Syracuse opened the season the right way, and then immediately left one major question hanging in the air.
The Orange blasted New Hampshire 66-3 on Saturday afternoon at the JMA Wireless Dome, moving to 1-0 and putting last year’s 3-9 finish in the rearview. Syracuse won double-digit games in 2024, took the Holiday Bowl, and is trying to get back to a bowl game this fall.
Still, after a lopsided opener, the most important thing to watch might be the wide receiver room.
That was the question all offseason after Syracuse lost Darrell Gill Jr. to the transfer portal and Calvin Russell III to injury: who would emerge as a reliable playmaker in the passing game?
On Saturday, Umari Hatcher answered that call in a big way. He finished with eight catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns, and he built a strong connection with quarterback Steve Angeli, who was making his first start in nearly a calendar year after a season-ending injury in late September of 2025.
Beyond Hatcher, though, the production thinned out. Cole Weaver had three catches, the second-most on the team, while David Clement, Tyshawn Russell and Daunte Bacheyie each caught two passes.
Some of that distribution may have been shaped by the score and by Syracuse rotating different players into the game, but the larger concern remains the same: Hatcher looks like the main man, and the Orange still need proof that someone else can step into that role when defenses focus on him.
After one week, that answer still isn’t clear.
There’s also the ongoing uncertainty around fifth-year receiver Justus Ross-Simmons and whether he will be eligible. Syracuse clearly wants him on the field, and for good reason, because he could be part of the solution to this passing-game puzzle.
Syracuse returns to action next Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET at home against Cal. The Golden Bears are 0-1 after losing to former PAC-12 rival UCLA on Saturday night.
In Other News...
Syracuse Suddenly Has A Running Back Question Fans Didn't Expect
JuJuan Johnson and Ahmad Miller were both sidelined for Syracuses season opener against New Hampshire, and the Orange barely seemed to notice in a 66-3 rout. Sophomore Tylik Hill and freshman Shavane Anderson Jr. handled the backfield duties and made the most of the opportunity, combining for 238 rushing yards and four touchdowns as Syracuse rolled through a game that quickly turned lopsided.
Even so, the postgame backdrop is a little more complicated than a blowout usually suggests. Fran Brown said Johnson could be out a while longer because of the injury, while Miller is expected back soon, which leaves Syracuse with a backfield picture that suddenly looks deeper in one spot and thinner in another. After a debut like that from Hill and Anderson, the Orange have at least bought themselves time to sort out what the rotation should look like once everyone is healthy. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Fans Have One New Weapon Worth Watching In Week 1
Cole Weaver arrives in Syracuse with a rsum that should make him one of the more interesting additions to watch in the opener against New Hampshire. The redshirt junior wide receiver transferred in from Miami (Ohio), where he led the RedHawks in receptions last season and was honored as the teams Offensive Skill Position Player of the Year. For a Syracuse offense looking for reliable production, Weaver brings a blend of contested-catch ability, blocking and the kind of energy that can show up in more ways than the box score.
His first game in orange is the kind of early-season snapshot fans tend to remember, especially when a newcomer has already built a reputation for doing the little things well. Weavers presence gives Syracuse another target with proven production and a style that should translate quickly, but Week 1 will be the first real test of how smoothly that transfer fits into a new system and a new setting. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Is Already Chasing A Recruit Fans May Hear About For Years
Cash Patrick is already drawing plenty of attention for a player who is still a long way from signing day. The 2028 offensive lineman from Celina High School in Ohio has picked up multiple offers, including Syracuse, Boston College, Pittsburgh, Purdue and Virginia Tech, and the Orange are making sure they stay in the mix early. He recently connected with Syracuse assistant Tony Giovagnoli, a conversation that centered on the programs culture and the coaching staff, including new offensive line coach Juan Castillo.
For Syracuse, the appeal is obvious: Patrick is the kind of multi-sport athlete whose ceiling can make an early relationship worth building. He is still very much in the first stages of his recruitment, but he already has a short list of schools that stand out to him, with Syracuse, UConn and Virginia Tech among them. There is a long road ahead, but this is the kind of name Orange fans may want to remember, because the groundwork is being laid now. [Read more 🡒]