Syracuse’s bowl hopes are already under the microscope, and so is the status of wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons.
Ross-Simmons was at practice Monday, but he didn’t take part in any drills as the eligibility situation around him keeps shifting. A Colorado-based court ruling in July had initially granted a fifth year of eligibility to Class of 2022 recruits who graduated in 2026.
Then on Friday, a tenth circuit granted the NCAA’s stay request, which pushed players from that class back into ineligibility. There’s also the possibility that the Atlantic Coast Conference won’t allow Ross-Simmons back either.
Head coach Fran Brown made it clear where he stands when he spoke after Monday’s practice.
"Whatever way it goes, I want to be behind him, I want to support him. I want to see him get a degree and if he is able to play then push him to play and if he can't play then I'm coming to keep him around and make sure that he can make a difference every day."
Brown later brought Ross-Simmons over during the media session and showed his support with a handshake and hug.
The wideout’s future remains unresolved. Ross-Simmons has played the last two seasons for Syracuse, putting together more than 500 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. As of Monday night, he was still listed on the team’s official roster.
For Syracuse, the bigger question is whether the Orange can get back to a bowl game at all, with or without him. Nationally, they’re being viewed as a team on the edge of returning to postseason play. Syracuse won 10 games in the 2024 regular season and took the Holiday Bowl.
This past season was a different story. The Orange opened 3-1 before dropping their next eight games, and many fans and media members pointed to the injury to quarterback Steve Angeli in game four as a major reason for the slide.
Over the last 25 years, Syracuse has appeared in nine bowl games and gone 6-3 in those contests. The Orange open the season Sept. 5 against New Hampshire.
In Other News...
Syracuse Fans Are About To Feel A Big Dome Gameday Shift
Syracuse football fans heading to the Dome in 2026 are going to notice a different rhythm to home Saturdays. Syracuse University said it is changing the gameday location and overall experience for its home football schedule, and the revised setup will open the area three hours before kickoff. The season itself begins Sept. 5 against New Hampshire at the JMA Wireless Dome, giving supporters an early look at how the new approach will work in practice.
The timing matters because the Orange are entering this stretch with a different look in leadership, too, after the university brought in new chancellor Mike Haynie and new athletic director Bryan Blair. Those changes have already raised expectations around how Syracuse presents its biggest events, and football gamedays are an obvious place to start. What the new pregame flow feels like inside and around the Dome will be one of the more visible tests of that reset once the home schedule gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Suddenly Has A Big Eligibility Question At Wide Receiver
The ACCs new eligibility rule has put a fresh wrinkle into Syracuses plans at wide receiver, with the conference board unanimously adopting a resolution that bars member schools from rostering players who have signed with or declared for the NFL, NBA or WNBA drafts. The policy also reaches NBA Summer League and G League contracts, aligning the league with similar moves already made by the Big 12, SEC and Big Ten.
For Syracuse, the immediate impact is tied to Justus Ross-Simmons, a player who had been trying to pursue extra eligibility years. The Orange now have to factor in a conference-wide standard that changes the landscape for anyone weighing a return after testing pro waters, and it leaves one of the teams more notable roster questions hanging as the offseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Is Changing Game Day In A Way Fans Will Notice Fast
Syracuse fans will notice a different feel around football Saturdays in 2026, with athletics rolling out a slate of changes aimed at making the Dome experience louder, brighter and more interactive before kickoff. The updates include a large-format videoboard, live music from local artists, expanded fan amenities and a Toyota Fun Zone, all part of a broader push to make game day feel more like an event from the moment people arrive.
The changes also reach inside the stadium, where the focus shifts toward keeping students and the crowd engaged throughout the game. Syracuse is also planning a new team-arrival tradition with the Crouse College Chimes playing Thunderstruck, along with a new third-down song on defense and a DJ request system that gives the building a more customized soundtrack. [Read more 🡒]