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Can Syracuse Football Qualify for a Bowl Game Without Justus-Ross Simmons?
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- Can Syracuse Football Qualify for a Bowl Game Without Justus-Ross Simmons?
(Tom Goslowski, SyracuseRoundtable)
SYRACUSE , N.Y. -- The back-and-forth between wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons and his eligibility continued into the week. Ross-Simmons was deemed eligible after a Colorado based court ruling in July gave a fifth year of eligibility to Class of 2022 recruits who graduated in 2026. However, on Friday, a tenth circuit granted the NCAA's stay request. This means players from the class of 2022 were again deemed ineligible. And there's the added layer that the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) might not welcome Ross-Simmons back either.
Ross-Simmons was in attendance at practice but did not participate in any drills on Monday. Head coach Fran Brown discussed Ross-Simmons' future with the team in the media session following Monday's practice, but before the news that ACC may make its own policy.
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What did Fran Brown say about Justus Ross-Simmons Monday?
"Whatever way it goes, I want to be behind him, I want to support him. I want to see him get a degree and if he is able to play then push him to play and if he can't play then I'm coming to keep him around and make sure that he can make a difference every day."
Later on during the media session, Brown brought Ross-Simmons over and showed his support for the senior wideout with a handshake and hug.
What's the next step for Ross-Simmons?
The future of Ross-Simmons is still to be determined. The senior wide out played the past two seasons for the Orange, combining for more than 500 yards receiving and seven touchdowns.
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Some athletes in the class of 2022 have gained eligibility for a fifth year by filling lawsuits in state courts.
As of Monday night, Ross-Simmons was still listed as a member on the official team's roster , and now we wait to see what the ACC and the legal systems do.
Can Syracuse football qualify for a bowl game without Ross-Simmons?
With or without him, the Orange are being perceived nationally as a team on the fringe of returning to a bowl game. The 2024 regular season resulted in double-digit (10) wins for Syracuse. The Orange won the Holiday Bowl.
In 2025, Syracuse started 3-1 but lost the next eight games in a row. Both fans and media members believed the injury to quarterback Steve Angeli during game four of the season had a massive impact on the overall team's finish.
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A recent piece by a national outlet did not have the Orange reaching a bowl game. The wide receiver room is a big question for the Orange, especially with Calvin Russell out for most (or all) of the season with injury.
To qualify for a bowl game, a football team needs to finish the regular season with at least six total victories.
Over the past 25 years, Syracuse football has played in nine total bowl games. The Orange are 6-3 in those matchups.
The Orange will open the season on Sept. 5 against New Hampshire .
