They could come back down to earth.
David Pollack Didn't Hesitate Naming College Football Team That Will Take a Step Back originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2024 college football season turned out to be promising for several programs in the sport, even though it did not culminate in a national championship.
One team that surprised many was the Syracuse Orange, led by head coach Fran Brown. This was Brown's first year in charge after replacing Dino Babers. The Orange finished the season with a record of 10-3, achieving their first 10-win season since 2018 and only their second since 2002.
On "See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack," the college football analyst previewed the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) heading into the 2025 season. He expressed his belief that Syracuse will experience a decline in performance in the upcoming year.
"Last year, they won 10 games," Pollack said. "Listen, they had a great schedule, too. So, they were the opposite end of this. But Syracuse definitely not benefiting from the schedule...I still believe in Fran Brown, by the way...I just think they have to take a step back from that 10-win campaign from a year ago."
The upcoming season presents two main challenges for Syracuse. First, the team ranks No. 90 in returning production, with only 50% of its players coming back.
The most significant loss is quarterback Kyle McCord, who had an impressive season after transferring from Ohio State. McCord threw for 4,779 yards, 34 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season.
He is expected to be replaced by former LSU quarterback Rickie Collins, who has only thrown seven passes in his college career, totaling 38 yards. Collins will compete with redshirt freshman Jakhari Williams for the starting position.
Another potential starter is Steve Angeli, a former Notre Dame quarterback. Angeli has the most experience among the candidates, having thrown for 772 yards, 10 touchdowns and just one interception in 21 games.
Additionally, Syracuse faces a tough schedule.
According to Phil Steele, the Orange will have the hardest schedule in the ACC in 2025. Steele points out that their first game is against the Tennessee Volunteers in Atlanta on Aug. 30th. Other challenging matchups include road games against the Clemson Tigers, SMU Mustangs and Miami Hurricanes. The Orange will also travel to face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in late November.
This is not an ideal situation for a team that built momentum last season.
Related: Paul Finebaum Names Resurgent College Football Team That Can 'Win it All This Year'
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
