One Orange player has gained rave reviews for his season opening performance against New Hampshire.
The Syracuse University football team kicked off its 2026 season with a dominant 66-3 win over FCS New Hampshire on Saturday afternoon at the JMA Wireless Dome.
The massive margin of victory helped the Orange rewrite the program record books as they moved to 1-0 on the season. Clearly, when you score 66 points, the offense is the main focus, and we saw that with running back Shavane Anderson, who turned heads in the victory.
However, one player in particular had a standout performance on defense for the Orange: Keyshawn Johnson led the Orange with three solo tackles, 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble. Johnson's performance not only impressed Orange fans, but also NFL draft reporters as well.
The Keyshawn Johnson file
A 6-foot-3 senior linebacker, Johnson joined the Orange program this offseason from the transfer portal. He will be an integral part of Vince Kehres's defensive scheme this season.
In his previous three seasons, Johnson spent time with Grambling State and UT-Martin. Prior to his time in Central New York, Johnson was named an FCS All-American. His career stats include 103 tackles, 30.0 tackles for loss, 22.0 sacks, and two forced fumbles in 33 games.
Although he shares the same name with former NFL player Keyshawn Johnson, the linebacker is not related to him.
What did NFL insiders say on social media about Johnson's performance?
NFL writer Connor Rogers said this about Johnson on the social media platform X:
"One of my favorite things about week 1: prospects that pop that you didn't watch during summer scouting
Syracuse EDGE rusher Keyshawn Johnson had 2.5 sacks yesterday (after having 13.5 sacks for UT Martin last season)
Will be fun to see if he can keep it rolling against much better competition ahead"
What's next for Johnson and his Orange teammates?
Johnson and the defensive unit will get a tough test in a Week 2 matchup against the California Golden Bears. California sophomore Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has already gained some draft insiders' attention. Some have predicted "JKS" as a potential No. 1overall pick in the 2028 NFL Draft, the first year he is eligible to declare.
Cal lost its season opener to UCLA, 45-24, and will enter play at 0-1.
The game will mark the first Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) game for Syracuse. Kickoff is set for Saturday 3:30 p.m. ET inside the JMA Wireless Dome. SyracuseRoundtable will bring you coverage all day.
