'Cuse Takes on Carolina in Primetime - Syracuse University Athletics

Saturday, October 24

Chapel Hill, NC

7:30 PM

Syracuse University

North Carolina

10/23/2026 7:56:00 AM | Football

Home Tickets Press Conference

SYRACUSE at NORTH CAROLINA
Game Details: 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 24
Location: Keenan Stadium | Chapel Hill, N.C.
Home Tickets: Cuse.com/FootballTickets
Television: ACCN
Game Links: Watch | Listen | Live Stats
Radio: Syracuse Sports Network from Learfield
Twitter: @CuseFootball | @Cuse
Syracuse Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Notes
North Carolina Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Notes

OPENING DRIVE
• The Orange are back on the road and headed to Chapel Hill for an ACC matchup with North Carolina on Saturday, October 24.
• Justin Kutcher (play-by-play), Max Browne (analyst) and Madison Fitzpatrick (reporter) will be on the call for the conference matchup, set for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff airing on ACC Network.

NEXT MAN UP AT QUARTERBACK
• Syracuse has seen five different quarterbacks appear in a game this season, three of whom have logged starts, in the first six games of the season.
• Syracuse is one of four FBS teams to start three different quarterbacks this season. Tulane, Pittsburgh and Oregon each started their third QB of the season this past week.
• Steve Angeli earned the start in the first three games while Amari Odom started against UConn and Malachi Nelson did so against Virginia and Louisville as injuries have limited the room.
• Odom and Nelson have been ruled out on the ACC Availability Report this week, while Angeli remains questionable.
• QB Danny Lauter became the fourth QB to see action this season when Nelson left the Virginia game with an injury in the fourth quarter. Lauter came into the game against Louisville in the fourth quarter when Nelson was forced out with an injury.
• Freshman Zaid Lott appeared in a package against Louisville, tallying a rushing attempt.
• Amid the spell of injuries, all four QBs who have logged a pass have thrown a touchdown pass, making Syracuse the only FBS school with four different QBs to throw a TD this season.
• Syracuse is the only school in the nation to have three different QBs throw for 300+ yards in a game this season.

NICE CATCH, HATCH
• WR Umari Hatcher is tied for first nationally in receptions per game at 8.3 (tied with Miami's Malachi Toney) and is third nationally and first in the conference in receiving yards (784) and receiving yards per game (130.7). His seven TDs is tied for the eighth most nationally and is second in the ACC.
• He logged the eighth 200-yard receiving game in SU history against Louisville, tallying 224 yards on a career-high 13 catches. His 224 yards were the most by an SU player since Amba Etta-Tawo had 270 at UConn in 2016.
• His performance against Louisville yielded the third-most receptions (13) and fourth-most receiving yards (224) by an FBS player in a single game this season.
• He has set career highs in receiving yards (784), touchdowns (7) and receptions (50) in just six games of action.
• Hatcher logged 152 yards and three touchdowns in the win over UConn. He was named ACC Offensive Receiver of the Week for his efforts.
• He has logged 100-yard receiving games with three different starting QBs.
• He was placed on the Biletnikoff Award Midseason Watch List.

MILLER TIME
• RB Ahmad Miller ran for a season-best 123 yards on 18 carries against Louisville.
• His 6.8 yards per carry is the highest by an SU player with more than 10 carries in a game this season.
• He broke off a 39 yard run in the loss to Louisville.
• He is the third different 100-yard rusher for Syracuse this season, joining RBs Tylik Hill and Shavane Anderson Jr.

YOUTH MOVEMENT
• Syracuse has seen 93 different players appear in games this season, with 48 of them, more than half, being freshmen or sophomores.
• Of the 48 underclassmen who have appeared, 14 have logged starts. RB Shavane Anderson Jr., P Jimmy Gregg, PK Shay Barker, WR Calvin Russell III and DB Chase Geter are the lone true freshmen to draw a start while sophomores TE Daunte Bacheyie, WR Darius Johnson, RB Tylik Hill, OL Jayden Mann, OL Kahlil Stewart, OL Byron Washington, DB Demetres Samuel Jr., LB Antoine Deslauriers and DL Nissi Ogbebor have appeared in the opening personnel packages.
• Underclassmen have accounted for nine of the 23 offensive touchdowns (39.1%), 628 of 952 rushing yards (66.0%) and 1,367 of 3,118 all-purpose yards (43.8%)
• Defensively, underclassmen are accounting for 95 of 387 total tackles (24.5%), led by a combined 66 from Deslauriers, Ogbebor and Samuel Jr.

NEW LOOK DEFENSE
• The Vince Kehres defense has allowed 147 points through six games and 330.3 yards of total offense per game, which ranks 43rd nationally.
• Syracuse has one of the most improved defenses from 2025 to 2026. The Orange have the 5th highest improvement rate among FBS teams with a 97.4 yard difference between their 2026 and 2025 opponents yards per game.

SERIES HISTORY
• North Carolina leads the all-time series between the programs, 5-3.
• Two of the eight previous matchups went to overtime, with the Orange winning both (2003, 49-47) (2018, 40-37)
• The series is even at 2-2 in games played in Chapel Hill.
• This marks the second time head coaches Fran Brown and Bill Belichick have faced off.

A WIN WOULD …
• Snap a three-game losing streak to UNC and give Syracuse its first win over the Tar Heels since 2018.
• Improve Syracuse's ACC record to 1-4.
• Give Fran Brown a 1-1 record as a head coach against North Carolina.