Now’s not the time
With the ACC cutting back to 18 conference games next season, the Syracuse Orange will have room for two more non-conference opponents in 25-26.
Earlier in the week, the idea of playing was floated to Siena Head Coach Gerry McNamara and here was his response:
Siena coach Gerry McNamara said there’s a “very good chance” of a guarantee game this season. Any chance of Syracuse, his alma mater? “That’d be nice, wouldn’t it? We’ll see, we’ll see. We’ll see if they’ll play. We’ll see.” The ACC went from a 20- to 18-game league schedule.
— Mark Singelais (@MarkSingelais) June 24, 2025
I’m going to rain on this parade by saying that would be a terrible idea for Syracuse right now. It’s a no-win situation for the Orange because they would be expected to win, and if they lost at home to Siena, then the already hot seat for Adrian Autry would be boiling.
This isn’t a game that Syracuse or Autry needs right now because the focus of everyone on the program has to be on a return to the NCAA Tournament. It’s a make-or-break season and it’s not the time for nostalgia to be a priority. The Orange don’t know which three teams they get in Vegas, so there is no need to schedule a gauntlet.
Now isn’t the time to bring GMac and his new school back to the Dome. It’s not the time to play Villanova or UConn. It’s not the time to focus on a top 20 strength of schedule, it’s time to focus on 20 wins.
Should the Orange bounce back and get back into the Big Dance, then we can talk about a buy game with the Saints. Hell, a good season and the Orange can head East to play in Albany at whatever the arena will be called then. It’s a game that should happen. It’s a game that I hope happens…..it’s just not the year to d it.