It has been more than 365 days since Syracuse football (2-3) has won a conference game, and its been even longer since the Orange have defeated an FBS team at home. Fran Brown and his team are hoping to stop both unwanted streaks at home this weekend in Central New York. 

Saturday night's game vs. Louisville game will end the longest road streak of the season for the Orange. Syracuse posted a 1-2 mark during those three contests with losses to Pittsburgh and Virginia and a win over UConn.  SU hasn't been home since a Sept. 12 loss to Cal.

Here's what you need to know as Syracuse returns to the JMA Wireless Dome to host the Louisville Cardinals. 

Sept. 20, 2025 was the last time Syracuse football recorded a ACC win. The Orange defeated the Clemson Tigers 34-21. Since then, the Orange have lost ten straight ACC matchups, including all three this season. 

The Orange began the season with a 66-3 win over FCS New Hampshire before squandering opportunities against Cal, Syracuse had double-digit penalties, including one that nullified a punt return touchdown. The Orange lost 21-18.

Following the loss to Cal, Syracuse traveled to Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers in a Thursday night tilt. The Orange struggled on offense and fell to their rival, 27-13.

Most recently, the Orange squandered a double-digit lead before losing to Virginia 28-25.

Syracuse last defeated an FBS team at home on Sept. 6, 2025 when they needed a double- digit fourth quarter comeback to defeat UConn in overtime, 27-20. 

In Fran Brown's debut season in 2024, the Orange won five of their six home games, with the lone loss coming on a field goal by Stanford as time expired in a two-point win for the Cardinal. 

The decision for the Orange's staring quarterback will likely be announced hours before kickoff. Two weeks ago against UConn, Brown announced Amari Odom as the team's starter. Last Friday, reports suggested Malachi Nelson would be the starter. Nelson did in fact start, but Odom did warm up with the team before the game.

Wednesday's depth chart listed Odom as "out" along with Nelson and former Steve Angeli as "questionable". Danny Lauter, who saw action in Virginia loss could be in line to take the reins on Saturday night.

Louisville has been one of the toughest teams to understand this season. The Cardinals defeated SMU in what was considered a clash between the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the ACC (after Miami). Louisville then lost its next game as a double-digit favorite to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and then lost to NC State.

Head coach Jeff Brohm's team sits at 3-3 on the season. The Cardinals are coming off a 44-20 Friday night victory over the Florida State Seminoles. 

Saturday's football game will mark the 21st time that the schools have faced off. Louisville holds the 12-8 series advantage. The most recent game took place in 2022 when Syracuse defeated the Cardinals 31-7. 

The most memorable matchup between the teams took place 10 years ago. In 2016, Lamar Jackson posted one of the single greatest performances in Carrier Dome/JMA Wireless Dome history

Jackson posted 610 yards and five total touchdown against the Orange. Jackson went on to win that season's Heisman Trophy and many pointed to the game against the Orange as his breakout performance.

ACC Network will have the television coverage at 7:30 p.m. ET. On the audio side, fans can listen across multiple affiliates in New York State. In the Central New York area, the game will be broadcasted on the radio side on TK99/105 (99.5/100.5 FM) and WAER (88.3) and through Cuse.com.

Following the game, SyracuseRoundtable will be offering insight and takeaways.