Syracuse Orange vs UConn Huskies Postgame Reaction. Players of the game, How Cuse can improve, and more!

After a loss against Tennessee, Syracuse got a much-needed win in an absolute shootout vs. the independent UConn Huskies. After the orange trailed for most of the game, Syracuse played like they wanted a win late in the 4th and won it in overtime. It was an exciting game from start to finish, especially in overtime! Here are some of the things you need to know after watching the game.

Players of the game:

For Syracuse, Dan Villari played a key role, as he had 7 receptions for 104 yards. Another key player against the Huskies is Steve Angeli, as he had 417 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. My final player of the game for Syracuse is Duce Chestnut, who was an absolute workhorse with seven solo tackles and eight overall tackles.

Photo by  Dennis Nett/syracuse.com/TNS

For UConn, a player who looked great was Joe Fagano, who went over 50% passing with 259 yards. The next player to watch is Skyler Bell, who had 105 yards on 11 receptions. The last player that stood out to me for the Huskies is Cam Edwards, who had 21 carries for 75 yards, which is a lot of carries.

What Syracuse did well vs. needs to improve:

What Syracuse did well is their D-line, as they kept making tackles they should have when needed most. Syracuse special teams, especially Jack Stonehouse, were a big part in keeping Syracuse in form for the whole game. Syracuse mainly did good overall in the 4th quarter, where they were extremely focused and forced the game to overtime. Syracuse, however, has some things to work on. One of those things is the offensive line, as Steve Angeli kept having no time to throw and got sacked three times. The playcalling also needs work, as they kept going for it on 4th and 2 when they probably should've gone for a field goal.

The Syracuse Orange celebrate an overtime victory over the Connecticut Huskies at the JMA Wireless Dome Saturday, September 6, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y. Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com

How can they win the next game?

Syracuse next plays Colgate Friday at the JMA Dome. Here are some of the ways that Syracuse could make this an easy win for the Orange against the Raiders.

1. O-Line: Offense has been some sort of a problem for the Orange against their last two opponents, so if Fran Brown can make improving the offensive line a key focus, they will look like a very strong ACC team.

2. Short, Accurate Throws: Steve Angeli kept going towards the side and trying to make sideline completions against UConn, but it just never worked, causing constant three-and-outs. Angeli needs to work on short, six- or seven-yard passes down the middle because when he did those plays, it was crucial to helping Syracuse score.

3. Use Yashin Willis: Yashin Willis has been hard to stop lately. He's had four touchdowns in two games, and he's already getting better. Syracuse needs to plan on using him because against the Colgate defense, he will be hard to stop.

   
   

   Hopefully Syracuse can keep the string of momentum going at the JMA Dome on Friday, and hopefully Syracuse can fight and work hard to earn a win like they did on Saturday.