Author: Liam Griffin
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Syracuse vs. Purdue: Crystal Ball Predictions
FRANCESCO (2-0) (EXEMPT FROM PREDICTION): This is Syracuse’s first test of the season, that’s the headline of this game. Colgate and Western Michigan were one thing. SU outscored them by a combined 113-7. This is a Big 10 opponent. Sure, Purdue isn’t Ohio State, it’s not Michigan, but it will certainly be a physical test…
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Meet The Enemy: Purdue’s Facts And Players To Know
Round 2 after last year’s classic. Primetime on NBC. A potential must-win game for Syracuse. There are storylines aplenty heading into SU’s clash with Purdue Saturday night. With the marquee matchup drawing ever nearer, let’s figure out what the Orange are up against. SEASON/PROGRAM OVERVIEW This is not the same Boilermakers team we saw last…
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Fizz Five 9/15: Oronde Gadsden’s Injury, Western Michigan Recap, & Purdue Preview
Start your Friday off right by listening to Liam Griffin and Adam Gotkin breakdown the latest SU Athletics news. 1. Oronde Gadsden’s Injury (0:51-6:45)2. Western Michigan Recap (6:45-12:34)3. Jalil Bethea/Hoops Recruiting Update (12:34-19:11)4. Football Things To Clean Up (19:11-24:05)5. Purdue Preview (24:05-close)
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Saturday’s Game Is Must-Win
Domination would be an understatement to describe Syracuse’s first two games. The Orange have routed Colgate and Western Michigan by a combined score of 113-7. Regardless of the opponents, that margin is very impressive. The going gets tougher when SU visits Purdue this weekend, and this game represents a major turning point for this season.…
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Syracuse vs. Western Michigan: Crystal Ball Predictions
ETHAN (1-0): Syracuse 38, Western Michigan 14 The Orange are going to continue the easier portion of their schedule with a resounding win over the Broncos, a step up from Colgate in week 1, but still a team that is not on the level of SU. With the team mostly healthy, keeping it that way…
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Meet The Enemy: Western Michigan’s Facts and Players To Know
For the second consecutive game, Syracuse Football will battle a non-Power Five opponent on Saturday. After demolishing Colgate, this time the opponent is a little more formidable in Western Michigan. Let’s get to know the Broncos. SEASON/PROGRAM OVERVIEW No year will ever quite be like 2016 in Kalamazoo. With now-Minnesota head man PJ Fleck leading…
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Week 1 Results Make No Bowl Game Inexcusable For Syracuse
Week 1 in college football is always interesting in that it can say a lot, but never quite tells the full story. We learned a lot about what the end result of Syracuse’s 2023 campaign might look like based on the dominating victory over Colgate as well as some out of town results. After the…
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Syracuse vs. Colgate: Crystal Ball Predictions
ETHAN (12-1 LAST SEASON): Syracuse 38, Colgate 7 The Orange are going to come out of the gates hot and play well in all aspects against an FCS opponent in the Raiders. This game should be taken similarly to a preseason contest, and while the starters should play, if they’re in the game in the…
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The “Atlantic” Coast Conference? Stanford, Cal, SMU Are In
Well folks, it finally happened. This was quite the news to wake up to this morning. The “Atlantic” Coast Conference is not so Atlantic anymore. Whether you want to admit or not, this was a move the ACC had no choice to make. The Big Ten already held coast-to-coast TV money with its recent additions,…
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Three Wishes For Saturday’s Game
Three days from now, Syracuse Football will be back on the Dome field to do battle with Colgate. You can never take an opponent lightly, even if it’s an FCS school, but this matchup with the Raiders represents an opportunity for the Orange to tinker, experiment, or try some new things. Three things MUST happen…
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Who Is Brady Denaburg And Why Is He So Important?
With the exception of the offensive line, no element of football is more under-appreciated and not talked about enough than kicking- both field goals and PATs. Andre Szmyt’s tenure at Syracuse was a roller coaster. He won the Groza Award in 2018 only to stumble big time but bounce back last season. Szmyt is gone,…
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Polling The Fizz: 2023 Syracuse Football Defensive Predictions
After taking a look at the ACC as a whole and the offensive side of the ball, we wrap up our Polling the Fizz series talking about Syracuse’s defense. Rocky Long’s unit has some tremendous upside, but really struggled down the stretch in 2022. Here’s what to look out for in 2023. BREAKOUT PLAYER Derek…
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Takeaways From Two Days of Spring Practice
Getting to attend Syracuse Football practice over the past two days as well as the subsequent press conferences was a very insightful experience. It was what you would typically expect with opening week around the corner- position groups running drills, followed by some one-on-ones, and the last thing the media was allowed to see was…
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Polling The Fizz: 2023 Syracuse Football Offensive Predictions
Two weeks separate us from Syracuse v. Colgate, and with that we continue our Polling The Fizz series to get you ready. Last week, we took a look at what the ACC as a whole will look like, today we’ll start to dive deeper into this year’s Orange squad. We start today with the offensive…
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Would SMU Be A Good Addition For The ACC?
Amidst the PAC-12’s recent implosion, there’s been a lot of talk about whether Stanford and Cal would make good additions for the ACC. Flying under the radar are thoughts of whether Southern Methodist University, or SMU, in Dallas might make that jump too. Let’s put those to bed right here and right now. This isn’t…
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What Is The Impact of Donnie Freeman’s Transfer?
IMG Academy is one of the top athletic prep schools in the country. It has produced numerous top-tier recruits over the years, including four of the top 43 players in the class of 2022. Among Syracuse players, Justin Taylor, Quadir Copeland, and Benny Williams are all products of the school. Two of those recruits were…
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Could Syracuse Make A Run At Cooper Flagg?
Here on August 12, 2023, Syracuse currently ranks 11th in 247 Sports’ Class of 2024 recruiting class rankings. That’s good for fourth-best in the ACC behind North Carolina, Duke, and NC State. While Elijah Moore and Donnie Freeman are both fantastic additions, your fishing net can never be too narrow. Add in both Judah Mintz…
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Polling the Fizz: 2023 ACC Football Predictions
Syracuse’s opening night clash with Colgate is just three weeks away and getting closer by the day. Last week, the preseason ACC poll came out, in which the Orange were picked to finish 10th out of 14 teams. Here’s what Team Fizz has to say about the upcoming ACC football slate. ACC CHAMPION Florida State-…
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Enjoy This College Football Season, Because There Will Never Be Another Like It
Conference realignment has always been prevalent in collegiate athletics, even if it isn’t getting the national attention it is now. Heck, there was a time when Rice was in the same conference as Arkansas. But it’s very sad to see one of the most prominent conferences in the country, one that has completely dominated a…
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The Three Position Groups That Will Determine Syracuse’s 2023 Success
A little under a year ago, we stated that Syracuse’s wide receivers, offensive line, and defensive backs would be key factors in whether the Orange had a successful 2022. Two of those groups were relatively successful- Oronde Gadsden’s emergence and a tenacious pass defense were major contributors toward SU’s 6-0 start. But mediocre blocking led…
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What’s Next For Buddy Boeheim?
After not being selected in the 2022 NBA Draft, Syracuse legend and fan favorite Buddy Boeheim signed a two-way deal with the Detroit Pistons. The guard played 18 games at the G-League level in 2022-23, averaging 12 points per game while shooting over 37% from beyond the arc. Additionally, Boeheim saw 10 games in the…
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Final Thoughts From ACC Kickoff
Two days removed from the ACC Kickoff event in Charlotte, there are still plenty of storylines to digest. Whether it’s the excitement from both Syracuse and Pittsburgh about the Yankee Stadium game, Florida State’s quest to dethrone Clemson, or the new 3-5-5 scheduling format, there was and is plenty to dissect. Three things in particular…
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ACC Kickoff Day 3 Takeaways
The final day of the ACC Kickoff in Charlotte saw four of Syracuse’s 2023 opponents speak as well as the new home of its former OC Robert Anae. As has been the case throughout the event, each team has had a unique perspective of the conference and the season ahead. NORTH CAROLINA Head Coach Mack…
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ACC Kickoff Day 2 Takeaways
Hearing opposing ACC coaches speak after Syracuse’s conference yesterday is certainly interesting. Regardless of whether they’re on the Orange’s schedule, one way or another they’re going to impact Dino Babers’ bunch. Five more schools addressed the media on Wednesday, each with a unique perspective on the season. PITTSBURGH Start spreadin’ the news about the Panthers,…
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The Best Of The Rest: ACC Kickoff Day 1
While Jim Phillips’ address to the media and the four Syracuse representatives were the marquee events of the day for Orange fans, there was still plenty to take in from the ensuing press conferences. Three opposing ACC schools took to the podium, and once they were done there was a special fireside chat with a…
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Takeaways From Syracuse’s ACC Kickoff Presser
On Tuesday Morning, Dino Babers, Oronde Gadsden, Garrett Shrader, and Marlowe Wax took the podium to address the local media and representatives covering other ACC schools and some national media members. A lot was said, so let’s dive right into it. Not much, if anything, was said about LeQuint Allen’s recent off-field news, but everyone…
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Noteworthy Quotes From Jim Phillips’ Press Conference
The 2023 ACC Football Kickoff is underway. All 14 teams will have representatives address the media at some point over the next three days. But first, commissioner Jim Phillips spoke this morning. Here are some of the most important things he noted. “Our schools and fans will immediately benefit from significantly increased television exposure on…
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Storylines To Watch Out For At ACC Media Days
ACC Football Media Days are almost upon us, and all 14 schools in the conference will send their head coach along with three student-athletes to meet with the media in Charlotte. Here are three big things to look out for next week, from both a Syracuse and conference-wide perspective. 1. JASON BECK’S OFFENSE Garrett Shrader,…
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The Three Players That Most Need To Step Up
The blame goes to a combination of the transfer portal, NFL Draft, and graduating students, but to say Syracuse Football lost a lot this season would be a massive understatement. If the Orange are to make consecutive bowl games for the first time in a decade, players up and down the roster must step up.…
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Yes, Syracuse-Georgetown Still Matters. A Lot.
Even though it’s been a decade since Syracuse bolted the Big East for the ACC, there shouldn’t be any doubt that SU vs. Georgetown is still a marquee matchup. When “it’s *insert time* and Georgetown still sucks” is still a very common adage among the Orange faithful, what more proof do you need? The 99th…
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The Pat Fitzgerald News Are A Major Warning
Football is a brutal, brutal game on the field. Any sort of issue off the field makes it even more so. That has come to light more than ever over the past week after a group of student journalists at Northwestern uncovered a major hazing scandal within the school’s football program. Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald…
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How Will ACC Football Compare to the Rest?
2023 will in all likelihood be the final season with the collegiate football landscape as we currently know it. With UCLA, USC, Texas, and Oklahoma set to make the sport’s most potent conferences- the SEC and Big Ten- even more powerful come next season, it’s never been more important that the ACC produces a strong…
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Syracuse’s Special Teams Must Be Special
During Syracuse’s 1-6 meltdown at the end of last season, there were many issues to blame. A lethargic run defense. Injuries. Lack of discipline. No reliable receivers behind Oronde Gadsden. As glaring as all of those are, one key aspect of football that the Orange failed in has been swept under the rug a bit.…
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Is Boogie Fland Still A Realistic Target?
Back in January, Syracuse was scheduled to host 5-star combo guard Boogie Fland for a visit for the North Carolina game. When that visit was cancelled, there was some panic among fans (and rightfully so), but it was due to his having a game. Probably the right call. Now, almost six months after that went…
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How Syracuse’s Non-Conference Slate Looks With LSU
Even before the ACC-SEC challenge matchups dropped earlier today, Syracuse’s non-conference schedule had a drastically different look from last year’s. The Orange only faced three high major opponents before ACC play in Fall 2022 (St. John’s, Illinois, & Georgetown). In 2023, SU will meet a minimum of five such teams (barring a sudden end to…
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Mintz, Starling Both Projected Second-Rounders
The 2023 NBA Draft has come and gone, and a popular name among Syracuse fans was not selected. Over the course of this past season, Judah Mintz found himself on several Mock Drafts, the majority of which had him going in the second round. But a few weeks ago, the point guard decided to play…
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