For the second consecutive season, the Syracuse Orange football will host a game inside the JMA Wireless Dome on Halloween. In 2025, the Orange lost to the North Carolina Tar Heels 27-10. This season, Syracuse (3-4) welcomes SMU (6-1) to Central New York.

Saturday's game is the first time any SMU football has played at the JMA Wireless Dome. With Saturday marking another Halloween holiday of Syracuse sports, we've put together a list of the top five "scariest" athletes to ever compete in an Orange uniform.

For the purposes of this lis, we define a "scary" athlete as one who's skillset and performance created fear in opponents. Whether it be because of how dominant they were on offense, or how tough they made life for opponents on defense, many Orange athletes fit the bill.

Below is our pick for the five scariest athletes in Syracuse Orange sports history. The list is in alphabetical order.

One of the most physical runners in American football history, Csonka's brutal style was one that defenders simply didn't want to go against. A 6-foot-3, 240 pound fullback, Csonka's size and speed created matchup problems for opposing defenses. A College Football Hall of Fame inductee, Csonka left Central New York with the school record in rushing yards. 

In a similar fashion to Csonka, Freeney is both a College Football and Pro Football Hall of Famer. During his time at Syracuse, Freeney became an All-American, and one of the best defensive players in school history. Freeney still holds the single-game sack record for the Orange after his 4.5-sack performance against Michael Vick and Virginia Tech in 2001. The spin move was Freeney's signature pass rush move and defenders struggled to slow him down.

One of the greatest hitters in Orange softball history, Hansen was feared by opposing pitchers throughout her career.

Hansen, a local product from Liverpool High School, was a force at the plate from her first season on campus.

The utility player did it all for the Orange, with her career numbers ranking in the top five of several categories, including runs scored (2nd), hits (3rd) career at bats (3rd), doubles (3rd) triples (5th)and  games started (6th).

A four time All-American, Treanor ranks as one of the great all time women's lacrosse players in history. Treanor help lead Syracuse to four straight Final Four appearances. She was a three-time finalist for the Tewaaraton Award (national player of the year) and left Syracuse as the all-time leading scorer in program history. 

Standing at 6-foot-9, Warrick is considered one of the best dunkers and shot blockers in Syracuse basketball history. The wiry Warrick's leaping ability helped create mismatches for Orange foes during his career on the hardwood. Perhaps Warrick's two most iconic plays both came during Syracuse's 2003 run to the national championship. Warrick's dunk on Texas' Royal Ivey in the Final Four, followed by his blocked shot in the championship round against Kansas, are some of the most memorable plays in Orange athletics history.