- Head coach: Fran Brown (first season)
- 2023 record: 6-7 (lost Boca Raton Bowl)
- PFF power ranking: 68th
- Chance to win the ACC: 5%
- Strength of schedule: 72nd
- Projected win total: 7.6
- FanDuel win total: 7.5
- 2024 recruiting rank (On3): No. 38 nationally, No. 9 in the ACC
Syracuse may have reached its second consecutive bowl game last year, but the program still finished with a 6-7 record. It marked the Orange's fourth losing season in the last five years, prompting the decision to fire head coach Dino Babers after eight seasons.
Georgia defensive backs coach and ace recruiter Fran Brown was hired in November to take over. His recruiting skills made an immediate impact, as the Orange secured their first top-40 class since 2001. Additionally, Syracuse brought in a strong transfer portal class, highlighted by former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord. Now, Brown must demonstrate that he’s more than just a top recruiter by translating this influx of talent into on-field success.
Click here for more college football:
NCAA Power Rankings | NCAA Premium Stats | NCAA Betting Dashboards 2024 CFB Schedule | News and Analysis | The PFF College Football Show
Biggest Strength: Secondary
Syracuse ranked 31st among FBS teams in team coverage grade last year (87.4) and returns several key contributors from that unit. Justin Barron and Alijah Clark are back at safety, both ranking among the ACC's top three highest-graded players at the position last season. Jayden Bellamy and Greg Delaine return at cornerback, each posting 70.0-plus grades on at least 200 snaps. Additionally, Duce Chestnut returns after a one-year stint at LSU. While he played only four games last season, his 81.4 grade across 2021 and 2022 ranked fourth among ACC cornerbacks.
Biggest Weakness: Can Kyle McCord survive behind this offensive line?
While Syracuse returns four starters from last year’s offensive line, none earned a PFF grade above 60.0. As a unit, the front five ranked 110th in the country, which could pose a significant problem, given transfer quarterback Kyle McCord's lack of mobility and struggles under pressure.
2023 Team Overview
Offense |
||||
| EPA per play | Yards per play | Successful play rate | Explosive run play rate | Explosive pass play rate |
| -0.074 | 5.2 | 31.7% | 15.2% | 12.0% |
| 98th | T-104th | 110th | 72nd | 108th |
Defense |
||||
| EPA allowed per play | Yards allowed per play | Successful play rate allowed | Explosive run rate allowed | Explosive pass rate allowed |
| -0.060 | 5.4 | 33.9% | 11.5% | 12.4% |
| 40th | 49th | 53rd | 14th | 29th |
Three Notable Transfer Portal Additions
- QB Kyle McCord (Ohio State): 76.4 PFF Grade
- EDGE Fadil Diggs (Texas A&M): 66.6 PFF Grade
- CB Duce Chestnut (LSU): 57.6 PFF Grade
Three Notable Transfer Portal Losses
- DI Kevon Darton (Arizona): 74.3 PFF Grade
- EDGE Stefon Thompson (Nebraska): 77.0 PFF Grade
- WR Damien Alford (Utah): 65.5 PFF Grade
Quarterback Spotlight: Kyle McCord
2023 Grade: 76.4
Key Stat: 90.0 clean-pocket passing grade (19th-best in Power Five), 33.5 pressured-passing grade (eighth-worst in Power Five)
DOMINATE FANTASY FOOTBALL & BETTING WITH AI-POWERED DATA & TOOLS TRUSTED BY ALL 32
Unlimited Fantasy League Sync
Fantasy Start/Sit Line-Up Optimizer & Waiver Wire
WR-CB & OL-DL Matchups, PFF Player Grades, & Premium Stats 2.0 Tools
Nathan Jahnkes Rankings - #1 Most Accurate Last 70 Weeks
PFF Best Bets, Player Props, & Power Ranking Tools
NFL Mock Draft Sim with Trades & Draft Grades
Already have a subscription? Log In
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.