Syracuse’s Secret Weapon Yasin Willis Sidelined—How Will This Shake Up the Notre Dame Showdown?

Saturday’s showdown between the Syracuse Orange and the No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish promised sparks, but there’s a twist that’s hard to swallow—Syracuse’s starting running back, Yasin Willis, looks set to sit this one out due to injury. Now, here’s the real kicker: Willis has been a steady force for the Orange, piling up over 550 rushing yards and hitting the end zone four times this season. Losing that kind of consistency right before a clash with a top-10 powerhouse? That’s a gut punch. So, what does this mean for Syracuse’s hopes to break their six-game skid? They’ll lean heavily on transfer senior Will Nixon, a player finally stepping into a more prominent role. Can he fill the sizeable gaps left behind, or will Notre Dame’s defense spoil the party? It’s a tough spot, but that’s college football for you—full of unexpected hurdles and thrilling uncertainty. LEARN MORE.

The Syracuse Orange are set to take on the No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday, in what should be a fun Week 13 matchup. Unfortunately, the Orange are looking like they’ll be without their starting running back, Yasin Willis, due to injury.

Reports indicate that Willis, who is a sophomore at Syracuse, is expected not to be available in Week 13, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports. This will be Yasin Willis’ second missed game of the season.

“Syracuse starting running back Yasin Willis is expected to miss tomorrow’s game against No. 9 Notre Dame due to an injury, sources tell CBS Sports.”

This is unfortunate news for a Syracuse team trying to earn its fourth win of the season. Especially considering Willis has been rather consistent when healthy. In the nine games he’s played, the starting running back for the Orange has accumulated 558 rushing yards and four touchdowns. His 62.0 yards per game average is the highest of his college career.

With Willis likely to be ruled out against Notre Dame, Syracuse is likely to turn to transfer senior Will Nixon. The former Washington Huskie has made appearances in all 10 games in the 2025-26 campaign, where he has recorded 326 rushing yards, 171 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. This season is the most involved Nixon has been, as he’s averaging a career-high 32.6 rushing yards per contest.

Syracuse hopes to snap its six-game losing streak in Week 13. However, that will be a tall task considering Notre Dame is No. 9 in the country and is currently fighting for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

The post Syracuse RB Yasin Willis expected to miss Week 13 vs. Notre Dame appeared first on ClutchPoints.