Syracuse Football Hit by QB Injury; Hoops Overhauled

Syracuse football (3-5) is set to host North Carolina (2-5) Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET with both programs enduring four-game losing streaks and Syracuse reeling from a season-ending injury to quarterback Steve Angeli. Local coverage says frustration is mounting under coach Fran Brown as the Orange turn to Rickie Collins to stabilize the offense and try to preserve bowl hopes. On the basketball side, Syracuse’s 2025–26 roster has been almost completely overhauled but still includes returnees Donnie Freeman and J.J. Starling, multiple major-conference transfers and two top-35 recruits, projecting a middle-of-the-pack ACC team (KenPom ~#61–#68). The basketball team faces a brutal nonconference stretch—likely including Players Era matchups with Houston and Kansas and a home date with Tennessee—that will be an early measuring stick, and it must improve defensive intensity to reach NCAA Tournament contention. An exhibition win over Division II Pace highlighted promising contributions from Sadiq White and Donnie Freeman, though turnovers and intermittent defensive lapses remain concerns.