Author: Alex Burstein
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Kingz the hero, SU gets much-needed 79-78 win over SMU
There haven’t been many positives for Syracuse Men’s Basketball in the second half of the 2025-26 season. Since the calendar flipped to January, the Orange have been searching for answers on how to win games. Saturday afternoon, Syracuse finally got one of those answers. A double-digit second-half comeback, capped off my a game-winning lay-up by…
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National college basketball reporter links Bryan Hodgson and Syracuse
There’s still a lot of basketball to play before any decision gets made on the future of Adrian Autry at Syracuse. Even today, outgoing athletic director John Wildhack said no decision has been made on Autry, and at the very least, he will finish the season. But Wildhack made another thing clear – the standard…
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The skid is over: Syracuse men’s basketball rides hot shooting to 86-72 win over Notre Dame
College basketball is a 40-minute game, and Syracuse Men’s Basketball has learned that the hard way multiple times in the past few weeks. But Saturday night, in front of a decent-sized crowd at the JMA Wireless Dome, it really was just the first 20 minutes that sealed the deal. 17 first-half points from JJ Starling…
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Second-half struggles have doomed Syracuse’s season
If you have a strange sense of deja vu every time you watch Syracuse men’s basketball, you’re not alone. Because every single Syracuse game seems to follow a single script. The start? Very slow. Fall behind early. The rest of the first half? A slow climb back to contention. Donnie Freeman finds his shot. And…
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Finally a good sign for Syracuse Basketball? Maybe.
The season outlook for Syracuse Men’s Basketball is bleak. Sure, there’s one big win (Tennessee) and a couple of close losses to good squads. But blemishes to Hofsta and Clemson really hurt the resume. So what does Syracuse need? A lot of convincing ACC victories in the next months. A lot of them. Tuesday night…
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Syracuse Football’s Newest Departure is Bad News
There are a couple of certainties in college football in 2025. The SEC is dominant. Coaches’ contracts are going to be massive. And every December, a lot of players are going to leave your favorite program. Some hurt more than others. But news today of Syracuse Football’s newest departure set a new level of discomfort…
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There are a lot of coaching changes for Syracuse Football
Usually, when teams end seasons on eight-game losing streaks, there’s a complete rehaul of the coaching staff. So, to no surprise, Syracuse Football is doing just that. The Orange, over the last week, has hired at least three coaches that we know of. So let’s break down the new faces of Syracuse Football Defensive Coordinator…
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An ode to Syracuse Football’s season
Oh, what a season it was. From preseason expectations sky-high through the roof, and an upset at Clemson that felt too good to be true. To an injured quarterback, and week after week after week of disappointment as the offense (and defense) that could not stack up with the rest of the country (from the…
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Predicting the rest of Syracuse’s non-conference schedule
Syracuse Men’s Basketball had a surprisingly refreshing first game of the season. After last year’s near-upset loss to Le Moyne to begin the season, SU cruised against Binghamton to open up the 2025-26 season. So barring any major changes, it’s safe to say this year’s team is better than last year’s. And with that grand…
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Syracuse’s next opponent now looks a lot harder
Dear Orange Fizz reader, I hope you are enjoying a weekend free of Syracuse stress. No untimely interceptions, blown coverages, lopsided results, or awkward press conference moments can ruin your three-day weekend. That being said, I do write today with some disappointing news. Syracuse’s next opponent, the formidable Pittsburgh Panthers, may be slightly better than…
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Can Syracuse realistically get to a bowl game?
Well, Saturday was a rude awakening for Syracuse. In SU’s first game without quarterback Steve Angeli, the offense stalled, the defense slept, and Syraucse got slapped around in a 38-3 loss to Duke. Entering the season, Duke seemed like a winnable game for Syracuse. Now, it’s time to ask the question: Will Syracuse return to…
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Syracuse needs to be competitive this weekend
Week four of the college football season is usually a little too early to make a big picture statement. Teams are still finding themselves, conference play is just about to get started, and there’s plenty of games still to be played. But there’s one thing for certain this coming weekend. Syracuse football needs to play…
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Should fans have full faith in Steve Angeli now?
It seemed like Steve Angeli’s time with the Orange was going to have an unprecedentedly bad start. The SU quarterback had already been booed by the Dome fans and was 15 minutes away from dropping to 0-2 on the season with a loss to independent UConn. Then something switched. Angeli turned into a true field…
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Roster cut fates for SU’s 2025 draft picks and UDFA
There’s a harsh reality for many college football players as they start their career. First, you have to get drafted or picked up as an undrafted free agent. But that’s only step one. You then have to grind all summer and convince your team that you deserve to be on the 53-man roster. 12 SU…
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Syracuse knows the first quarterback it will be facing
Well, the wait is still on for who will be QB1 for Syracuse Football in week one against Tennessee. Fran Brown may have a decision after the second intersquad scrimmage…but he hasn’t told the public. So while we all wait for that announcement, at least Syracuse’s defense now knows who it has to prepare for…
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Four-star forward to visit Syracuse
While pretty much all the recruiting news in Syracuse recently has gone to the football team, Adrian Autry and co are ready to steal back some of the spotlight. 247sports reported Tuesday that four-star forward Asher Elson is set to take a visit to Syracuse from October 10-12. The power forward recently wrapped up his…
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Syracuse needs to figure out its quarterback ASAP
In just a few days’ time, it will officially be college football’s opening month. The Orange begin their 2025 slate on August 30 against the Tennessee Volunteers, who come off of a College Football Playoff appearance. And with all of that in mind, we still don’t know who’s going to be under center for Syracuse…
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Syracuse lands yet another 2026 commit
The summer of Fran Brown continues in the 315. Just days after landing five-star Calvin Russell, the Orange picked up another commit in Cameron Hairston-Taylor, a 2026 defensive back out of Virgina. And if you like speed, this is the commit for you. His nickname? Zoom. Syracuse had made the top five for Hariston-Taylor less…
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Syracuse Basketball may have figured out NIL
It’s no secret that Syracuse Athletics hasn’t run the tightest ship when it comes to NIL. Everything from losing players to broken donor relationships has come raining down on the Orange. But today, maybe, just maybe, Syracuse did something the right way. Tuesday evening, the Syracuse Men’s Basketball team held its summer slam event, with…
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Fizz Five 7/8: Players Era Festival, Judah Mintz, and new NIL talk
Nico Horning and Alex Burstein break down the newest happenings in SU athletics, including the Players Era Festival schedule, Judah Mintz’s Summer League play, SU hoops rotation prediction, CJ Hester’s college pick, and new words from AD Wildhack on NIL at Syracuse.
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Calvin Russell is an Orange
It almost doesn’t seem real. But the impossible has happened. Syracuse Football has landed a five-star recruit. Calvin Russell, one of the top wide receiver prospects in the Class of 2026, made his highly-awaited college decision Saturday night, choosing SU over a slew of blue bloods – Michigan, Florida State and Oregon. Russell, who would…
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Syracuse’s schedule just got a lot harder
Well any complaints about Syracuse having too easy of a schedule in 2025 are surely now going to be erased. The first matchups of the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas this November have been reported, and it’s no smooth road for SU. In the first two rounds of the tournament, the Orange are set…
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Syracuse Men’s Basketball hires new strength coach
Nicknames can mean a lot in sports. And the nickname “Strong” for a Strength and Conditioning Coach seems pretty perfect. Well that’s what Syracuse Men’s Basketball is getting. Rob “Strong” Harris has officially been named the director of strength and conditioning for ‘Cuse, and he brings a plethora of experience to the Orange. Harris comes…
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Syracuse Football nabs 20th recruit in 2026 class
If it seems like everyday, Syracuse Football is grabbing a new recruit, you wouldn’t be that far off. Fran Brown and his recruiting team have been on a hot streak lately, and the result means that now 20 players are coming to Syracuse as part of the 2026 class. The 20th member? Zikhere Leaks. The…
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Syracuse makes top five for 2026 two-way star
The time for college coaches to contact Class of 2027 recruits has officially commenced. But that doesn’t mean that Fran Brown and co have moved on from the 2026s. And on Saturday, the Orange made ground with a big name in 2026 class. Cameron Hairston-Taylor, a 247 composite three-star athlete, named his top five schools…
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Syracuse set to meet Tennessee…again
There’s a lot of opponents that may be considered rivals for Syracuse Men’s Basketball. Georgetown. Boston College. Tennessee? Ok, the last one may be a little bit of a stretch. But once again, the Orange will be taking on the Volunteers during the 2025-26 season, this time as part of the ACC-SEC challenge. That now…
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A marquee SU program has a new coach
Well, Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse has turned a messy divorce into a happy reunion. Luckily, it’s with two different people. Just a couple of weeks ago, Kayla Treanor, a former All-American at Syracuse and the team’s head coach, suddenly announced that she was going to be the next coach at Penn State. Now, another former SU…
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Keep an eye out for Zaevion Cleveland
By now, everyone knows that Fran Brown is an elite recruiter. Ever since becoming Syracuse’s head coach, Brown has landed many highly-touted recruits out of the transfer portal and high school ranks. So who’s next? Well, it could be Zaevion Cleveland. The three star cornerback in the class of 2026 released his top six today…
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5 Games That Will Make or Break the Season
There are lofty expectations for Syracuse Football in 2025. Despite losing Kyle McCord and having one of the nation’s toughest schedules, anything other than a bowl season will be a hard pillow to swallow. But what is SU’s path to getting there? Here are five games that will make or break the 2025 season for…
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Is This the Most Anticipated Syracuse Football Season in 20 Years?
It’s officially time to start thinking about Syracuse Football in 2025. Lacrosse is over, the basketball transfer portal has died down, and SU’s time on the gridiron is just a couple of short months away. Usually, anticipation would just be starting to build right now. Is this the year SU gets back to a bowl?…
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This season was still a success for Syracuse
Just like that, another season of Syracuse Men’s Lacrosse has come to an end. And once again, there’s not going to be a championship banner added to the Dome. SU’s offense and defense faltered in a 14-8 semifinal loss to Maryland, ending Syracuse’s season two wins short of a national championship. Now it’s easy to…
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Sadiq White close to U.S. National Team
Well, many athletes say that there is no greater honor than representing your country. And for incoming Syracuse basketball player Sadiq White, that dream might be coming true soon. The five-star forward was announced as one of 33 players who will try out for the U-\19 USA National Team ahead of the U19 World Cup…
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Could this actually be the year for Syracuse Men’s Lacrosse?
Well in one sense, it may already be. After about as up-and-down of a season as possible, Syracuse Men’s Lacrosse has made its return to the final four of the NCAA Tournament. This was the year! Many said this was the make-or-break year for Gary Gait – could he make it to Memorial Day Weekend?…
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Syracuse-Tennessee game time is now set
Well it’s starting to feel a little bit real. The time of Syracuse Football’s clash with Tennessee to open the 2025 campaign is officially set, and that means football season is almost upon us. So set your calendars for noon on August 30. Of course, this matchup was exciting when it was first announced. But it…
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So is Syracuse officially a lacrosse school?
Well if you haven’t seen, Syracuse Men’s Lacrosse got a pretty big win today. The Orange tailed big but came back to defeat Harvard in overtime and advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the second straight year. While it’s been a while since SU hung a rafter in the banners of the JMA Wireless Dome,…
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Fran Brown is more than just a coach
Nick Saban? You probably would never think of them as anything other than coaches. Well Fran Brown, through one year with Syracuse Football, has shown he’s a pretty good coach. A 10 win first season and recruiting win after recruiting win, not bad. But Brown’s not content on just being a good coach. And ‘Cuse…
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