“BYU is overrated”, “Syracuse will be a top 25 team”: Fans share hottest takes for next season feat. Kiyan Anthony, AJ Dybantsa and more

College basketball fans are already firing off bold predictions ahead of the 2025-26 season, with opinions ranging from optimistic dreams to spicy doubt, and involving teams like BYU and Syracuse.

The March Madness and BR Hoops Instagram accounts recently asked followers to drop their “hottest takes” for the upcoming campaign, and the comment sections didn’t disappoint.

“Texas Tech wins it all 100%,” a fan confidently declared.

“UVA final four 🤣🤣🤣," another fan said.

Some predictions were more grounded but still ambitious, like the Boston College supporter who believes the Eagles will “make the ACC semis and go to March Madness for the first time since ’09.”

But some comments directly targeted the sport’s biggest programs.

“Duke falls in the Sweet 16,” a result that would be a disappointment for the Blue Devils," a fan predicted.

“Syracuse will be a top 25 team,” a user wrote, pointing to strong recruitment, including the signing of Kiyan Anthony, son of Syracuse legend Carmelo Anthony.

Perhaps the most divisive take came for BYU, a team that just landed the No. 1 prospect in the nation, AJ Dybantsa.

“BYU is overrated and will be mediocre this season,” a fan said.

The build-up to the season will see teams hold practice sessions and play exhibition games in September and October, before the official tip-off on Nov. 3.

Non-conference play will run through November and December, helping shape early rankings before conference battles begin in late December.

The road to the Final Four will culminate in March Madness, starting March 17, and ending with the national championship on April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

BYU set to open with Miami in ESPN Events Invitational

BYU’s Thanksgiving matchup is confirmed. According to Jon Rothstein, the Cougars are set to face the Miami Hurricanes in the opening round of the ESPN Events Invitational on Nov. 27.

BYU will take on either Georgetown or Dayton on Nov. 27. All games will be held in Orlando, Florida, and broadcast on ESPN Networks.

The ESPN Events Invitational has been a staple of the college basketball calendar since debuting in 2006.

About the author

Babatunde Kolawole is a college sports journalist at Sportskeeda with over eight years of experience in the field with Canoncrested.com, Garbersports.com, LiveScore Bet Nigeria and Pulse Sports Nigeria.

Kolawole studied Agricultural Economics on the tertiary level but delved into sports writing after school. Over half a decade later, the experience garnered helped him land this role.

Historically, the Alabama Crimson Tide stands out as Kolawole's favorite team as he was drawn to their rich history.

As for basketball, JuJu Watkins is Kolawole's favorite current player due to how much diversity she has in her game, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gets the nod for past players because of how he dominated with UCLA.

Kolawole has appeared on several TV and Radio shows as a guest analyst, and in his spare time, likes to watch movies (a sucker for the Marvel Cinematic Universe) and listen to a lot of music. He also loves to travel.

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Edited by Alvin Amansec