Syracuse football will open its 2026 season on Saturday afternoon at home against New Hampshire, and the Orange will have more than just the Wildcats on the field in front of them. Fran Brown’s third year as head coach begins with a revamped roster, a batch of new assistant coaches, and a recruiting crowd that includes several 2028 and 2029 prospects making game-day visits to the JMA Wireless Dome.
The matchup itself is a first for Syracuse against New Hampshire, an FCS program in the Coastal Athletic Association, and it gives the Orange an early chance to bounce back from a 3-9 finish in 2025. At the same time, the staff will get a look at a handful of young targets who are expected to be in the building for the opener.
Among the 2028 visitors is Andrew Johnstone, an athlete from Patchogue-Medford High School in Medford, N.Y., who can play tight end, offensive line or defensive end and already holds a Syracuse scholarship offer. Also set to attend is Cameron McClain, a three-star edge from Seton Hall Preparatory School in West Orange, N.J., ranked as a top-650 national prospect and another Orange offer recipient.
Michel Adams, a four-star edge and top-250 national prospect from Middletown High School in Middletown, Del., is expected on the Hill as well. Syracuse also has a visit lined up with Owen Herrick, a three-star quarterback from Central Catholic High School in Oakland, Pa., who is a top-450 national prospect and holds an offer. Rounding out the 2028 group is Samuel Furr IV, an offensive lineman from West Orange High School in West Orange, N.J., who also has a Syracuse scholarship offer.
The 2029 class brings two more names into the Dome. Aiden Mejia, an athlete and wide receiver from Langley High School in McLean, Va., is receiving interest from the Syracuse staff, while Kade Gibbs, a running back and linebacker from Spring Grove Area High School in Spring Grove, Pa., already holds an offer.
In Other News...
Syracuse's UNC Trip Just Got Much More Complicated For One Reason
North Carolinas football program is suddenly dealing with more than just the usual late-season noise, and that matters for Syracuse because any trip to Chapel Hill now comes with a layer of uncertainty. The Tar Heels are under investigation in the wake of general manager Mike Lombardis resignation, with the inquiry centering on the programs operations under Bill Belichick and raising questions well beyond the field.
Among the issues being examined are allegations tied to Steve Belichick, North Carolinas defensive coordinator and Bill Belichicks son, along with possible improper relationships between coaches and recruiting staff. For Syracuse, it turns a road game into a far murkier setup than expected, with the bigger issue now not just who lines up on Saturday but what the program around them looks like by then. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Faces One Brutal Test That Will Define Fran Browns Progress
Syracuse heads into the new season with a different feel on both sides of the ball, thanks to major changes on the coaching staff and a roster that now leans on several transfers expected to help right away. The overhaul is most noticeable up front, where new coordinators on the offensive and defensive lines will have plenty to sort through as the Orange try to build more stability around returning starter Steve Angeli.
The schedule is unforgiving enough at home to tell a real story about where Fran Browns program stands. Ranked opponents are coming to the dome, and those games will quickly reveal whether the new pieces are blending into something sturdier or still searching for chemistry. For Syracuse, the early-season margin for error looks thin, and the biggest tests may say more about the progress of the program than the record itself. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Opens With A New Hampshire Team That Could Test Early Concerns
Syracuses opener brings a familiar early-season test: a New Hampshire team that already showed it can lean on the run and control the line of scrimmage. Roger Brown of the New Hampshire Football Report said the Wildcats were impressive on the ground in their Week 1 win over UAlbany, while also noting the kind of early issues that can still surface in September, including run defense and penalties.
Brown also pointed to a new era under Sean Goldrich, whose arrival has changed the way New Hampshire is building its roster and has given the program a different feel heading into this matchup. For Syracuse fans looking for the names most likely to matter, linebacker Trevor Berry and receiver JaCarree Kelly stand out as two Wildcats worth tracking when the Orange kick things off. [Read more 🡒]