Author: Tyler Aitken
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Syracuse Closes 2024 With Top-25 Class
Syracuse basketball has had its 2024 recruiting class solidified for a while. Around the country, most other schools are finalizing their incoming groups. With this cycle coming to a close, the ‘Cuse got some deserved praise, despite having fewer commits than plenty of other teams on the list. Top-ten prospect Donnie Freeman, a forward out…
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Fizz Five 6/14: Sadiq White, College Football Playoff, and Joey Chestnut
Tyler Aitken and Dan Papillo jump on this week’s Fizz Five Podcast. They break down Syracuse basketball and football recruiting, the Orange’s chance at being a CFP Cinderella, and Joey Chestnut’s hot dog eating contest ban. 1. Sadiq White (1:07)2. Basketball Recruiting Update (3:18)3. Wyatt Bowman (6:49)4. SU’s Playoff Chances (9:25)5. Joey Chestnut (13:34)
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Syracuse Basketball Adds to Difficult Non-Conference Slate
Syracuse basketball just added another Power 5 opponent for its 2024-2025 non-conference schedule. To be fair, the Orange didn’t have much of a choice. The slate for the second annual ACC/SEC Challenge was just announced, and Syracuse will be taking a trip down to Knoxville to battle with Tennessee on Tuesday, December 3rd. The Orange…
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Syracuse Tabbed College Football Playoff Cinderella by CBS
In a time when some outlets and metrics have tempered expectations for Syracuse football, the hype around the program is still growing overall. Recently, Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports put out a list of four potential Cinderella teams for next season’s College Football Playoff, and Syracuse was one of the squads that made the cut.…
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ESPN: Pump Breaks on Expectations For Syracuse Football
The expectations for Syracuse football in 2024, the inaugural season of the Fran Brown era, are all over the place. Some have predicted a 12-0 record, in large part due to the easiest Power 4 schedule. Other projections aren’t as favorable, though. For example, ESPN’s Football Power Index expects the Orange to go 6-6. Another…
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ESPN’s FPI Likes Syracuse’s Schedule, Dislikes Syracuse’s Roster
ESPN just updated its Football Power Index, and the system has two very different things to say about Syracuse football and its chances to succeed in 2024. Let’s start with the good. According to the FPI, the Orange have the easiest schedule of any Power 4 team. No major program in the country will have…
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Sadiq White, Five-Star Recruit, Commits to Syracuse Basketball
Sadiq White, a five-star power forward from the class of 2025, committed to Syracuse basketball on Wednesday night. The Charlotte, North Carolina native is the first Orange recruit from that class to commit to SU. White was considering six other schools: Alabama, USC, LSU, Tennessee, Georgetown, and Texas. Other schools that displayed interest or gave…
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Is More ACC Expansion on the Way?
ACC expansion has completely changed the look of the league over the last year. Going forward, Cal and Stanford join from all the way across the country, plus SMU from Texas. Before those three schools even play a game in the conference, there might be more additions coming. College football reporter Luke Fletcher identified four…
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National Media Praises Incoming Syracuse Football Class
The incoming Syracuse football class has been ranked highly the entire offseason. The freshman class, transfer class, and overall group have all hit high-water marks for the program in the modern era of recruiting rankings. In the last week, the Orange have been getting even more love. Yesterday, ESPN put out a list of the…
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Syracuse’s Recruitment of Kiyan Anthony is Picking Up Steam
Since he’s been in middle school, Syracuse has been the presumed destination for Kiyan Anthony. With his dad leading the Orange to the 2003 national title, that prediction makes a lot of sense. It’s exciting too, given he’s a consensus 4-star recruit and top-50 player in the class of 2025. However, it usually isn’t that…
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Where Are Syracuse Basketball Transfers Going?
Six Syracuse basketball transfers have left the program so far. Some have a destination picked out so far, while others are still in the portal. Let’s run through where the Orange’s outgoing players have, or will, end up. Maliq Brown: Duke This one came out of nowhere. The All-ACC Defender seemed to be planning on…
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Syracuse Tight End Unit Ranked Top-Five Nationally
Historically, Syracuse football is a program known for its running backs. Jim Brown and Ernie Davis are legends, while Sean Tucker has had the biggest profile in recent years. In the past decade, SU has become more known for punters, sending plenty of talent to the NFL. That list includes players like Sterling Hofrichter, Riley…
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Syracuse Keeps Looking For Center Depth
With three scholarship spots still available for Syracuse basketball, the Orange’s focus right now seems to be on adding depth at the center position. Cheikh Sadibou Ndiaye, a 6’10” center from the class of 2024, is reportedly visiting SU next week, according to NYCHoops.net. That was confirmed by Ndiaye’s current prep school. Ndiaye is an…
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Someone’s Getting Left Out of Syracuse’s Rotation
Someone is going to get left out of Syracuse’s backcourt rotation next year. There’s plenty of guards, plus potential future additions in Ken Evans Jr., Braeden Smith, and others. With that much manpower, Adrian Autry won’t be able to put everyone on the court. Before looking at who’s going to play, let’s first find out…
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Fizz Five 4/28:Transfer Portal Update, ACC Football Rankings, and Lacrosse Updates
Tyler Aitken and Dan Shalam connect for another episode of Fizz Five to dive into Syracuse basketball, football, and lacrosse: 1. Dakota Leffew Picks Georgia (1:05)2. Jaquan Carlos Commits (6:30)3. William Patterson Transfers (11:27)4. Locked On vs. CFBudge (14:07)5. Lacrosse Postseason Update (18:57)
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Jaquan Carlos: Syracuse’s First Pass-First Point Guard Since…
After plenty of speculation, Syracuse has finally added a true point guard to its roster: Jaquon Carlos. The Hofstra transfer averaged over 6 assists per game last season, a top-15 mark in the country. That, plus some solid defense for a 6’0” guard, makes up a classic point guard, a somewhat dying breed. Let’s run…
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Projecting Syracuse’s Starting Lineup
College basketball rosters are far from set. However, Syracuse has around ten players that are worthy of playing, so it’s time for a first draft of a starting lineup and rotation. Bench, Frontcourt: William Patterson and Naheem McLeod There’s been plenty of Syracuse fans that have been pushing for the Orange to add another guard,…
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Three Players to Watch in the Syracuse Spring Game
This Saturday marks one of many beginnings in the Fran Brown era: the Syracuse Spring Game. After a hectic offseason of transfers and recruiting, followed by spring practices, Orange fans get to see what the on-field product looks like. And, reports indicate that there’ll be more SU fans than normal. Many are excited to see…
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Syracuse Football Adds Clarence Lewis
Another day, another new prospect for Fran Brown and Syracuse’s defense. This time, it’s another instant-impact transfer: Clarence Lewis, a cornerback from Notre Dame. Lewis was a 3-star recruit out of high school, and maintains that status as a transfer. For the Fighting Irish, he played regularly for all four years, with 23 starts in…
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Fizz Five 4/12: Dan Engelstad, SU Basketball Transfers, and The Spring Football Game
Tyler Aitken and Dan Shalam connect for another episode of Fizz Five to dive into Syracuse football and basketball: 1. New Syracuse basketball assistant coach Dan Engelstad (1:27)2. Players for Syracuse basketball to target in the portal (7:04)3. Expectations for players who transferred out of Syracuse basketball (12:05)4. Who to look out for at the…
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What the Dan Engelstad Hire Says About the NCAA Landscape
Syracuse basketball has already found a new assistant coach to replace Gerry McNamara: Dan Engelstad. After serving as the head coach for Mount St. Mary’s for six seasons, Engelstad may not have seemed like the obvious hire, but the choice says a lot about SU as a program and the state of the NCAA as…
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Way Too Early Predictions for Syracuse Basketball
With the national championship going on today, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about tangible results for next season. Is the roster finalized? Not even close. Is the landscape of the ACC certain? Nope. Is it fun to make predictions anyway? Absolutely. These are just guesses, so have some fun with it. Preseason Ranking:…
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Syracuse Football: “Super League” Bound?
“The current model for governing and managing college athletics is dead.” That’s what Kent Syverud, the chancellor of Syracuse University, said to The Athletic in an article released earlier this week. It’s a statement made in the midst of a flurry of changes happening in college sports, with football being the main proponent for change.…
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Syracuse Football 2025 Recruiting Up to No. 15 Ranking
Yes, that picture is real. Syracuse football’s 2025 recruiting class is ranked above Georgia right now. The Orange, according to 247 Sports, have a top-15 class in the nation. New head coach Fran Brown has already done wonders this offseason, bringing in top-40 rankings in the class of ‘24 and this season’s transfer class. If…
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How to Replace Gerry McNamera
As of Thursday afternoon, it’s still not official, but reports are indicating that Syracuse assistant coach Gerry McNamera is leaving the program. He’s headed down I-90 to become the head coach of Siena men’s basketball. This is a really big loss for the Orange. Firstly, GMac has been at Syracuse for over 20 years now.…
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ACC Basketball is the Best in the Country
After years of decline, a low point during this regular season, and an embarrassing loss by Virginia in a First Four game, ACC basketball is back on top of the hoops world. After the First Four, teams from the conference are a perfect 8-0 in the NCAA Tournament. North Carolina, Duke, Clemson, and NC State…
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Fizz Five 3/24: The Transfer Portal, Spring Football, and March Madness
With the transfer portal open, Tyler Aitken and Francesco Simone check in on who’s left so far. Plus, they talk about spring football practices and March Madness 1. Transfer Portal (1:18)2. Women’s Basketball Bracket (6:54)3. Spring Football Practices (10:22)4. Men’s Lacrosse Check-In (14:09)5. March Madness Takes (17:52)
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Syracuse Rooting Guide For March Madness
March Madness is finally here! Although Syracuse didn’t make the Big Dance this year, everyone is still watching hoops. Don’t just pull for your brackets and bets, though. Here’s a list of teams to root for (and against) as a Syracuse fan this week. Root Against: UConn There are only three Big East teams in…
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Syracuse Declines NIT Bid: Why?
Headed into last night, many Syracuse fans were expecting to watch the Orange play in the NIT, or the National Invitation Tournament. There was even a possibility of hosting games. However, the bracket was released, and SU was nowhere to be found. At the time, schools like Ole Miss and Indiana had already announced that…
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Transfer Portal Targets For Syracuse
In the new era of college basketball, there’s no longer just graduates and incoming freshmen to consider when evaluating a roster in the offseason. In all likelihood, most teams will both lose and gain several players through the transfer portal. While it’s impossible to predict who will leave and who will stay, there’s still two…
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What History Says About Syracuse’s ACC Tournament
The hopes for Syracuse to win the ACC Tournament hopes feel pretty slim right now. As the 7-seed, SU will have a favorable matchup against NC State or Louisville to start. But then, the possible opponents shift to a more intimidating group, including Duke, Virginia, Clemson, and North Carolina. However, there’s more to consider than…
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Ranking Syracuse’s Most Improbable Conference Tournament Title Runs
Syracuse basketball could really use an ACC Tournament title right now. It’s arguably the only way the Orange can make it to the NCAA Tournament this year. If SU could pull off a run like that, it would likely be one of the program’s best ever. Let’s rank Syracuse’s five conference championships from least to…
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How Different Ranking Systems See Syracuse Basketball
Syracuse men’s basketball is a polarizing team this year. Some see the Orange as a barely top-100 team, while other systems see SU as tournament-worthy. Let’s take a look at which systems like Syracuse. NET Rankings: 84th Let’s get this one out of the way. Many Syracuse, ACC, and even college basketball fans have criticized…
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Fizz Report Card: Syracuse vs. Louisville
It wasn’t pretty at the end, but Syracuse held on to beat Louisville 82-76 tonight. Despite the team’s second-half struggles, there are plenty of good grades to hand out to the starting lineup tonight. Judah Mintz: B+ Mintz’s stat line looks pretty solid, but there were some big issues tonight. 21 points on over 50%…
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Fizz Five 3/2: Bubble Talk, New ACC Hoops Schedule, and Lacrosse Update
Tyler Aitken and Francesco Simone sit down for another edition of Fizz Five to dive into March Madness: 1. Virginia Tech Recap (1:45)2. Louisville Preview (9:27)3. March Madness Preview (13:24)4. ACC Hoops Schedule For 2024-25 (22:35)5. Men’s Lacrosse Update (27:12)
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Ranking Syracuse Basketball’s Leap Day Performances
Dating back to the birth of the program in 1900, Syracuse men’s basketball has played 10 games on February 29th, also known as Leap Day. Yes, we checked that far back. The Orange hold an even 5-5 record in those games. The main theme? Low-scoring games. Let’s rank those performances from worst to best. 10.…
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