Syracuse Turns to Malachi Nelson for Virginia Start

Syracuse football is expected to start Malachi Nelson at quarterback against Virginia after injuries affected its quarterback depth, according to 247sports.com. The Orange are turning to Nelson for a critical road game after Amari Odom was listed as doubtful and Steve Angeli was ruled out.

According to 247sports.com, Syracuse added Odom and Nelson during the offseason to strengthen its quarterback room after struggling at the position in 2025 following Angeli's injury. Both players joined the program through the transfer portal.

Odom started the previous game with Angeli dealing with injuries and helped Syracuse secure a 42-41 overtime win at UConn, according to 247sports.com. He passed for more than 300 yards and accounted for six total touchdowns in that victory.

Nelson enters the starting role with a background as a former five-star recruit and the top player in his recruiting class, according to 247sports.com. He began his college career at USC before later stops at Boise State and UTEP.

The quarterback has not appeared in a game for Syracuse since joining the program, according to 247sports.com. His expected start against Virginia comes after the Orange lost two other quarterback options because of their injury situations.