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After entering the AP Top 25 poll for the first time since 2019 last week, Syracuse moved up four spots to No. 18. The Orange were also voted No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Despite being on a bye week after a 59-0 win over Wagner, the Orange benefitted from three losses from top 25 teams in order to move up in the rankings.

Syracuse, now 5-0 for the first time since 1987, are one of 14 remaining undefeated teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision and square off against its first ranked opponent, No. 15 NC State, next Saturday. That will mark the first of two straight games against a ranked opponent, as the Orange travel to No. 4 Clemson in two weeks.

Head coach Dino Babers touched on the first SU ranking in the Coaches poll after Syracuse’s win over Virginia in which the Orange were No. 25. But he said he really wanted to crack the top 20, citing the former AP Top 20 poll that guided the college football landscape for years.

“It’s a great feeling,” Shrader said after the Wagner game. “I’m just proud of our team, where we’re at, and just can’t get complacent. We got an exciting part of the schedule coming up, so we’re definitely excited about that.”

Following the Orange’s trip to Death Valley, they’ll return home to host Notre Dame, who they haven’t beaten since 2008. Then SU takes on Pittsburgh, Florida State and No. 14 Wake Forest before heading to Boston College to end the season. Syracuse needs just one more win to qualify for its first bowl game since 2018.