After their lopsided win in Week 3, the Syracuse Orange hit the road to face the Clemson Tigers in a Week 4 ACC clash at Death Valley. The Orange enter this contest with a 2-1 record, and seem to be getting things rolling with their football program. As for Clemson, a 1-2 start has left fans wary of the future, and of their head coach. It’s a Syracuse vs. Clemson showdown in Week 4, so let’s dive into this 2025 game preview.
Syracuse Orange vs. Clemson Tigers: Matchup History and Game Excerpts
Syracuse and Clemson have played each other 12 times in program history. The Tigers currently hold a significant edge over the Orange, winning 10 of 12 games. Syracuse hasn’t won since 2017, on a Friday the 13th in October. And entering Week 4, head coach Fran Brown understands the task at hand.
“I’m excited for the chance to compete against Clemson and coach Dabo Swinney, one of the best coaches in college football,” began Brown at his weekly presser. “It’s exciting. It’s a good opportunity to go against and compete against a good program – a really good, established program and a very fine head coach. I’m thankful for this opportunity that we get to go out at a great venue, an amazing stadium actually. We get to go to Death Valley and have some fun and play football.”
Coach Brown also made a point to give recognition to the rest of the Clemson coaching staff, complimenting their success not just with the Tigers, but their careers in general.
Meanwhile, after starting the 2025 season with a 1-2, record, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney addressed the team’s poor start, but maintained a positive attitude during his weekly press conference.
“Excited to have another opportunity this week. Obviously we haven’t had the start that we hope for, work for. But this is just the first quarter [of the season]. We’ve got a lot of football left, a lot of opportunity left … it’s another great opportunity this week to go play, to see if we can find a way to win a game. That’s really our focus. [We’re] trying to play our best game, trying to continue to learn and grow from mistakes and things we got to do better, and know we can do better … we’ve got our backs against the ball, and put ourselves in a hole. And we have to find a way to get ourselves out of it.”
Dabo later complimented Syracuse, calling the program a “really good football team” that’s “well-coached” and “tough”. Swinney also mentioned his respect for Coach Brown, and how he gets his team to play.
Syracuse vs. Clemson 2025 Preview: Keys, Players, and Predictions
Key Players for Syracuse
Despite their 1-2 record, Clemson is an elite opponent. With that in mind, quarterback Steve Angeli will have to prove he continue his high level of play against quality opponents.
Angeli currently leads the FBS with 1072 passing yards and big time throws (10). However, his offensive line will need to hold up and allow him to make plays in Week 4.
The Syracuse quarterback currently has the 16th-lowest time to throw (2.50 seconds), which has resulted in nine sacks. Yet one has to give Angeli credit; he’s not afraid to get hit in the pocket to make a throw, or scramble when there’s a lane open. Regardless, if Clemson’s elite front finds their way in the backfield consistently, Syracuse will lose this game.
Wide receiver Darrell Gill is having a breakout year in 2025. However, the Syracuse offense needs Johntay Cook to play a major role in this game. This season, the offense has utilized Cook in the slot to create mismatches. Now, the Orange need that mismatch to pay off. Cook will likely be matched against slot cornerback Misun Kelley. Kelley has not forced an incompletion yet this season, and struggled last week against Georgia Tech. Opportunity is there for Syracuse’s five-star receiver to shine on Saturday.
Defensively, Syracuse needs to turn pressures into sacks. Only 14 programs have less sacks than Syracuse (3), and four of those teams have only played two games. Among players with more than five pressures, only Kevin Jobity has recorded a sack for the Orange. That needs to change against Clemson. The defense needs to pressure Cade Klubnik. They must make him uncomfortable, get him out of rhythm, and get him on the ground. This is going to be a tough contest, so Syracuse needs everyone to step up.
Key Players for Clemson
A big reason for Clemson’s offensive struggles has been Antonio Williams’ absence. There’s a chance he won’t suit up again, meaning Tyler Brown and T.J. Moore must step up. The first three weeks have been the Bryant Wesco show, and that has to change if the Tigers want to win games. If Clemson’s other pass-catchers can’t make plays, Syracuse can easily bracket Wesco and limit his effectiveness. That will also help create success on the ground, which has been mediocre this season.
Defensively, Clemson must slow down Syracuse’s passing attack. The Orange boast one of the best passing offenses in the nation. However, there are openings to target for the Tigers.
The Syracuse offensive line has not been excellent to start the season. There’s been missed protections, and free runners hitting quarterback Steve Angeli. Clemson’s defensive line will be the best unit Syracuse will face up to this point. They have to get to the quarterback if they want to win. If they can pressure Angeli, they could force the quarterback to make mistakes. No one’s perfect under pressure, and Angeli’s no exception.
If Clemson is able to disguise their coverages, it could also cause error for the Orange. Whether it’s scheme-related or on Angeli, the quarterback locks on to his first target of his progression at times. Giving the quarterback one look pre-snap, and changing it post-snap without recognition could force Angeli to force a ball into bad coverage. It’s something Angeli is getting better at, but there’s still opportunity for it to happen.
2025 Game Preview: How Syracuse Wins vs. Clemson in Week 4
For Syracuse to win this game, the formula on offense is simple. Keep Steve Angeli clean, have success running the ball, and continue their passing barrage. At times, the Orange offense can start slow. They can’t afford that luxury in Death Valley against Clemson. With the Tigers’ defensive struggles on third down, Syracuse needs to execute and keep drives moving. The less time Clemson has the ball, the better Syracuse’s chances are at an upset.
Defensively, Syracuse has to shut down the Clemson passing attack. If Antonio Williams misses this contest, it may be wise for Demetres Samuel Jr. to shadow T.J. Moore, giving bracket-coverage to Bryant Wesco with Duce Chestnut at safety. It will force Tyler Brown, who has underperformed in Williams absence, to step up in this game. Even if Williams does play in this contest, it’d be beneficial to keep Samuel on him to minimize big-play risk.
If the Syracuse defense can limit Clemson’s offensive explosiveness, the Orange can pull off the upset in Death Valley. Otherwise, this Week 4 contest could be a high-scoring affair between these two ACC programs.
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