Syracuse is heading into Thursday night with a hefty number hanging over it.
According to Fanduel, the Orange opened as a +9.5 underdog for their trip to Pitt, where they’ll meet the Panthers at Acrisure Stadium. It’s the kind of matchup that already feels made for a scrappy, weird, low-light ACC night - the sort of game that has long had the Sickos Committee reaching for the lawn chairs and popcorn.
Syracuse comes in needing a reset after a 21-18 loss to Cal that slipped away in ugly fashion. The Orange had chances, but three interceptions from Steve Angeli and 15 penalties against Syracuse helped bury the team at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday. Now Syracuse sits at 1-1 and is looking for a bounce-back win fast.
Pitt, meanwhile, has started 2-0 and just survived a defensive grind against UCF in the rain. The Panthers allowed only 206 yards of total offense and won 12-7 in the Steel City. They’re playing their third straight home game to open the season, with one more at home next week before their first road trip in October, when they head to Virginia Tech.
Thursday also marks Pitt’s first ACC game of the year.
The recent history between these teams doesn’t do Syracuse many favors. The Orange are 4-20 over the last 24 meetings with Pitt and have dropped two straight in the series. Syracuse’s last win came in 2023 at Yankee Stadium, in the game remembered for Dan Villari’s 154 rushing yards.
As for Syracuse’s last win in Pittsburgh, you have to go all the way back to 2001. That day, the Orange defense forced five turnovers and some guy name Troy Nunes threw a touchdown pass in a 42-10 Syracuse win. Since then, Syracuse has lost 11 straight games to the Panthers in Pittsburgh.
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Syracuse Heads To Pitt With One Lineup Call Fans Will Notice
After opening the 2026 season with a win over New Hampshire and a loss to California, Syracuse is heading into its third game with another reminder of how thin the margins can be early in the year. Fran Browns team now turns to Pittsburgh, where the Orange have not won in 25 years, and the projected depth chart for this one offers the first real look at how the staff is sorting through roles on offense, defense and special teams.
One lineup call is likely to draw the most attention because it speaks to where Syracuse sees its best options right now, especially with the schedule starting to sharpen. Depth charts are never final, but this one gives a pretty good sense of who the Orange trust heading into a road game that has carried extra weight for a long time. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Just Got Another Reminder Of How Far The Program Has Fallen
Syracuses slide has become hard to ignore, and the latest reminder came through ESPNs Big Monday plans for the upcoming season. With the Orange not included in the networks marquee broadcast lineup, it is another sign of how far the program has drifted from the national spotlight while it works to snap a five-season NCAA Tournament drought and avoid another spring on the outside looking in.
Gerry McNamara is trying to change that trajectory in his first year at the controls, leaning on transfer additions as he reshapes the roster and pushes toward a stronger foundation. The bigger goal is not just getting Syracuse back into the field next season, but building something that looks more like a threat again by 2026-27, when the program will be judged on whether it can climb back into the games and conversations it used to command. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Heads Into Practice With A Troubling Garwey Dual Question
Garwey Duals status has become one of the early storylines as Syracuse gets ready to open practice for the new season. The transfer guard is still working back from an offseason collarbone injury and has not yet been cleared for full contact, leaving the Orange to take a careful look at how he fits as the team ramps up toward exhibition play in mid-October.
For Syracuse, the concern is less about one players availability than how the guard rotation takes shape if Dual needs more time. Gavin Doty and Aiden Tobiason are also in the mix as the staff evaluates options at the position, making the next stretch of practice an important one for sorting out roles before the season starts to take form. [Read more 🡒]