Antoine Deslauriers shines in overtime to propel Syracuse to its first win

American college football now has a new Québécois face to keep an eye on.

Antoine Deslauriers, a 19-year-old linebacker from Laval, put on quite a show on Saturday, helping the Syracuse Orange to their first victory of the 2025 season.

Against the University of Connecticut Huskies, Deslauriers made a number of key plays in overtime, literally single-handedly stopping the opposition's prospects. On a critical third-down, four-yard situation, he lunged powerfully for a first down. Moments later, on the game's final drive, he was outstanding in coverage, blocking again to seal his team's 27-20 triumph.

A Québécois rookie already indispensable

These two decisive actions did not go unnoticed. In his second consecutive start as a starter, Deslauriers also completed four tackles, three of them solo, demonstrating his effectiveness as a weak-side linebacker. A performance that confirms his rapid ascent within a renowned NCAA Division I program.

As early as last spring, Orange head coach Fran Brown had high expectations of the young Québécois athlete.

“He's a role model. He'll be an excellent player for us. The people of Syracuse will be wearing a vest with his number on it, because this guy is going to be a superstar,” he said.

This prophecy already seems to be taking shape. In two games, Deslauriers has proven that he can be a decisive factor on defense, even against tough opponents. His combination of speed, power and reading of the game make him a pillar in the making for Syracuse.

The Orange (1-1) will look to build on this success next Friday, when they visit the Raiders of Colgate University. All eyes will once again be on the Laval linebacker, who is already establishing himself as a genuine revelation.

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