The Syracuse Orange football team (3-4) is hoping the JMA Wireless Dome will provide some haunted vibes on Saturday when it plays host to nationally-ranked SMU (6-1) at noon ET. The Halloween home game will be just the second one in the last 48 days for Fran Brown's team.

The Orange had lost 11 straight games to ACC schools until earning a thrilling 31-30 win over the North Carolina Tar Heels in Chapel Hill, N.C. last weekend. The win keeps bowl game hopes alive for the Orange. As for SMU, a potential bid to the college football playoff is still very much in play. The Mustangs are ranked No. 19.

Here's what you need to know as SU hosts the ACC foe:

After taking down North Carolina, Syracuse is expected to start Steve Angeli at quarterback. It will be Angeli's fifth start of the season. He entered the season as the starter, but went just 1-2. As questions swirled about his grip on the starting position, he also ended up having a PRP injection in his Achilles, which solidified a one-week switch to Amari Odom. Odom helped the Orange beat UConn, but he was injured also, and Malachi Nelson earned the next two starts. 

Now, Nelson is hurt too, and we're back to Angeli.

Angeli, along with his teammates, will be wearing a helmet and uniform combination that has never been worn by a Syracuse football team before. The Orange will don a white helmet with Otto the Orange on the side. Syracuse is hopeful that a never before seen look will lead to a never before seen result. A win over SMU football. 

Saturday's football game is just the third time that the schools have faced off. SMU holds a 2-0. 

The previous matchups between the schools were held over 70 years a part. The first game between the schools took place in 1932 when Syracuse lost 16-6. Last year in Dallas, the Mustangs defeated the Orange 31-18. 

SMU sits at 6-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play.

Following the matchup with the Orange, SMU will battle Virginia Tech on Nov. 7. 

SMU will enter the game with a player ranking in the top three in passing yards (Kevin Jennings), rushing yards (Kendrick Raphael) and sacks in the ACC (Marques White).

The most obvious answer is to win the rest of its remaining games. As of now, SMU would likely face Miami in the conference title game, set for the first weekend of December. However, if the Mustangs lose to Syracuse on Saturday, it's still possible SMU can find a way to the playoff. 

Multiple teams could have two losses in ACC play at the end of the season. In addition to tiebreaking scenarios, the Mustangs would then have to hope for a win over Notre Dame in a non-conference game to approve their "body of work" which serves as a third tiebreaker in the ACC football standings in 2026.

If SMU wins the tiebreaker, a win over Miami could give them an automatic bid to the playoff. 

ESPN2 will have the television coverage at 12:00 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.