program's historic-northeast-football identity can hold under new fan expectations.
what happenedSyracuse: the fanbase's identity shifting. ✓ fact
narrative tension · our read
How past storylines here turned out
AnsweredSyracuse's head-coaching hire held for another season.
Died downSyracuse's defensive coordinator change has died down — no clear next chapter yet.
Died downSyracuse's offensive coordinator change has died down — no clear next chapter yet.
The Offseason Ledger · Syracuse
1 verified update · portal · recruiting · staff · news- Recruiting
Elijah Kimble commits to Syracuse
Canisius RB in a development class while Syracuse craters to No. 115 in SP+ — Fran Brown is planting seeds, but the WR room needed water yesterday.
Transfer portal snapshot
-3.1 net portal points
(raw ledger: -34.2 — unweighted, no position adjustment)WR-18.5
starter risk
TE+7.2
need not filled
LB-6.8
starter risk
EDGE-6.7
starter risk
IOL+3.7
low confidence
OT-3.5
low confidence
CB-3.3
RB-3.1
K-3.0
low confidence
QB-0.7
DL+0.3
S+0.1
Top 3 commits
2026 class
★★★★☆
Calvin Russell
#85 national
Blue-chip pedigree, profiling early as a prototypical wide receiver — 12 of his 25 closest recruiting profiles since 2018 shared the Possession Receiver archetype.~our read · projection from recruiting profile — no college snaps yet
★★★★☆
Amare Gough
#357 national
Profiles like a typical incoming wide receiver — 15 of his 25 closest recruiting profiles since 2018 shared the Possession Receiver archetype.~our read · projection from recruiting profile — no college snaps yet
★★★★☆
Kamron Wilson
#423 national
→
Fan confidence in a typical range for this program right now
45th percentile among FBS programs
Fan vs. market↑
45th
Fan percentile
(FBS mood rank)
(FBS mood rank)
4.5
Vegas O/U wins
(11th among FBS)
(11th among FBS)
Fans 34pp more bullish than market implies
Win total consensus · 3 books
Market outlook
Season expectations
Win total3 booksO/U 4.5
CFP championship#71 in field+80000
ACC title#14 in market+10000
Sportsbook consensus · best odds across multiple books · 2026-08-06
Syracuse · Next-Season Outcome Band
Syracuse · Next-Season Outcome BandFloor / Base / Ceiling
Floor 4-8
Base 7-6
Ceiling 9-4
floor4-8No postseason.
base7-6Bowl game.
ceiling9-4Bowl game.
Final-season-aware projection: floor / base / ceiling include conference title and CFP games where the model supports them, so a ceiling can exceed a 12-game regular season.
How the room reacted
Following now · Syracuse · Season outlook Confidence
Syracuse's numbers fell sharply. The model sees a program under real pressure.
Syracuse enters 2026 rated No. 115 in 2025 SP+ (-13.1), down 70 spots from 2024. It is bottom-quintile returning production — heavy turnover entering the season. SP+ reflects three years of tape; a drop this steep is structural, not noise. The recovery window is open but the room knows it. The skeptics have specifics: the schedule, the departures, the pieces the model can't see.
CFB Zeitgeist Read · our take
Syracuse collapsed 70 spots in SP+ — the 3-9 record and bottom-quintile returning production raise one question: can Fran Brown’s second season salvage the historic-northeast-football identity before it fades?
Next · what to watch
The non-obvious consequence of a steep fall isn't one bad year — it's the recruiting and portal feedback loop. A 'they're down' narrative accelerates the attrition that drove the decline. Watch whether the model holds through the first month of the schedule. The boards are already there — one thread raises exactly this.
Source of record: Syracuse enters 2026 rated No. 115 in 2025 SP+ (-13.1), down 70 spots from 2024 — bottom-quintile returning production — heavy turnover entering the season.
How each room is reacting — tap to expand
📣Believers0 bullish items -- the case it's working.›
The 'the projection is underselling us' read -- fans betting the season beats the preview number.
“College football: Syracuse coach Brown sees difference in team as practice begins”
nny360.com · 2026-08-06 · read ↗
“Syracuse football opens fall camp”
Spectrum News · 2026-08-05 · read ↗
“Fran Brown's Offers Unique Answer About How Syracuse Measures Up in ACC NIL Battle”
Yahoo Sports · 2026-08-05 · read ↗
🧐Skeptics“The 5 Biggest Questions Facing Syracuse Football Before the 2026” — the real counter.›
The 'the model has seen the tape' counter -- efficiency ratings reward what a program has actually done, not hope.
“The 5 Biggest Questions Facing Syracuse Football Before the 2026 Season”
Orange Fizz · 2026-08-05 · read ↗
“UPDATE: Fran Brown WON'T ADD More Players to Syracuse Football | Did He Make the Right Decision?”
13newsnow.com · 2026-08-04 · read ↗
💬The boards14% of recent board volume — the fanbase is locked in. Board mood this week: negative overall · anger notable (62%).›
This event was in 57 of 395 board posts (14%) over the last 60 days — a fanbase consumed by it. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
"Syracuse used to burn the shoes. It goes back to Dick MacPherson, who would have the players burn their cleats to put the past behind them. Pasqualoni continued it. Greg Robinson e"
r/CFB ~ fan take
"Two: \#1, Michael Vick commits to Syracuse to take over for Donovan McNabb, as was expected before he went Va Tech. Big drop off at QB after McNabb left. \#2. Our stupid A.D. did n"
r/CFB ~ fan take
Board health this week (183 posts): 14% positive · 61% neutral · 25% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Following now · Syracuse · Season outlook Confidence
Syracuse's numbers fell sharply. The model sees a program under real pressure.
Syracuse enters 2025 rated No. 115 in SP+ (-13.1), down 70 spots from 2024. It is bottom-quintile returning production — heavy turnover entering the season. SP+ reflects three years of tape; a drop this steep is structural, not noise. The recovery window is open but the room knows it. The skeptics have specifics: the schedule, the departures, the pieces the model can't see.
CFB Zeitgeist Read · our take
Syracuse collapsed 70 spots in SP+ — Fran Brown's second season opens with bottom-quintile returning production and an uneasy fanbase defining historic-northeast-football.
Next · what to watch
The non-obvious consequence of a steep fall isn't one bad year — it's the recruiting and portal feedback loop. A 'they're down' narrative accelerates the attrition that drove the decline. Watch whether the model holds through the first month of the schedule. The boards are already there — one thread raises exactly this.
Source of record: Syracuse enters 2025 rated No. 115 in SP+ (-13.1), down 70 spots from 2024 — bottom-quintile returning production — heavy turnover entering the season.
How each room is reacting — tap to expand
📣Believers0 bullish items -- the case it's working.›
The 'the projection is underselling us' read -- fans betting the season beats the preview number.
“College football: Syracuse coach Brown sees difference in team as practice begins”
nny360.com · 2026-08-06 · read ↗
“Syracuse football opens fall camp”
Spectrum News · 2026-08-05 · read ↗
“Fran Brown's Offers Unique Answer About How Syracuse Measures Up in ACC NIL Battle”
Yahoo Sports · 2026-08-05 · read ↗
🧐Skeptics“The 5 Biggest Questions Facing Syracuse Football Before the 2026” — the real counter.›
The 'the model has seen the tape' counter -- efficiency ratings reward what a program has actually done, not hope.
“The 5 Biggest Questions Facing Syracuse Football Before the 2026 Season”
Orange Fizz · 2026-08-05 · read ↗
“UPDATE: Fran Brown WON'T ADD More Players to Syracuse Football | Did He Make the Right Decision?”
13newsnow.com · 2026-08-04 · read ↗
💬The boards14% of recent board volume — the fanbase is locked in. Board mood this week: negative overall · anger notable (62%).›
This event was in 57 of 395 board posts (14%) over the last 60 days — a fanbase consumed by it. Fan text shown verbatim, attributed to the community not the individual poster.
"Syracuse used to burn the shoes. It goes back to Dick MacPherson, who would have the players burn their cleats to put the past behind them. Pasqualoni continued it. Greg Robinson e"
r/CFB ~ fan take
"Two: \#1, Michael Vick commits to Syracuse to take over for Donovan McNabb, as was expected before he went Va Tech. Big drop off at QB after McNabb left. \#2. Our stupid A.D. did n"
r/CFB ~ fan take
Board health this week (183 posts): 14% positive · 61% neutral · 25% negative. Team-level weekly mood — not specific to this event. The boards ≠ the fanbase: a self-selected vocal slice.
Recent Form · last 10 games
Hibernating
Zero of five. Reset territory.
Streak L8Last 5 · 0-5Last 10 · 2-8
The forecast
Opens Sep 5
vs New Hampshire · at home
Season line4.5 winsover -115
PoorPoorGives up the big play
✓ fact on line · ~ our read on style
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
Recruiting Footprint · 2026
27
FL · 7PA · 6DE · 3NJ · 3VA · 3CA · 1MD · 1NC · 1+2 more
FL leads the 2026 class with 7 commits. National footprint reaching 10 states.
Where they recruit · 2023-2026
107 signees across 22 states, 2023-2026. NJ leads the pull.
r/cfb this year
[Postgame Thread] Syracuse Defeats Colgate 66-24
[Postgame Thread] SMU Defeats Syracuse 31-18
[Game Thread] Colgate @ Syracuse (7:00 PM ET)
Top community posts · last 12 months · r/cfb
National spotlight
11 games with TV coverage: 2 national broadcast, 4 ESPN, 4 conference network, 1 streaming
Kickoff windows: 4 noon, 4 afternoon, 3 primetime
Fumble luck
67% recovery rate on the fumbles they've forced — well above the ~49% league baseline.
4 of 6 forced fumbles recovered; 6 of 14 own fumbles recovered themselves, 2025 only.
Takeaway conversion
12% of tipped/broken-up passes have turned into picks — below the ~19% league average, and due for more.
5 interceptions of 41 disrupted passes (36 deflected, 5 intercepted), 2025 only.
Penalty battle
74 penalties committed, 73 drawn on opponents — a near-even trade all season.
659 penalty yards committed vs. 672 drawn on opponents, 2025 season total.
The Pulse on Syracuse
52
Δ -0.8 vs last wk
174
mentions this week · conversation velocity
What moved it — fall camp · last 14 days
Camp
Fall camp open — install + scrimmage cycle
ongoing
Kickoff
Season opener in 16 days
kickoff
"Otto, Otto"
— Syracuse fanbase · recurring line
Fanbase Signals
Cohort Divergence3 pctSpread between sub-fanbase cohorts in the Pulse window.
The Fever Year
Position = mood · width = volume · color = the kind of feeling
Inside the fanbase — all 8 corners
Cr/CFB
GGoogle News
LLocked On
NNunes Magician
CCampus paper
BBluesky
YYouTube
The split, staged
Warmest corner+0.00
Casuals
most bought-in cohort our read
vs
Coldest corner−0.00
Bettors
coolest cohort our read
Believers keep circling back to fan energy; skeptics keep coming back to where the program is headed. our read
How Syracuse fans actually talk real · top-upvoted
Rr/CFBthe room
Ah, back to the old normal of the NCAA giving out speeding tickets to Grandma going 38 in a 35 mph zone.... and ignoring the major crimes.
▲ 991 ▼open ↗
The crowd’s loudest take by upvotes — read for mood, not as a side. The cohort read is the measured part.
Loudest in the room this week real · by engagement
All 8 corners of the fanbase
skeptical
buying in
Casuals+0.09
Bettors+0.01
Cohort sentiment is a source-weighted model read — never a quote pinned to a person.
What this fanbase keeps coming back to our read · topic model
Topics are model-labeled from Reddit — a rough signal of what this fanbase is circling right now.
295 mentions · 7 sources · week 2026-01. Counts, sources and the divergence rank are measured (fact). Cohort labels and sentiment are a source-weighted model read (our read) — never a quote attributed to a person.
Belief checkevidence-driven
~ our readSyracuse fans are leaning negative, and they're pointing to real stats and results to back it up — more than most fanbases right now.
backed by facts
the mood
✓ counted We read 183 posts from Syracuse fans this week.
Season storylines
Week 4
“I don't think it really was, I think Brown was just being diplomatic and not trying to run Collins off, hoping maybe they could fix him over the next season.”— r/CFB
Week 10
“No kidding. We've played more games without Angeli than with him this season, and he still leads our team in passing by several hundred yards.”— r/CFB
Week 2
“Lmao people acting like Cuse won 31-24 with the starters playing the whole game. Oh no, we only won by six touchdowns with our backups playing for a good portion of the game, sound the alarm.”— r/CFB
Week 9
“To paraphrase Boeheim, without McCord we wouldn't have won five fucking games last year.”— r/CFB
Week 8
“Defense is just going to keep getting injured because we can't stay on the field on offense.”— r/CFB
Five Lenses
What people are saying right now
Radio, beat writers & editorial16 posts
News & campus coverage12 posts
Rent free · r/cfb fan posts, last season
Syracuse lives rent-free in
share of each rival fanbase’s football posts that bring up Syracuse
Fanbase Health Index · Syracuse · high confidence
Fanbase Health Index · Syracuse · high confidenceGrowing (52)
DecliningStableGrowingSurging
On-Field — 3-9 (25% win rate)33
Volume — 782 effective signal-N88
Cohort Engagement — Divergence 0.03 — quiet35
From the booth
The Lexicon
307 posts and articles vs the field · 2025 season
angeli
×129.5 the field
Signature — ≥10× the rest of college football
angeli×129.5n=18
fran×143.4n=17
collins×100.3n=16
orange×32.9n=18
cuse×76.4n=10
rickie×538.0n=11
Characteristic — 3–10×
without×3.7n=10
seen×3.0n=12
Mild — <3×
another×2.5n=16
star×1.7n=39
“At least we had a good QB in Angeli at one point”
reddit/CFB · fan post, verbatim
Fanbase Voice
365 fan mentions
Measured
vs the 81 highest-volume fanbases - 2025 season
Key stats — 2025 — FBS rank
Points/game#117 / 138 · 16th pct20.2
Pts allowed/game#131 / 138 · 6th pct34.9
Total yards/gm#114 / 136 · 17th pct340.3
Rush yards/gm#114 / 136 · 17th pct123.1
Pass yards/gm#89 / 136 · 35th pct217.2
Yards allowed/gm#104 / 136 · 24th pct429.2
Rush yds allowed/gm#94 / 136 · 32nd pct176.3
Sacks#108 / 136 · 21st pct19
Interceptions#117 / 136 · 15th pct5
3rd-down conv#107 / 136 · 22nd pct35.1%
All 98 stats
Offense / Defense
Total yards
Team4084340.3/gm4.85/play#114 / 136 · 17th pct#61 / 69 · 13th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Opp5150429.2/gm6.55/play#104 / 136 · 24th pct#59 / 69 · 16th pct#13 / 17 · 29th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Rush yards
Team1477123.1/gm1.75/play#114 / 136 · 17th pct#58 / 69 · 17th pct#13 / 17 · 29th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Opp2116176.3/gm2.69/play#94 / 136 · 32nd pct#55 / 69 · 22nd pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Rush carries
Team43436.2/gm#77 / 136 · 44th pct#35 / 69 · 51st pct#8 / 17 · 59th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Opp39633.0/gm#10 / 136 · 93rd pct#9 / 69 · 88th pct#3 / 17 · 88th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Rush TDs
Team121.0/gm#111 / 136 · 19th pct#59 / 69 · 16th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp242.0/gm#98 / 136 · 29th pct#56 / 69 · 20th pct#13 / 17 · 29th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Net pass yards
Team2607217.2/gm3.10/play#89 / 136 · 35th pct#51 / 69 · 28th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Opp3034252.8/gm3.86/play#102 / 136 · 26th pct#54 / 69 · 23rd pct#8 / 17 · 59th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Pass attempts
Team40834.0/gm#56 / 136 · 60th pct#27 / 69 · 62nd pct#11 / 17 · 41st pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
Opp39032.5/gm#68 / 136 · 51st pct#33 / 69 · 54th pct#5 / 17 · 76th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Completions
Team23019.2/gm#82 / 136 · 40th pct#47 / 69 · 33rd pct#13 / 17 · 29th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Opp25921.6/gm#92 / 136 · 33rd pct#45 / 69 · 36th pct#8 / 17 · 59th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Pass TDs
Team171.4/gm#82 / 136 · 40th pct#47 / 69 · 33rd pct#13 / 17 · 29th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Opp231.9/gm#107 / 136 · 22nd pct#57 / 69 · 19th pct#14 / 17 · 24th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Passer rating
Team121.3121.3#115 / 136 · 16th pct#64 / 69 · 9th pct#17 / 17 · 6th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Opp143.5143.5#111 / 136 · 19th pct#58 / 69 · 17th pct#14 / 17 · 24th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Interceptions thrown
Team151.2/gm#7 / 136 · 96th pct#1 / 69 · 100th pct#1 / 17 · 100th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Opp50.4/gm#15 / 136 · 90th pct#10 / 69 · 87th pct#5 / 17 · 76th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Sacks (def)
Team191.6/gm#108 / 136 · 21st pct#61 / 69 · 13th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct#8 / 10 · 30th pct
Opp342.8/gm#119 / 136 · 13th pct#60 / 69 · 14th pct#14 / 17 · 24th pct#6 / 10 · 50th pct
Tackles for loss
Team584.8/gm#109 / 136 · 21st pct#59 / 69 · 16th pct#16 / 17 · 12th pct#10 / 10 · 10th pct
Opp736.1/gm#98 / 136 · 29th pct#54 / 69 · 23rd pct#13 / 17 · 29th pct#4 / 10 · 70th pct
First downs
Team23319.4/gm#101 / 136 · 26th pct#52 / 69 · 26th pct#14 / 17 · 24th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Opp26121.8/gm#91 / 136 · 34th pct#52 / 69 · 26th pct#12 / 17 · 35th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
3rd-down conv
Team605.0/gm#105 / 136 · 24th pct#55 / 69 · 22nd pct#13 / 17 · 29th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Opp625.2/gm#31 / 136 · 78th pct#14 / 69 · 81st pct#5 / 17 · 76th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
3rd-down att
Team17114.2/gm#75 / 136 · 46th pct#33 / 69 · 54th pct#9 / 17 · 53rd pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Opp15312.8/gm#13 / 136 · 91st pct#8 / 69 · 90th pct#2 / 17 · 94th pct#1 / 12 · 100th pct
4th-down conv
Team151.2/gm#47 / 136 · 66th pct#28 / 69 · 61st pct#6 / 17 · 71st pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct
Opp110.9/gm#32 / 136 · 77th pct#14 / 69 · 81st pct#4 / 17 · 82nd pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
4th-down att
Team322.7/gm#26 / 136 · 82nd pct#10 / 69 · 87th pct#4 / 17 · 82nd pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Opp211.8/gm#34 / 136 · 76th pct#17 / 69 · 77th pct#4 / 17 · 82nd pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Time of possession
Team365:3630:28/gm#87 / 136 · 37th pct#46 / 69 · 35th pct#11 / 17 · 41st pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
Opp354:2429:32/gm#13 / 136 · 91st pct#6 / 69 · 93rd pct#1 / 17 · 100th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Kicking & Punting
Field goals#23 / 135 · 84th pct12/14 (85.7%)
Extra points22/22
Punting#14 / 136 · 90th pct46.1 avg · 62 punts
Turnovers & special teams
Turnovers
Team231.9/gm#8 / 136 · 95th pct#2 / 69 · 99th pct#1 / 17 · 100th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Opp90.8/gm#6 / 136 · 96th pct#3 / 69 · 97th pct#2 / 17 · 94th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Fumbles lost
Team80.7/gm#25 / 136 · 82nd pct#9 / 69 · 88th pct#5 / 17 · 76th pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
Opp40.3/gm#19 / 136 · 87th pct#11 / 69 · 86th pct#3 / 17 · 88th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
INT return TDs
Team00.0/gm#76 / 135 · 44th pct#39 / 69 · 45th pct#10 / 17 · 47th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp30.2/gm#129 / 136 · 6th pct#66 / 69 · 6th pct#16 / 17 · 12th pct#9 / 11 · 27th pct
INT return yards
Team615.1/gm#101 / 136 · 26th pct#49 / 69 · 30th pct#12 / 17 · 35th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Opp26722.2/gm#131 / 136 · 4th pct#69 / 69 · 1st pct#17 / 17 · 6th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Punt ret yds
Team584.8/gm#118 / 136 · 14th pct#64 / 69 · 9th pct#16 / 17 · 12th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Opp15112.6/gm#89 / 136 · 35th pct#47 / 69 · 33rd pct#11 / 17 · 41st pct#5 / 12 · 67th pct
Punt ret TDs
Team00.0/gm#43 / 135 · 69th pct#23 / 69 · 68th pct#5 / 17 · 76th pct#4 / 9 · 67th pct
Opp20.2/gm#128 / 135 · 6th pct#67 / 69 · 4th pct#17 / 17 · 6th pct#9 / 10 · 20th pct
Kick ret yds
Team51943.2/gm#49 / 136 · 65th pct#20 / 69 · 72nd pct#4 / 17 · 82nd pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Opp19916.6/gm#15 / 136 · 90th pct#11 / 69 · 86th pct#4 / 17 · 82nd pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct
Kick ret TDs
Team00.0/gm#40 / 136 · 71st pct#17 / 69 · 77th pct#4 / 17 · 82nd pct#2 / 9 · 89th pct
Opp00.0/gm#1 / 135 · 100th pct#1 / 69 · 100th pct#1 / 17 · 100th pct#1 / 9 · 100th pct
Penalty yards
Team65954.9/gm#75 / 136 · 46th pct#36 / 69 · 49th pct#11 / 17 · 41st pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp67256.0/gm#71 / 136 · 49th pct#42 / 69 · 41st pct#6 / 17 · 71st pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Other
Kick ret (opp)#15 / 136 · 90th pct#9 / 69 · 88th pct#4 / 17 · 82nd pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct100.8/gm
Kick returns#28 / 136 · 80th pct#7 / 69 · 91st pct#1 / 17 · 100th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct272.2/gm
Recruiting rating#42 / 138 · 70th pct#42 / 69 · 41st pct#10 / 17 · 47th pct#2 / 12 · 92nd pct206.417.2/gm
Penalties (opp)#56 / 136 · 60th pct#31 / 69 · 57th pct#4 / 17 · 82nd pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct736.1/gm
Fourth down go rate#59 / 138 · 58th pct#29 / 69 · 59th pct#9 / 17 · 53rd pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct0.40.0/gm
Red zone pass rate#67 / 154 · 57th pct#31 / 69 · 57th pct#9 / 17 · 53rd pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct0.40.0/gm
Penalties#75 / 136 · 46th pct#33 / 69 · 54th pct#11 / 17 · 41st pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct746.2/gm
Punt ret (opp)#78 / 136 · 43rd pct#44 / 69 · 38th pct#12 / 17 · 35th pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct161.3/gm
Fumbles rec (def)#86 / 136 · 38th pct#50 / 69 · 29th pct#9 / 17 · 53rd pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct80.7/gm
Fumbles recovered#91 / 136 · 34th pct#48 / 69 · 32nd pct#14 / 17 · 24th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct50.4/gm
Punt returns#113 / 136 · 18th pct#62 / 69 · 12th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct100.8/gm
H1 epa per play#116 / 162 · 29th pct#61 / 69 · 13th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct0.10.0/gm
Interceptions (def)#117 / 136 · 15th pct#57 / 69 · 19th pct#13 / 17 · 29th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct50.4/gm
First down pass rate#119 / 215 · 45th pct#42 / 69 · 41st pct#11 / 17 · 41st pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct0.40.0/gm
H2 epa per play opponent#125 / 143 · 13th pct#61 / 69 · 13th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct0.30.0/gm
Passes intercepted opponent#126 / 136 · 8th pct#67 / 69 · 4th pct#16 / 17 · 12th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct151.2/gm
H2 epa per play#128 / 142 · 11th pct#65 / 69 · 7th pct#17 / 17 · 6th pct0.10.0/gm
H1 epa per play opponent#141 / 167 · 16th pct#65 / 69 · 7th pct#16 / 17 · 12th pct0.30.0/gm
Situational
3rd-down conversion
Off35.1%#107 / 136 · 22nd pct#59 / 69 · 16th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Def40.5%#86 / 136 · 38th pct#46 / 69 · 35th pct#10 / 17 · 47th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
4th-down conversion
Off46.9%#102 / 136 · 26th pct#57 / 69 · 19th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Def52.4%#68 / 136 · 51st pct#34 / 69 · 52nd pct#8 / 17 · 59th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Turnover margin#135 / 136 · 1st pct#69 / 69 · 1st pct#17 / 17 · 6th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct-1.17/gm
Sack rate (def)#112 / 136 · 18th pct#60 / 69 · 14th pct#14 / 17 · 24th pct#8 / 10 · 30th pct4.9%
Red Zone & Drive Efficiency (2014– , play-by-play derived)
Red zone trips
Team383.2/gm#95 / 167 · 44th pct#52 / 69 · 26th pct#13 / 17 · 29th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Opp443.7/gm#104 / 166 · 38th pct#46 / 69 · 35th pct#8 / 17 · 59th pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Red zone score %
Team76.3%76.3%#97 / 167 · 43rd pct#51 / 69 · 28th pct#12 / 17 · 35th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Opp88.6%88.6%#139 / 166 · 17th pct#62 / 69 · 12th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Points / drive
Team1.50.1/gm#123 / 167 · 27th pct#66 / 69 · 6th pct#16 / 17 · 12th pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Opp2.40.2/gm#121 / 166 · 28th pct#62 / 69 · 12th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct#12 / 12 · 8th pct
Yards / drive
Team34.82.9/gm#130 / 167 · 23rd pct#65 / 69 · 7th pct#17 / 17 · 6th pct#6 / 12 · 58th pct
Opp41.53.5/gm#98 / 166 · 42nd pct#49 / 69 · 30th pct#11 / 17 · 41st pct#10 / 12 · 25th pct
Plays / drive
Team6.50.5/gm#88 / 167 · 48th pct#46 / 69 · 35th pct#11 / 17 · 41st pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Opp6.20.5/gm#29 / 166 · 83rd pct#7 / 69 · 91st pct#4 / 17 · 82nd pct#4 / 12 · 75th pct
Three-and-out rate
Team14.7%14.7%#100 / 167 · 41st pct#52 / 69 · 26th pct#12 / 17 · 35th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Opp13.0%13.0%#93 / 166 · 45th pct#47 / 69 · 33rd pct#11 / 17 · 41st pct#3 / 12 · 83rd pct
Scheme Identity (2014– , play-by-play derived)
Rush rate over expected#75 / 145 · 49th pct#32 / 69 · 55th pct#6 / 17 · 71st pct-1.4%-1.4%
Havoc rate
Team13.5%13.5%#116 / 140 · 18th pct#63 / 69 · 10th pct#16 / 17 · 12th pct
Opp18.4%18.4%#123 / 140 · 13th pct#64 / 69 · 9th pct#16 / 17 · 12th pct
Standard-downs success
Team43.9%43.9%#121 / 154 · 22nd pct#61 / 69 · 13th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct
Opp51.4%51.4%#127 / 172 · 27th pct#59 / 69 · 16th pct#17 / 17 · 6th pct
Passing-downs success
Team24.9%24.9%#134 / 153 · 13th pct#67 / 69 · 4th pct#17 / 17 · 6th pct
Opp31.5%31.5%#88 / 149 · 42nd pct#43 / 69 · 39th pct#10 / 17 · 47th pct
Line yards / carry
Team2.62.6#122 / 143 · 15th pct#62 / 69 · 12th pct#16 / 17 · 12th pct
Opp3.13.1#101 / 155 · 35th pct#52 / 69 · 26th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct
Stuff rate
Team18.9%18.9%#81 / 143 · 44th pct#42 / 69 · 41st pct#12 / 17 · 35th pct
Opp19.5%19.5%#61 / 155 · 61st pct#35 / 69 · 51st pct#9 / 17 · 53rd pct
Power success rate
Team66.7%66.7%#88 / 137 · 36th pct#46 / 69 · 35th pct#13 / 17 · 29th pct
Opp62.1%62.1%#29 / 141 · 80th pct#14 / 69 · 81st pct#2 / 17 · 94th pct
Efficiency
Completion %
Off56.4%#122 / 136 · 11th pct#69 / 69 · 1st pct#17 / 17 · 6th pct#8 / 12 · 42nd pct
Def66.4%#122 / 136 · 11th pct#63 / 69 · 10th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct
Yards / attempt
Off6.4#113 / 136 · 18th pct#62 / 69 · 12th pct#15 / 17 · 18th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Def7.8#113 / 136 · 18th pct#59 / 69 · 16th pct#14 / 17 · 24th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Yards / completion
Off11.3#78 / 136 · 43rd pct#45 / 69 · 36th pct#11 / 17 · 41st pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct
Def11.7#83 / 136 · 40th pct#52 / 69 · 26th pct#12 / 17 · 35th pct#7 / 12 · 50th pct
Yards / carry#125 / 136 · 9th pct#63 / 69 · 10th pct#14 / 17 · 24th pct#9 / 12 · 33rd pct3.4
Yards / play#126 / 136 · 8th pct#66 / 69 · 6th pct#16 / 17 · 12th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct4.85
Scoring margin#129 / 136 · 6th pct#67 / 69 · 4th pct#17 / 17 · 6th pct#11 / 12 · 17th pct-14.8/gm
FBS rankings · 2025 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs
Player stats — 2025 season
Quarterbacks
| Player | # | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate | QBR | Adj ANY/A | Sack% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vertical Passer · +0.32 EPA/play | 9 | 4 | 97 / 155 | 62.6 | 1317 | 8.5 | 10 | 2 | 152.7 | 68.3 | 8.6 | 4.3 | |
Yards by week → Vertical PasserElite arm talent, pushing downfield. Completion rate is the variable. 9 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / attempt8.8 85th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Rush yards / carry-1.4 bottom 8th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Steven Angeli's full player page | |||||||||||||
| Pocket Passer · +0.11 EPA/play | 10 | 7 | 97 / 181 | 53.6 | 1042 | 5.8 | 6 | 10 | 101.8 | 32.5 | 3.1 | 7.7 | |
Yards by week → Pocket PasserBalanced passer who operates within the system, without one standout number carrying the profile. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 97 of 183 QBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / attempt6.7 bottom 24th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts INT rate5.5% bottom 1th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Rickie Collins's full player page | |||||||||||||
| -0.02 EPA/play | 13 | 4 | 31 / 65 | 47.7 | 226 | 3.5 | 1 | 3 | 72.7 | 30.1 | 1.0 | 9.7 | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
Running Backs
| Player | # | G | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Stuff% | 10+% | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workhorse · +0.10 EPA/play | 6 | 9 | 129 | 553 | 4.3 | 4 | 41 | 12.9 | 7.5 | 19.5 | 9.4 | 4.9% (17/348) | |
Yards by week → WorkhorseBuilt to take 20+ carries per game. Volume is the value. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 52 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight235 lb 97th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Yards / reception4.3 bottom 16th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint our readAscending: his CFB Index score now sits at the 56th percentile among FBS RBs, up from the 5th | |||||||||||||
| Satellite Back · +0.08 EPA/play | 24 | 12 | 107 | 432 | 4.0 | 3 | 28 | 13.9 | 8.9 | 13.3 | 7.6 | 9.5% (33/348) | |
Yards by week → Satellite BackDeployed as a receiver as much as a runner. Value is in space, not between the tackles. Starter — over 60% of the snaps, holding the job. 50 of 349 RBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Receiving share18.3% 85th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Yards / carry4.8 bottom 14th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like our readthe ball security is the one real worry — 2.29 fumbles per 100 touches (top-decile concern) | |||||||||||||
| -0.09 EPA/play | 39 | 8 | 24 | 129 | 5.4 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||||
Receivers
| Player | # | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | 3rd Dn Use | Pass Dn Use | Tgt Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slot Technician · +0.58 EPA/play | 2 | 11 | 47 | 559 | 11.9 | 2 | 59 | 10.3 | 14.5 | 19.3% (67/348) | |
Yards by week → Slot Technician· Boom-or-bustRuns precise routes in tight quarters. Volume player who keeps chains moving. his yards come in chunks — feast or famine 97 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Reception volume47 75th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions TD rate4.3% bottom 24th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Johntay Cook II's full player page | |||||||||||
| Deep Threat · +0.34 EPA/play | 15 | 11 | 32 | 506 | 15.8 | 5 | 43 | 12.2 | 13.1 | 16.7% (58/348) | |
Yards by week → Deep ThreatStretches the field vertically. Every snap is a potential big play. 100 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception17.7 88th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Plays like View Darrell Gill Jr.'s full player page | |||||||||||
| Complete TE · +0.44 EPA/play | 89 | 11 | 39 | 412 | 10.6 | 0 | 35 | 11.6 | 11.9 | 14.7% (51/348) | |
Yards by week → Complete TENo single go-to route — the receiving numbers show up inline and split out alike. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 177 of 223 TEs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Yards / reception11.6 55th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Reception volume39 92th percentile · FBS TEs, min. 8 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score now sits at the 87th percentile among FBS TEs, up from the 1st | |||||||||||
| Jump-Ball Target · +0.33 EPA/play | 12 | 7 | 20 | 312 | 15.6 | 5 | 53 | 12.2 | 10.8 | 12.1% (42/348) | |
Yards by week → Jump-Ball TargetWins contested catches at the goal line. Size and catch radius are the weapons. 29 of 558 WRs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TD rate25.0% 100th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Reception volume20 bottom 21th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint Plays like View Justus Ross-Simmons's full player page | |||||||||||
| -0.09 EPA/play | 7 | 4 | 9 | 112 | 12.4 | 1 | 35 | 8.5 | 7.6 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| +0.49 EPA/play | 18 | 5 | 10 | 110 | 11 | 1 | 20 | 3.4 | 6.5 | 4.9% (17/348) | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| +0.46 EPA/play | 3 | 3 | 8 | 103 | 12.9 | 1 | 25 | 5 | 3.1 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| +0.57 EPA/play | 8 | 3 | 8 | 84 | 10.5 | 0 | 28 | 7.9 | 8.8 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| +0.62 EPA/play | 14 | 4 | 6 | 48 | 8 | 0 | 25 | 2.1 | 4 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
| -0.05 EPA/play | 19 | 5 | 5 | 42 | 8.4 | 0 | 15 | 1.9 | 1.2 | — | |
Yards by week → | |||||||||||
Defensive Line
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | TFL | Sack | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 8 | 10 | 24 | 19 | 3.5 | 2 | 8 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate14.6% bottom 50th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View David Reese's full player page | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 94 | 8 | 20 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 0 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate30.0% 95th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readBounce-Back: his CFB Index score shows a real arc: 68th percentile among FBS IDLs, fell to 5th, now back up to 42nd | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 11 | 8 | 19 | 14 | 4.5 | 2 | 2 |
3-Tech PenetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. 269 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate23.7% 83th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Denis Jaquez Jr.'s full player page | |||||||
| Nose Anchor | 4 | 8 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Nose AnchorThe heaviest frame on the interior. Sack production is intentionally not the point of this profile. 152 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Weight305 lb 78th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Dion Wilson Jr.'s full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 91 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Two-Gap BaseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. 388 of 809 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate8.3% bottom 25th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like our readFading: his CFB Index score now sits at the 10th percentile among FBS IDLs, up from the 38th | |||||||
| 9 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | |
| 99 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0 | |
Linebackers
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 13 | 11 | 53 | 39 | 14 | 4.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.7 98th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles PD rate0.0% bottom 18th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Gary Bryant III's full player page | |||||||||
| Sideline-to-Sideline | 5 | 11 | 48 | 28 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Sideline-to-SidelineRanges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. 102 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Solo tackle rate0.6 79th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles PD rate4.2% 71th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Antoine Deslauriers's full player page | |||||||||
| Thumper | 18 | 10 | 34 | 24 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
ThumperDownhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. The rare part: he lives in the backfield — and he ranges sideline to sideline, too 97 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate23.5% 98th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Solo tackle rate0.7 97th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles — the part the label misses Trait fingerprint Plays like our readAscending: his CFB Index score moved from the 9th to 27th percentile among FBS LBs | |||||||||
| Coverage 'Backer | 12 | 11 | 31 | 22 | 9 | 4.5 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Coverage 'BackerCarries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage. The rare part: he covers, too — and he ranges sideline to sideline, too 99 of 660 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate6.5% 91th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Solo tackle rate0.7 97th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles — the part the label misses Trait fingerprint Plays like our readBounce-Back: his CFB Index score shows a real arc: 42nd percentile among FBS LBs, fell to 0th, now back up to 37th | |||||||||
| 6 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 22 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Defensive Backs
| Player | # | G | Tot | PD | INT | TFL | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Safety | — | 10 | 42 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Box SafetyLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 166 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume42 bottom 50th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Braheem Long Jr.'s full player page | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 16 | 12 | 39 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. Part-time starter — splitting the role or filling in on injury. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate17.9% 91th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Chris Peal's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 19 | 11 | 37 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 419 of 801 classified this way. Played in 11 of 21 games this season · junior View Cornell Perry's full player page | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 1 | 11 | 37 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate18.9% 93th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Demetres Samuel Jr.'s full player page | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 2 | 8 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate8.6% 53th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Darian Chestnut's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 23 | 9 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate6.7% bottom 43th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like our readFading: his CFB Index score now sits at the 38th percentile among FBS Ss, up from the 79th | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 29 | 9 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hybrid NickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 419 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate5.3% bottom 36th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Berry Buxton III's full player page | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 10 | 9 | 15 | 1 | 3 #56 FBS | 0 | 0 |
Centerfielder· Takeaway threatSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. the kind of DB who takes it back the other way 133 of 801 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate6.7% bottom 43th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Davien Kerr's full player page | |||||||
| 3 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | |
| 32 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 17 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Kicking
| Player | # | G | FG M/A | FG% | XP M/A | Pts | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 47 | 12 | 12/14 | 85.7 | 22/22 | 58 | 49 |
Punting
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | Long | In20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannon | 41 | 12 | 60 | 2787 | 46.5 | 64 | 14 | 6 |
Net average is unavailable — CFBD's punting feed carries gross yards only, with no return-yardage or touchback deduction.
Kick Returns
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -0.09 EPA/play | 39 | 8 | 12 | 267 | 22.3 | 0 | 38 |
| 14 | 4 | 6 | 119 | 19.8 | 0 | 37 |
Punt Returns
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centerfielder | 1 | 11 | 4 | 39 | 9.8 | 0 | 19 |
| Centerfielder | 10 | 9 | 6 | 19 | 3.2 | 0 | 17 |
2025 stat leaders
final
2025 stat leaders
1.
Gary Bryant III
LB
53.0 tot (def)
2.
Antoine Deslauriers
LB
48.0 tot (def)
3.
Johntay Cook II
WR
559 yds (rec)
4.
Darrell Gill Jr.
WR
506 yds (rec)
5.
Braheem Long Jr.
DB
42.0 tot (def)
Roster
2025
20
players carry a qualified CFB Index Score this season.
Dan Villari
TE
#30 of 156
Braheem Long Jr.
S
#183 of 544
Demetres Samuel Jr.
CB
#127 of 364
Johntay Cook II
WR
#190 of 485
Yasin Willis
RB
#152 of 326
Darrell Gill Jr.
WR
#237 of 485
+14 more
Syracuse · 2025 schedule & results3-9Brutal slateAverage opponent win rate 58% · 7 AP top-25 opponents on the schedule.
| Wk | Date | Us | Opp | Line | Opponent | Result | Record | Conf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 30 | #103 | #20 | +13.5 | Tennessee (N) | L 26–45 152 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| 2 | Sep 6 | #79 | #76 | -7.5 | UConn | W 27–20 160 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| 3 | Sep 12 | #94 | #243 | -36.5 | Colgate | W 66–24 153 | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| 4 | Sep 20 | #99 | #6 | +17.5 | @Clemson | W 34–21 158 | 3-1 | 1-0 |
| 5 | Sep 27 | #76 | #67 | +3.5 | Duke | L 3–38 128 | 3-2 | 1-1 |
| 6 | Oct 4 | #97 | #23 | +17.5 | @SMU | L 18–31 142 | 3-3 | 1-2 |
| 8 | Oct 18 | #89 | #34 | +8.5 | Pittsburgh | L 13–30 131 | 3-4 | 1-3 |
| 9 | Oct 25 | #90 | #30 | +17.5 | @Georgia Tech | L 16–41 131 | 3-5 | 1-4 |
| 10 | Oct 31 | #97 | #126 | -1.5 | North Carolina | L 10–27 112 | 3-6 | 1-5 |
| 11 | Nov 8 | #133 | #9 | +28.5 | @Miami | L 10–38 128 | 3-7 | 1-6 |
| 13 | Nov 22 | #144 | #2 | +36.5 | @Notre Dame | L 7–70 119 | 3-8 | 1-6 |
| 14 | Nov 29 | #160 | #114 | +3 | Boston College | L 12–34 114 | 3-9 | 1-7 |
Advanced box score (EPA, success rate, explosiveness)▼
| Date | Opp | Result | Yds | TO | TOP | EPA/play | Success% | Explosive% | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 29 | Boston College | L 12–34 | 254 | 0 | 33:10 | +0.069 | 38.7% | 93.9% | |
| Nov 22 | @Notre Dame | L 7–70 | 207 | 3 | 41:50 | -0.423 | 28.4% | 109.2% | Season-low EPA/play |
| Nov 8 | @Miami | L 10–38 | 285 | 3 | 29:37 | -0.127 | 34.7% | 121.5% | Blowout loss |
| Oct 31 | North Carolina | L 10–27 | 147 | 1 | 24:31 | -0.182 | 30.2% | 97.3% | |
| Oct 25 | @Georgia Tech | L 16–41 | 381 | 1 | 28:20 | +0.175 | 42.9% | 124.2% | |
| Oct 18 | Pittsburgh | L 13–30 | 212 | 3 | 30:02 | +0.014 | 28.1% | 124.2% | Best defensive stand |
| Oct 4 | @SMU | L 18–31 | 389 | 3 | 31:25 | +0.024 | 36.4% | 128.6% | |
| Sep 27 | Duke | L 3–38 | 314 | 3 | 28:25 | +0.025 | 39.1% | 108.1% | Blowout loss |
| Sep 20 | @Clemson | W 34–21 | 435 | 0 | 30:40 | +0.171 | 36.0% | 157.1% | Most explosive |
| Sep 12 | Colgate | W 66–24 | 622 | 2 | 26:39 | +0.587 | 56.9% | 133.4% | Season-high EPA/play |
| Sep 6 | UConn | W 27–20 | 461 | 2 | 26:26 | +0.124 | 43.4% | 117.3% | One-score win |
| Aug 30 | Tennessee | L 26–45 | 377 | 2 | 34:31 | +0.154 | 50.0% | 92.6% | |
| Season average (12 games) | 340 | 1.9 | +0.051 | 38.7% | 117.3% | ||||
How They Play · 2025
How They Play · 2025Syracuse fields a struggling offense behind a porous, gives up the big play defense.
Opponent-adjusted percentiles vs all FBS. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.
Team identity · competitive snaps only
How Syracuse actually scores
5th percentile quality, 95th percentile boom-dependency. Garbage time excluded from both axes — the same correction that changes the Q4 story below.
View all FBS teams as a table
| Team | Quality percentile | Boom-share percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 86th | 11th |
| Akron | 12th | 89th |
| Alabama | 58th | 17th |
| App State | 35th | 47th |
| Arizona | 64th | 37th |
| Arizona State | 41st | 62nd |
| Arkansas | 90th | 12th |
| Arkansas State | 17th | 66th |
| Army | 57th | 43rd |
| Auburn | 47th | 53rd |
| BYU | 78th | 19th |
| Baylor | 69th | 25th |
| Boise State | 66th | 20th |
| Boston College | 37th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 2nd | 98th |
| Buffalo | 11th | 88th |
| California | 28th | 48th |
| Central Michigan | 52nd | 64th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 16th |
| Clemson | 51st | 48th |
| Coastal Carolina | 17th | 83rd |
| Colorado | 18th | 84th |
| Colorado State | 16th | 83rd |
| Delaware | 38th | 58th |
| Duke | 80th | 14th |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 36th |
| Eastern Michigan | 49th | 42nd |
| Florida | 30th | 67th |
| Florida Atlantic | 62nd | 59th |
| Florida International | 42nd | 50th |
| Florida State | 83rd | 32nd |
| Fresno State | 26th | 73rd |
| Georgia | 81st | 3rd |
| Georgia Southern | 73rd | 21st |
| Georgia State | 36th | 70th |
| Georgia Tech | 84th | 5th |
| Hawai'i | 64th | 41st |
| Houston | 27th | 65th |
| Illinois | 75th | 26th |
| Indiana | 95th | 1st |
| Iowa | 44th | 40th |
| Iowa State | 68th | 22nd |
| Jacksonville State | 54th | 38th |
| James Madison | 65th | 44th |
| Kansas | 85th | 28th |
| Kansas State | 71st | 49th |
| Kennesaw State | 56th | 30th |
| Kent State | 21st | 86th |
| Kentucky | 15th | 85th |
| LSU | 14th | 81st |
| Liberty | 43rd | 56th |
| Louisiana | 19th | 73rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 39th | 61st |
| Louisville | 48th | 64th |
| Marshall | 55th | 39th |
| Maryland | 30th | 74th |
| Memphis | 80th | 24th |
| Miami | 76th | 5th |
| Miami (OH) | 34th | 67th |
| Michigan | 67th | 33rd |
| Michigan State | 27th | 75th |
| Middle Tennessee | 39th | 52nd |
| Minnesota | 29th | 77th |
| Mississippi State | 22nd | 77th |
| Missouri | 61st | 30th |
| Missouri State | 55th | 46th |
| NC State | 86th | 23rd |
| Navy | 94th | 17th |
| Nebraska | 48th | 57th |
| Nevada | 3rd | 97th |
| New Mexico | 58th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 9th | 87th |
| North Carolina | 13th | 89th |
| North Texas | 98th | 7th |
| Northern Illinois | 8th | 92nd |
| Northwestern | 52nd | 36th |
| Notre Dame | 99th | 20th |
| Ohio | 67th | 18th |
| Ohio State | 93rd | 4th |
| Oklahoma | 20th | 80th |
| Oklahoma State | 5th | 95th |
| Old Dominion | 83rd | 45th |
| Ole Miss | 89th | 2nd |
| Oregon | 91st | 10th |
| Oregon State | 2nd | 98th |
| Penn State | 73rd | 33rd |
| Pittsburgh | 60th | 39th |
| Purdue | 25th | 78th |
| Rice | 6th | 94th |
| Rutgers | 70th | 27th |
| SMU | 74th | 42nd |
| Sam Houston | 4th | 96th |
| San Diego State | 24th | 76th |
| San José State | 45th | 69th |
| South Alabama | 36th | 58th |
| South Carolina | 23rd | 86th |
| South Florida | 87th | 23rd |
| Southern Miss | 40th | 55th |
| Stanford | 10th | 90th |
| Syracuse | 5th | 95th |
| TCU | 72nd | 35th |
| Temple | 70th | 34th |
| Tennessee | 96th | 11th |
| Texas | 45th | 55th |
| Texas A&M | 82nd | 14th |
| Texas State | 92nd | 8th |
| Texas Tech | 77th | 31st |
| Toledo | 50th | 61st |
| Troy | 14th | 80th |
| Tulane | 79th | 15th |
| Tulsa | 20th | 70th |
| UAB | 61st | 45th |
| UCF | 33rd | 82nd |
| UCLA | 23rd | 79th |
| UConn | 95th | 13th |
| UL Monroe | 11th | 92nd |
| UNLV | 88th | 9th |
| USC | 98th | 2nd |
| UTEP | 1st | 99th |
| UTSA | 77th | 51st |
| Utah | 97th | 6th |
| Utah State | 46th | 63rd |
| Vanderbilt | 100th | 0th |
| Virginia | 59th | 27th |
| Virginia Tech | 32nd | 71st |
| Wake Forest | 42nd | 72nd |
| Washington | 92nd | 8th |
| Washington State | 33rd | 52nd |
| West Virginia | 7th | 93rd |
| Western Kentucky | 53rd | 29th |
| Western Michigan | 31st | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 0th | 100th |
| Wyoming | 8th | 91st |
Fourth-quarter reliability, corrected
Syracuse's 4th-quarter offense, before and after garbage time
Raw Q4 EPA/play ranks 78th percentile in FBS. Strip out snaps taken with a blowout margin and it drops to the 72nd — the correction is the finding, not a footnote.
Standard downs vs. passing downs
Does Syracuse hold up once the down-and-distance turns against them?
19th percentile success on standard downs, 10th on passing downs — little dropoff between the two — a schedule-independent identity.
View all FBS teams as a table
| Team | Standard-downs percentile | Passing-downs percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 82nd | 69th |
| Akron | 20th | 36th |
| Alabama | 47th | 76th |
| App State | 41st | 80th |
| Arizona | 54th | 54th |
| Arizona State | 40th | 37th |
| Arkansas | 90th | 97th |
| Arkansas State | 51st | 40th |
| Army | 37th | 44th |
| Auburn | 73rd | 24th |
| Austin Peay | 56th | 13th |
| BYU | 91st | 46th |
| Ball State | 5th | 3rd |
| Baylor | 70th | 77th |
| Boise State | 42nd | 63rd |
| Boston College | 56th | 54th |
| Bowling Green | 10th | 17th |
| Bryant | 7th | 2nd |
| Buffalo | 29th | 20th |
| California | 25th | 66th |
| Central Michigan | 57th | 11th |
| Charlotte | 7th | 7th |
| Cincinnati | 89th | 65th |
| Clemson | 49th | 34th |
| Coastal Carolina | 16th | 22nd |
| Colorado | 8th | 48th |
| Colorado State | 29th | 35th |
| Delaware | 66th | 31st |
| Duke | 82nd | 63rd |
| East Carolina | 63rd | 91st |
| Eastern Michigan | 46th | 67th |
| Florida | 52nd | 45th |
| Florida Atlantic | 44th | 61st |
| Florida International | 50th | 26th |
| Florida State | 65th | 90th |
| Fresno State | 22nd | 71st |
| Georgia | 95th | 69th |
| Georgia Southern | 64th | 84th |
| Georgia State | 22nd | 75th |
| Georgia Tech | 92nd | 89th |
| Hawai'i | 33rd | 87th |
| Houston | 61st | 29th |
| Idaho | 30th | 78th |
| Idaho State | 93rd | 14th |
| Illinois | 79th | 95th |
| Indiana | 97th | 98th |
| Iowa | 74th | 19th |
| Iowa State | 80th | 58th |
| Jacksonville State | 59th | 56th |
| James Madison | 77th | 52nd |
| Kansas | 99th | 82nd |
| Kansas State | 37th | 59th |
| Kennesaw State | 44th | 67th |
| Kent State | 15th | 5th |
| Kentucky | 62nd | 29th |
| LSU | 18th | 52nd |
| Lafayette | 0th | 12th |
| Liberty | 65th | 53rd |
| Lindenwood | 4th | 1st |
| Long Island University | 24th | 78th |
| Louisiana | 24th | 23rd |
| Louisiana Tech | 41st | 24th |
| Louisville | 84th | 32nd |
| Maine | 3rd | 18th |
| Marshall | 71st | 62nd |
| Maryland | 11th | 86th |
| Massachusetts | 5th | 9th |
| Memphis | 75th | 68th |
| Merrimack | 1st | 83rd |
| Miami | 80th | 64th |
| Miami (OH) | 33rd | 39th |
| Michigan | 73rd | 74th |
| Michigan State | 48th | 39th |
| Middle Tennessee | 69th | 47th |
| Minnesota | 35th | 33rd |
| Mississippi State | 52nd | 35th |
| Missouri | 76th | 50th |
| Missouri State | 32nd | 50th |
| Murray State | 1st | 6th |
| NC State | 58th | 71st |
| Navy | 95th | 72nd |
| Nebraska | 78th | 51st |
| Nevada | 17th | 16th |
| New Mexico | 38th | 60th |
| New Mexico State | 16th | 33rd |
| North Carolina | 14th | 30th |
| North Texas | 100th | 97th |
| Northern Illinois | 9th | 5th |
| Northwestern | 48th | 88th |
| Notre Dame | 88th | 99th |
| Ohio | 69th | 76th |
| Ohio State | 99th | 99th |
| Oklahoma | 39th | 41st |
| Oklahoma State | 14th | 7th |
| Old Dominion | 72nd | 79th |
| Ole Miss | 83rd | 95th |
| Oregon | 93rd | 55th |
| Oregon State | 54th | 25th |
| Penn State | 76th | 73rd |
| Pittsburgh | 35th | 56th |
| Purdue | 46th | 88th |
| Rice | 20th | 0th |
| Rutgers | 71st | 84th |
| SMU | 50th | 57th |
| Sam Houston | 26th | 4th |
| San Diego State | 84th | 1st |
| San José State | 68th | 70th |
| South Alabama | 53rd | 28th |
| South Carolina | 31st | 8th |
| South Carolina State | 10th | 3rd |
| South Florida | 86th | 46th |
| Southern Miss | 27th | 38th |
| Stanford | 12th | 12th |
| Syracuse | 19th | 10th |
| TCU | 63rd | 82nd |
| Temple | 85th | 22nd |
| Tennessee | 97th | 81st |
| Texas | 27th | 61st |
| Texas A&M | 88th | 59th |
| Texas State | 60th | 93rd |
| Texas Tech | 45th | 65th |
| Toledo | 67th | 42nd |
| Troy | 18th | 27th |
| Tulane | 81st | 86th |
| Tulsa | 43rd | 43rd |
| UAB | 34th | 94th |
| UCF | 39th | 20th |
| UCLA | 28th | 48th |
| UConn | 96th | 37th |
| UL Monroe | 13th | 14th |
| UNLV | 78th | 85th |
| USC | 94th | 90th |
| UT Martin | 2nd | 41st |
| UTEP | 3rd | 10th |
| UTSA | 67th | 92nd |
| Utah | 87th | 96th |
| Utah State | 31st | 49th |
| Vanderbilt | 90th | 100th |
| Virginia | 36th | 73rd |
| Virginia Tech | 59th | 21st |
| Wake Forest | 21st | 31st |
| Washington | 98th | 93rd |
| Washington State | 61st | 44th |
| West Virginia | 12th | 18th |
| Western Kentucky | 55th | 80th |
| Western Michigan | 86th | 16th |
| Wisconsin | 6th | 27th |
| Wyoming | 23rd | 15th |
Halftime identity
Syracuse by half
1st-half offense ranks 29th percentile in FBS; 2nd-half, 11th — competitive snaps only, garbage time excluded from both halves.
Schedule mirage
How much of Syracuse's number is the schedule?
Raw EPA/play through week 21 is 0.05; 6th percentile once opponent strength is stripped out, it's -0.01. The widest gap came in week 3: 0.29 raw vs. 0.05 adjusted.
Syracuse reads strongest in explosive plays allowed (top 80%) and rushing epa (top 81%); the crux lives in epa allowed, where Syracuse sits at the 2nd percentile.
offense · strengths lead
defense · higher bar = harder to play against
hidden math · special situations
ELITE · 90+STRONG · 70+AVERAGE · 40-70CONCERN · 10-40BOTTOM · <10
Most Similar Programs · Syracuse
Most Similar Programs · SyracuseReads Like
Arizona StateTier 3 · Prestige T3 · Similarly-sized rosters up frontBaylorTier 3 · Prestige T3 · Similarly-sized rosters up frontCincinnatiTier 3 · Prestige T3 · Similarly-sized rosters up front
Static-attribute similarity across tier, archetype, conference, and voice. Not a prediction — a calibration.
Home-Field Advantage · Syracuse · 2018-present
Elite
58% home win rate vs 34% on the road. margin runs +14.1 better at home. JMA Wireless Dome seats 49,057, averaging 79% full (38,944 attendance, 26 games reported).
Home30-21Away14-27
Positional competition · RB room
The carries are split. The job isn’t.
Yasin Willis and Will Nixon split the carries (128/231 vs 103/231) -- but the job isn't split the same way. Will Nixon owns the receiving work; Yasin Willis produces in bigger chunks.
Yasin WillisWill Nixon
Carries
the baseline -- every row below is tested against this split, not a flat 50/50
Inside the 5
shared -- dots touch, this room really is a committee here
Targets
p = 0.003 -- real, not noise
Top-5-carry share
concentration and EPA/carry agree -- a real boom/bust split
Screened 3 claims, 2 survived, 1 falsified
Positional competition · WR/TE room
The targets are split. The job isn’t.
Johntay Cook II (WR) and Dan Villari (TE) split the targets (66/116 vs 50/116) -- but the job isn't split the same way. Johntay Cook II produces in bigger chunks.
Johntay Cook IIDan Villari
Targets
the baseline -- every row below is tested against this split, not a flat 50/50
3rd-down targets
shared -- dots touch, this room really is a committee here
Garbage-time share
shared -- dots touch, this room really is a committee here
Top-5-catch share
concentration and EPA/target agree -- a real boom/bust split
Screened 3 claims, 1 survived, 2 falsified
What changed
Syracuse’s play-calling, before and after the change
Offense: Jason Beck (2023) → co-Mike Johnson / Jeff Nixon (2024–2025)
The biggest shift: 1st-down pass rate moved up 12 points. The rest held closer to steady.
1st-down pass rate
Red-zone pass rate
Defense: Rocky Long (2023) → Elijah Robinson / co-Robert Wright (2024–2025)
The biggest shift: 1st-down pass rate moved up 12 points. The rest held closer to steady.
1st-down pass rate
Red-zone pass rate
Season by season
How Syracuse’s current staff calls plays, year over year
Offense: co-Mike Johnson / Jeff Nixon (2024–2025)
1st-down pass rate
2024: 53% → 2025: 42% · 10-pt range · #72 of 171 · a typical amount
Red-zone pass rate
2024: 54% → 2025: 39% · 15-pt range · #60 of 171 · a typical amount
4th-down go rate
2024: 43% → 2025: 40% · 3-pt range · #169 of 171 · less than most
Defense: Elijah Robinson / co-Robert Wright (2024–2025)
1st-down pass rate
2024: 53% → 2025: 42% · 10-pt range · #87 of 189 · a typical amount
Red-zone pass rate
2024: 54% → 2025: 39% · 15-pt range · #83 of 189 · a typical amount
4th-down go rate
2024: 43% → 2025: 40% · 3-pt range · #186 of 188 · less than most
Defensive identity · pass zones
What this defense gives up, by zone.
On short passes, Syracuse’s defense allows a completion rate above the FBS mean (70.9% vs 65.9% league-wide, shrunk toward the mean for its 95-play sample) — mid-pack, 128 of 133 qualifying defenses.
We won’t show a deep-ball leaderboard here: at the defense level, most teams face well under 30 rich-feed deep targets all season — too thin to tell a real tendency from noise, so we won’t guess.
Screened 133 claims, 133 survived · 2025 only, in the 399 games with the detailed play-text feed; n=95 short-zone plays faced, raw rate 77.9%
The CFP Era
12 seasons inside the CFP era, no bids yet — the era the program is still trying to break into.
TRAJECTORY · quality-score line · AP rank dotted · CFP bids marked · coach regimes ribboned
Program Quality
AP Rank (inverted)
CFP Appearance
Syracuse's 2014–2025 record is 62-85. The era is still being written; the CFP line is the one the program is arguing for.
All-Time Record
712-556-42
since 1891 · 134 seasons · .543 win rate
HOME
473-236-18
AWAY
221-303-23
NEUTRAL
18-17-1
1890s
1900s
1910s
1920s
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
The program, in full — read the essay
Steve Angeli was leading the nation in passing when his Achilles tore against Clemson. Eight straight losses followed. Then Fran Brown signed the highest-ranked recruiting class in school history. The bet in the Dome: 2025 was an injury, not a ceiling.
The number 44 is the whole argument. Jim Brown wore it, Ernie Davis wore it — Davis won the first Heisman awarded to a Black player in 1961, the year after the program went 11-0 and claimed a national title. Floyd Little wore it after that. Syracuse retired all three men into a single number and hung it above the JMA Wireless Dome, which means every game is played under the evidence of what this program once was. The 1959 championship, the running-back factory, the loudest indoor venue in the sport — the history is real and it has been unreachable for a very long time.
Fran Brown's 10-3 debut in 2024 felt like a door opening. Then 2025 arrived: Angeli shredded Clemson through three quarters and left the field unable to walk, and the eight losses that followed were less about talent than about a team that lost its engine mid-season. Brown's answer was to sign a class that raised every ceiling the school had set for itself. Angeli returns for 2026 with a full offseason and the highest-ranked group of incoming players the program has ever brought in.
The 2026 season will answer whether Brown can turn energy into results across a full, healthy campaign. A 3-9 year from 3-1 is a data point about injury, not about the coach. The Dome is loud; the 44 banners are up there; the roster is the best Brown has had. What the ACC standings show in December is the only argument that matters now.
How they play
Northeast grit indoors — Brown's Syracuse is building a physical, defense-and-attitude program that reflects the city's chip. The scheme leans on a pro-style passing game built around Angeli's arm, but the identity markers are earned toughness and relentless recruiting from the Northeast corridor and mid-Atlantic that Brown has unlocked with his Camden roots and energy. The Dome's closed roof makes it one of the louder home environments in the Power conferences.
Steady
Syracuse 2016–2025. Holding the line. The 10-year slope (+0.10 rungs / yr) doesn't tilt either way — the program lives at roughly Tier 2.
CFP Era · Syracuse
12 seasons on file
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
down middle peak CFP year
Season Standing · 2025 · 3-9
Season Standing · 2025 · 3-9FBS sub-.500
Syracuse: Below .500 in FBS play. The rebuild bar.
R0R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9
Sub-FBSBuildingBowlRankedContenderPlayoff
ACC Standing · 2025
17th in the ACC
Syracuse is 17th of 17 in the ACC at 1-7. The path to the title is steep — the focus is on bowl access and rivalry wins.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke | 7-2 |
| 2 | Virginia | 7-3 |
| 3 | Georgia Tech | 6-2 |
| 4 | Miami | 6-2 |
| 5 | Pittsburgh | 6-2 |
| 6 | SMU | 6-2 |
| 7 | NC State | 5-4 |
| 8 | California | 4-4 |
| 9 | Clemson | 4-4 |
| 10 | Louisville | 4-4 |
| 11 | Wake Forest | 4-4 |
| 12 | Stanford | 3-5 |
| 13 | Florida State | 2-6 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 2-6 |
| 15 | Virginia Tech | 2-6 |
| 16 | Boston College | 1-7 |
| 17 | Syracuse | 1-7 |
Coaching Era · Syracuse
Coaching Era · SyracuseFran Brown
Fran Brown in year 3 of the rebuild. The methodology is taking shape.
Era Fran Brown · 2024–presentPrev: Nunzio Campanile (2023)OC: co-Mike Johnson / Jeff NixonPrev OC: Jason Beck (2023)DC: Vince Kehres / co-John Scott Jr.Prev DC: Elijah Robinson / co-Robert Wright (2024–2025)
3
years · era
Rituals
Three gameday rituals — the ones outsiders never quite catch.
Carrier Dome / JMA Wireless Dome
since 1980
Syracuse plays home games in the JMA Wireless Dome (formerly Carrier Dome) — the only on-campus dome in the Power 5. The fiberglass roof + late-November climate-control + 50,000 capacity create a winter-football experience unique in CFB. The 2022 roof replacement modernized the venue for the next era.
Ernie Davis Heisman 1961
since 1961
Ernie Davis became the first Black player to win the Heisman Trophy in 1961 — a milestone moment in CFB history. Davis's leukemia death (1963, age 23) before playing a professional snap added tragedy to the legacy. The Ernie Davis statue + retired #44 jersey + biopic 'The Express' (2008) keep the legacy permanent.
44 Tradition (Brown, Davis, Little)
since 1954
Three Hall of Fame running backs wore #44 at Syracuse — Jim Brown (1954-56), Ernie Davis (1958-61), Floyd Little (1964-66). The number was retired in 2005 to permanently preserve the legacy. The '44 tradition' is one of CFB's most-storied jersey-number lineages.
Program memory
What this program never forgets
Most weeks vanish. These didn’t.
The 1959 national championship
An 11-0 season and Syracuse's only consensus national title
1961
Ernie Davis wins the Heisman
The first Heisman awarded to a Black player
2025
Angeli's torn Achilles
The QB leading the nation in passing goes down upsetting Clemson; an 8-game losing streak follows
Heartbreak
Moment of the Year · Syracuse · 2025
Moment of the Year · Syracuse · 2025Lost 16-41 at Georgia Tech
Week 9 of 2025. The single game that defined the season's arc.
Bowl / Postseason Ledger
Bowl / Postseason LedgerRecent postseason (2018-2024): 2-2
Most recent: 2024 — win 35-52 (away). Last 5 postseason: 2-2.
2024202320222018
NFL Draft Pipeline
2023–2025
NFL Draft PipelineDeveloping
6 picks last 5 cycles. Pipeline emerging.
6
picks · 0 R1
#38
Matthew Bergeron
Offensive Guard · 2023 · Atlanta
#72
Garrett Williams
Cornerback · 2023 · Arizona
#165
Oronde Gadsden II
Tight End · 2025 · Los Angeles · #4/135 final season
#40 all-time · 18 first-round picksthe talent factory →
Unit lineage
Syracuse’s offense and defense, by coordinator
FBS-relative efficiency percentile per season (2014–2025), same population as the Coordinator Mirror board. Dashed vertical lines mark a coordinator change.
Offense2014–2025
2014 · George McDonald (interim)2015 · Tim Lester2016–2017 · co-Sean Lewis / co-Mike Lynch2018–2019 · Mike Lynch2020–2021 · Sterlin Gilbert2022 · Robert Anae2023 · Jason Beck2024–2025 (ongoing) · co-Mike Johnson / Jeff Nixon
Defense2014–2025
2014–2015 · Chuck Bullough2016–2019 · Brian Ward2020–2022 · Tony White2023 · Rocky Long2024–2025 · Elijah Robinson / co-Robert Wright
Hired for 2026: Vince Kehres / co-John Scott Jr. — not yet reflected in on-field data.
Elite (≥70th pct)AveragePoor (≤30th pct)
Chronicle Visuals
A heavy-turnover 2025: 14% returning (below average), with the offense the biggest question.
The portal upgraded the TE room but opened a hole at WR.
4 players drafted in 2025; the reload runs through the portal and recruiting.
Syracuse sits where recruit talent and draft yield largely match.
r/cfb moments
1.3k
[Postgame Thread] USF Defeats Syracuse 45-0
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