Ever since the injury to Steve Angeli, the Syracuse Orange football team has been struggling. To be honest, that’s par for the course; as backup quarterbacks in college football only really win about 25-percent of the games they start in. Yet, fans can’t help but feel that they were sold a bag of bad goods in Rickie Collins, considering he was initially named the starting quarterback back in spring. Now, Collins has been thrust in as the starter and struggled; and the competition entering Week 9 is no easier. Syracuse will take on an undefeated (and ranked) Georgia Tech team on the road. Will Collins be able to pull out a miracle in Atlanta, or will it be some of the same offensive woes we’ve seen thus far? Let’s dive into the Syracuse vs. Georgia Tech 2025 preview and find out.
Syracuse Orange vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: Matchup History & Excerpts
Syracuse and Georgia Tech have only played each other five times, all occurring in the 21st century. Currently, the Yellow Jackets hold a 3-2 advantage against the Orangemen. However, Syracuse won a close 31-28 contest in 2024 when these two programs last played.
For Syracuse, head coach Fran Brown has named Rickie Collins the starter entering this matchup. And, he knows it’s a pivotal game for his program.
“It’s a great opportunity for the players, myself, the fanbase, everybody to go and compete against a really good football team,” said Brown at his weekly presser. “They have one of the better coaches in the country. Those guys play for him, love him. Haynes King is a really good football player, and they can run the ball well.”
Coach Brown also gave praise to Georgia Tech’s coaching staff, players, and defensive unit, noting that they have multiple playmakers on their roster.
For Georgia Tech, they aren’t taking Syracuse lightly despite their current record.
“There are a lot of things [that stand out for Syracuse],” said Brent Key at Tech’s weekly presser. “This is a good football team. You can’t look at a record to say anything at the end of the day. They’ve had some misfortune when it came to injuries on both sides of the football to very key players. That’s a tough situation to be in … Just turn on the tape, that’s all you have to do. They’ve got good players, they’ve been able to overcome adversity when it comes to injuries, and they continue to play. Credit to Fran [Brown] for that for having his team in that position. And the competition they’ve played has been really good.”
Syracuse vs. Georgia Tech 2025 Game Preview
Key Players for Syracuse
Until the team starts winning games, quarterback Rickie Collins will continue to be key. At the end of the day, Syracuse can only go as far as Collins can take them. However, entering this matchup, Yasin Willis will be a key component to the Orange’s success in Week 9.
Against Pitt last week, Willis was a non-factor. He rushed 14 times for just 21 yards. And unfortunately for Willis and the run game, the task is not much easier against Georgia Tech.
Being one-dimensional severely hurt Syracuse last week. And, it will hurt them again against an undefeated Yellow Jackets team. In order to make this game competitive, they need to have a successful rushing attack. If lanes aren’t opening, Willis needs to use his strength to create contact and yardage, or utilize his underrated speed to break off on the outside. With backup running back Will Nixon not at 100-percent, the burden falls heavier on Willis to perform. Regardless, something needs to be done to limit the pressure on their quarterback; and that starts with the run game.
On defense, freshman Antoine Deslauriers has been a revelation for Syracuse. And, he’ll be a key component in Saturday’s matchup. Georgia Tech sports a dangerous rushing attack, and Deslauriers will be key in stopping their run game with their tailback – and their quarterback. The freshman holds 15 run stops on the year, and hardly misses tackles. Syracuse will need him to be on point (as well as the rest of the unit) to take away one of Georgia Tech’s greatest strengths in this game.
Key Players for Georgia Tech
To be honest, there isn’t truly one key player on Georgia Tech’s offense. Instead, it’s their trio of runners in quarterback Haynes King, and running backs Jamal Haynes and Malachi Hosley. Tech likes to wear opponents down through attrition, and their rushing attack is a key component of that. In order to maintain drives and keep Syracuse off the field, Tech’s ground game needs to be imposing. Syracuse has had struggles stopping the run this season, and forcing those struggles again is how the Yellow Jackets will win this game.
On defense, one key player is interior lineman Jordan van den Berg. With Syracuse’s inconsistent rushing attack, the lineman will not only be key in stopping rushing lanes, but also getting to the quarterback.
Syracuse quarterback Rickie Collins has struggled with pressure (like most quarterbacks do). Yet pressure within the A and B gaps force quarterbacks to move, which can allow teammates to make plays. Coming off his best game against Duke, van den Berg needs to be a force and continue to create pressure. Currently, the lineman leads his position group on the team in pressures (8). The sacks haven’t come easy yet, but there’s opportunity for him to be a game-changer in this contest.
2025 Game Preview: How Syracuse wins vs. Georgia Tech in Week 9
In order to win this game, Syracuse needs to take as much pressure off of Rickie Collins as possible. The struggles as a passer are real, yet there aren’t many favors being done for Collins. The offensive line has struggled, and the rushing attack has not been successful. Both of those things need to change on Saturday.
The turnover battle will also be key in this matchup. Syracuse needs to play smart football, and that starts with the quarterback. The Orangemen defense can only play well for so long if they’re constantly on the field. The game needs to be slowed down, with detail on protecting the football on offense.
Meanwhile, the defense needs to force Haynes King to be reckless with the football. Like most rushing quarterbacks, King fumbles more than pocket passers. He has five on the year, but they all came in the first three games of the season. Syracuse needs to be able to create turnovers and make life easier for a struggling offense.
Finally, Fran Brown and his coaching staff need to put together a full game. There’s been times where there has been questionable coaching decisions, and it has hurt them. Against an undefeated opponent and on the road, the coaches need to relentless in their pursuit of perfection with their play-calling and strategy.
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