Syracuse will try to get its ACC season moving in the right direction Saturday night when the Orange visit North Carolina at 7:30 p.m. ET in Chapel Hill. The game will air on ACC Network, and it can be streamed free through Fubo, which offers a free trial.
For viewers choosing between the available streaming options, both FuboTV and DIRECTV carry ACC Network and both include free trials. Fubo’s “Pro” package is priced at $88.99, while DIRECTV’s “Choice” package comes in at $94.99. Fubo also carries ACC Network, SEC Network and Big Ten Network in its base package, which makes it the better fit for this channel.
On the field, Syracuse enters at 2-4 overall and 0-4 in the ACC after a 34-26 loss to Louisville, a result that stretched its conference losing streak to 11 games. North Carolina is 4-2 overall and 2-1 in league play after back-to-back wins over Pittsburgh and Duke.
The biggest question for Syracuse remains at quarterback. The Orange have already used five quarterbacks, with three of them starting, as injuries have kept reshuffling the depth chart.
Malachi Nelson is the latest concern after leaving the Louisville game with another injury. Even with all that turnover, every Syracuse quarterback who has started this season has thrown for at least 300 yards in a game.
Whoever lines up under center will have Umari Hatcher to lean on again. Hatcher was electric against Louisville, finishing with 224 receiving yards and a touchdown. That pushed his season total to 784 yards and seven scores.
North Carolina’s defense has been sturdy enough to make things difficult, allowing 19.2 points per game. Syracuse will need some steadiness, a clean performance, and another big night from Hatcher if it wants to end the skid in conference play.
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Quadir Copeland is suddenly right on the doorstep of the NBA after signing a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets, a sharp turn for a player who went undrafted but kept his name in the conversation with a strong showing in Summer League. For Syracuse fans, it is another reminder of how quickly a former Orange guard can go from college standout to a legitimate pro opportunity, especially after building his path through stops at McNeese State and North Carolina State as well.
Copeland now has a real chance to make his NBA debut soon, with Houston potentially using him in an upcoming game against the Atlanta Hawks. Even before that first appearance, the move signals how much the Rockets valued what they saw this summer, and it gives Copeland a clear opening to prove he belongs at the next level after taking the long road through college and into the professional ranks. [Read more 🡒]
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Syracuses schedule gives it chances to chip away at a tournament case, which is what makes the early stretch worth watching even if an immediate surge feels like a long shot. For McNamara, the challenge is less about changing the conversation overnight and more about proving this team can string together enough quality work to keep itself in the March discussion. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Looks Sharp Early But One Orange Question Still Lingers
Syracuse came out looking organized and energetic against Niagara at KeyBank Center, using a steady first-half effort to take a 33-26 lead into the break in Buffalo. The Orange showed enough balance to keep control without having to lean on one burst, and the early minutes suggested a team settling in quickly on a neutral floor.
The first half also offered a useful snapshot of where Syracuse stands right now, with contributions spread around and the kind of pace that can make a game feel comfortable even when the margin is still modest. Still, the bigger question remains whether that early sharpness can hold up once Niagara starts making adjustments and the Orange are asked to sustain it for a full 40 minutes. [Read more 🡒]
