Noah Cahill
Syracuse picked up right where they left off last season, starting 3-1 behind a new transfer quarterback. Former Notre Dame backup Steve Angeli more than filled Kyle McCord’s shoes for the Orange through three games. But as he seemed to be punctuating a prolific start with a Week 4 win over Clemson, Angeli tore his Achilles, taking him out for the season. Syracuse has been stuck at three wins ever since.
Notre Dame can’t afford to take any games easy when they are this close to a College Football Playoff berth. With Senior Day added to the existing weight that already comes with every remaining game for the Irish, I wouldn’t expect them to. Even without the former Irish sign caller at the helm, head coach Marcus Freeman will have his team prepared to dominate. Two more wins all but lock up a CFP spot. Don’t expect the Irish to take their foot off the gas now. The Irish should cruise to a ninth-straight win and celebrate their seniors.
Prediction: Notre Dame: 49, Syracuse: 10
Chris Dailey
Earlier this week, fellow sports writer Payton Dymek wrote an article brilliantly titled “Will Notre Dame continue to juice Otto the Orange?” I share this partly because that’s my favorite Observer title of the year and partly because I would love to give my answer to this clever question.
My answer is yes. The Orange are allowing 430.3 yards per game. That mark ranks them 123rd in the nation. While Syracuse’s offensive production, or lack thereof, has been a concern, its defense has been the biggest issue. Their secondary was ripped to shreds against No. 16 Georgia Tech a couple of weeks back, allowing 304 yards through the air in a 41-16 loss. On the other side of the ball, the group has struggled to find a rhythm after former Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli tore his Achilles in week four.
If the Irish offense carries forth with the energy they displayed against Pitt, they will see this game out with relative ease. Expect junior running back Jeremiyah Love to continue his case for the Heisman, freshman quarterback CJ Carr to get back on track and Notre Dame’s wide receivers to make a big impact.
Prediction: Notre Dame: 56, Syracuse: 14
Ben Hicks
After 10 wins in head coach Fran Brown’s first season a year ago, Syracuse was off to another impressive 3-1 start to begin 2025. The Orange are still sitting on three wins six games later, though, sputtering after former Irish quarterback Steve Angeli went down late in their week four victory at Clemson. Since Angeli’s injury, the Orange offense is averaging just over 11 points a contest, which likely won’t improve against a surging Notre Dame defense.
As for the Irish attack, Saturday will present a prime opportunity to further its run-pass balance, while also advancing junior running back Jeremiyah Love’s Heisman candidacy. The Orange defense has provided little resistance against premier offenses, allowing 45 to Tennessee, 31 to SMU, 30 to Pittsburgh and 41 to Georgia Tech. Despite the emotions of Senior Day and the potential for a wintry mix in South Bend, Notre Dame should have no problem dominating Syracuse on both sides of the ball. Although their No. 9 ranking suggests a College Football Playoff spot should be secured with two more Irish wins, a dominant showing on Saturday could go a long way to improving their case for hosting a first-round contest for the second straight year.
Prediction: Notre Dame: 45, Syracuse: 6
Henry Lytle
Syracuse has struggled to move the ball since Irish transfer Steve Angeli suffered a season-ending Achilles injury against Clemson in the Orange’s last win. I have full confidence in Notre Dame to keep its win streak alive, as head coach Marcus Freeman and company have everything on the line. Freshman quarterback CJ Carr is coming off his first multi-interception game of the season against Pittsburgh, and still has plenty to prove. Junior running back Jeremiyah Love is cementing his name in Heisman conversations with jaw-dropping highlights and consecutive over 100-yard games. The Irish offense has had its way with opposing defenses since the opening game of the season. I don’t see that changing this weekend.
Syracuse is a shaky 3-7 on the season with six straight losses heading into South Bend. The Irish’s top-15 run defense should hold an offense that has relied on the run game with an inexperienced freshman at backup quarterback. With defensive coordinator Chris Ash’s dominant schematic effort against Pittsburgh’s scorching hot freshman quarterback, I expect Syracuse’s offense to struggle and turn the ball over. While Notre Dame might take its foot off the gas late on Senior Day to give players lower on the depth chart opportunities, I think the Irish will cruise to a comfortable victory in their penultimate contest of the regular season.
Prediction: Notre Dame: 38, Syracuse: 6
Tyler Reidy
Well, this one’s pretty simple. It’s Notre Dame on Senior Day, a game the Irish have not lost since the anomalous, 4-8 season of 2016. And their opponent for this edition is a Syracuse team desperate to find some direction after last year’s promising campaign. The Orange are 3-7, they’ve lost six in a row while scoring fewer than 20 points in all of those losses and they’re calling upon a freshman quarterback to enter the bear’s cage at Notre Dame Stadium.
I can see Saturday being a feast for an Irish defense that has earned its flowers and then some after an alarming start. Head coach Marcus Freeman’s fourth Senior Day as the Irish head coach will be much like his first, when Notre Dame shut out Boston College and its freshman quarterback. So as long as the Orange can’t establish a run game, something they’ve tried to do with 30-plus attempts in each of their last five games despite being blown out, Notre Dame rolls in this one.
Prediction: Notre Dame: 41, Syracuse: 3
Claire Watson
Heading into the final weeks of its season, No. 9 Notre Dame now prepares to face a 3-7 Syracuse team. Things have gone downhill for the Orange after their 34-21 win over Clemson marked an impressive 3-1 start. They have lost six straight since.
While the Irish defense has been strong, the offense has slowed down in comparison to its best games (Purdue or Arkansas, for example). But that does not mean they are not playing well. Freshman quarterback CJ Carr has a total of 2,487 passing yards and 21 passing touchdowns in his stellar rookie campaign. Alongside him, junior running back Jeremiyah Love has once again hit the 1000-yard mark, with 1,135 rushing yards, and continues to find the end zone with 17 touchdowns.
Syracuse’s downward spiral coincided with former Irish quarterback Steve Angeli’s Achilles injury, sidelining him for the season. Should Notre Dame take advantage of their undermanned offense, missing Angeli at the helm, the game should easily go in its favor.
Prediction: Notre Dame: 56, Syracuse: 14
