The Orange signal caller struggled again in Thursday's loss to Pittsburgh, leading to questions about what's next at the position.
The Syracuse Orange football team suffered its second consecutive loss, courtesy of a road loss against the Pittsburgh Panthers on Thursday night.
The 27-13 defeat moves the Orange to 1-2 overall and 0-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play.
The most surprising struggle for the Orange so far this season may be the lack of quality play from the quarterback position.
Steve Angeli, who went 3-1 last season before suffering a torn Achilles, was supposed to be part of the solution for Fran Brown's team in 2026. But after a three interception game last Saturday, Angeli threw two more picks on Thursday. He was replaced in the fourth quarter by Amari Odom and there are real questions about the position moving forward.
Has Quarterback Steve Angeli regressed in 2026?
Yes. Syracuse fans believed the return of Angeli would directly relate to an improved win-loss record for the Orange. Syracuse was 3-9 last season, losing all eight games after Angeli's injury, so it was fair to assume that his return would be responsible for a better season.
In addition to his interception issues, Angeli has thrown no touchdowns over the last two games.
Although interceptions can happen to even the most efficient quarterbacks, Angeli's decision-making processes have been questioned. Multiple times, Angeli has forced throws into double and triple coverage.
He also missed what should have been a touchdown to Umari Hatcher, but the underthrown ball was knocked away.
Syracuse Orange quarterback Steve Angeli (9) runs the ball against Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium. Charles LeClaire-Imagn ImagesThe Amari Odom file
Odom spent the first two seasons of his career at Wofford before spending last season as the starting quarterback at Kennesaw State. Last season for the Owls, Odom was a first team All-Conference USA selection.
In 10 starts, Odom threw for 19 touchdowns. He also added versatility to the position as he ran 120 times for 347 yards and seven touchdowns.
Odom entered training camp battling with Malachi Nelson for the team's backup quarterback spot. Now? Odom may be thrust into a starting role by game four.
What's next for Syracuse football?
The Orange will now enter a 16-day break from regular season action. Syracuse is on a bye week for the weekend of Sept. 27 and will not play in a game again until Oct. 3 when they take on the UConn Huskies. Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. ET in East Hartford, CT.
UConn is currently 1-1 and will play against Southern Mississippi this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.
