Syracuse Stuck in Own Four-Game Slide as UNC Enters Dome on Halloween

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Stuck in a four-game losing skid, North Carolina looks to try to reverse course Friday night on the road against Syracuse at the JMA Wireless Dome (7:30 p.m., ESPN).

The Tar Heels (2-5 overall, 0-3 ACC) and the Orange (3-5, 1-4) will face off on Halloween for the seventh meeting all-time between these football programs, and only the third since Syracuse joined the ACC in 2013. Furthermore, UNC has played just one road game at Syracuse across the last 22 seasons, a double-overtime loss in the dome in 2018. UNC leads the all-time series 4-3. The Tar Heels rolled to a 40-7 blowout in 2023, the last time these programs met.

Syracuse is coached by Fran Brown, who’s in his second year in charge, after leading the Orange to a 10-3 record last season and high-scoring victory in the Holiday Bowl. Prior to taking the Syracuse job, Brown specialized as a defensive backs coach. He spent five seasons at Temple, before a two-year stint at Baylor, followed by a return to Temple in 2019. Then, Brown coached two seasons at Rutgers and two more at Georgia, where he helped the Bulldogs claim the 2022 CFP national championship.

The Orange began Brown’s second season with a loss to nationally ranked Tennessee, before posting three straight wins over Connecticut, Colgate and on the road at Clemson in Death Valley. That start gave Syracuse the look of a possible contender in the ACC, until starting quarterback Steve Angeli’s injury flipped the Orange’s season upside down. Since then, Syracuse has lost four straight games, like UNC. The Orange have been buried by a combined margin of 140-50 during their four-game slide, which includes losses to Duke, SMU, Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech.

With Carolina and Syracuse looking to snap losing streaks, while also preserving any hopes of bowl eligibility, here are some key areas of note about the Orange.

Dreadful Defense Compounding Problems

There perhaps might not be a better opportunity for UNC’s struggling offense to produce than on Halloween night against Syracuse’s defense. The Orange sit last in the ACC and 13th-worst nationally on the the FBS level in total defense, allowing a whopping 436.4 yards per game.

On three different occasions this season, the Syracuse defense has surrendered more than 500 total yards to an opposing offense. The majority of those yards have piled up against the Orange’s secondary, which has allowed the third-most completions over 10 yards in college football, along with 273.9 passing yards per game.

“(Elijah Robinson) has always been a very aggressive defensive coordinator,” UNC coach Bill Belichick said this week. “And so I’m sure that his input into Fran’s system will be consistent with what Fran is doing there, and what they do defensively.”

Syracuse’s defensive deficiencies perhaps could provide the perfect storm for UNC quarterback Gio Lopez to post first passing performance of more than 208 yards this season, and breathe more life into the Tar Heels’ sputtering offense.

Steve Angeli’s Injury Crushes Orange at QB

Syracuse’s three victories this season came in the month of September with Angeli, the Notre Dame transfer, piloting the offensive controls. He started the season hot, supplying 1,317 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and only two interceptions to fuel the Orange his four starts.

But what had the makings of a standout season for Angeli ended on Sept. 20, when he suffered a torn Achilles on a non-contact play in the second half at Clemson. Backup Rickie Collins has since taken over Syracuse’s quarterbacking duties, but without the same production.

The sophomore Collins has thrown for 360 fewer yards than Angeli — 957 passing yards in total — on the same number of attempts. He also has thrown more interceptions (seven) than touchdown passes (four) in his four starts this season, which leaves him with a QBR worse than Lopez.

“It’s unfortunate that the quarterback got hurt,” Belichick said. “But Rickie Collins has stepped in there and has got a little different skill set. Nevertheless, very dangerous with the ball in his hand. Great athlete, very good runner, and you can just see him getting better every week.”

Considering how sturdily UNC’s defense performed last week against one of the ACC’s best offenses in Virginia, a similar effort at Syracuse certainly seems possible, as defensive coordinator Steve Belichick’s unit continues to improve.

Syracuse Specialists Stand Out

One of Syracuse’s most proficient areas is just what Bill Belichick loves — the kicking game. With little else working lately for the spiraling Orange, punter Jack Stonehouse leads the ACC and ranks fifth nationally with 47.6 yards per punt.

Belichick mentioned Syracuse as being solid in the kicking game, including Tripp Woody, who has connected on 8-of-9 field goals attempts this season. He’s a perfect 7-for-7 on tries inside 40 yards. Woody, an Iowa transfer, is native of Waxhaw, N.C., and kicked for Charlotte Christian’s powerhouse program in high school.

The Orange haven’t been nearly as competent in the return game this season, though. Syracuse has the worst punt return average in the ACC, with an average of 3.3 yards on seven returns.