Syracuse, N.Y. ― Syracuse’s schedule for the 2025-26 basketball season isn’t out yet, but sources confirm that the Orange won’t face one of its most-hated rivals this year.
Syracuse and Georgetown, two of the Big East’s standard-bearers for decades and rivals dating back to the dawn of the conference, will not face each other in the upcoming season.
Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports first reported the news. Sources have confirmed to Syracuse.com that the rivalry game will not be part of the Orange’s schedule.
Georgetown and Syracuse played each other twice and sometimes three times a year as Big East rivals from 1980 to 2013. The rivalry was paused for two years after Syracuse left the Big East to join the ACC.
Georgetown returned to Syracuse’s schedule in the 2015-16 season. The two teams have met once a year every season since with the game usually taking place in early to mid-December.
The history between Syracuse and Georgetown is filled with memorable games, star players, iconic coaches and the stray elbow or two.
While SU and Georgetown first met on the hardwood in 1930, the rivalry truly began when Georgetown stunned Syracuse in the last game at SU’s old Manley Field House. Following his team’s 52-50 win over SU on Feb. 13, 1980, legendary Georgetown coach John Thompson issued the statement, “Manley Field House is officially closed.’’
An arena closed and a wound opened.
The rivalry highlighted the best players in college basketball, including Patrick Ewing, Pearl Washington, Allen Iverson and Derrick Coleman.
When Georgetown’s Michael Graham threw a punch at SU’s Andre Hawkins in the 1984 Big East Tournament, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim ended his post-game press conference when he angrily declared, “Michael Graham, in front of 19,000 people, punched my player.’’
He then shoved a chair out of his way as he left the podium.
Let’s face it. It was glorious.
But the rivalry waned in recent years. After Syracuse left the Big East, the reasons for the feud began to fade. Old-timers and former players still cared.
Now, the SU-Georgetown game will go on hiatus. Syracuse’s non-conference schedule is expected to be released soon.
The Orange will face three high-quality opponents in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas on Nov. 25-29. The ACC/SEC Challenge will supply another tough game.
The ACC recently decided to decrease its conference schedule by two games, dropping from 20 to 18, meaning Syracuse will have 13 non-conference games.
