:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/1582770/GYI0062865317.jpg)
For the second-straight year, the Syracuse men's and women's basketball teams have shot out of the gate to strong, undefeated starts. Last year they were the last school standing with dual undefeated programs (though both teams would lose just days after Kentucky did).
This year, the Orange are one of only three schools with dual undefeated programs still standing.
- The Orange men are 11-0 while the Orange women are 8-0, having both beaten a quality Big Ten opponent.
- The UConn men's team is 10-0 and the UConn women's team, whom you may have heard of, is10-0 as well.
- Duke's men's team is No. 1 in the nation with a 10-0 record while the women are No. 3 in the nation with a 11-0 record.
And so, this all begs the question...which program will be the last one standing with undefeated teams?
Syracuse probably has the deck stacked against them the most. The men's team has a fair easy road for the next couple weeks but it likely to run into trouble at some point in early January. The women's team is going up against their toughest opponent of the season so far, No. 2 Baylor, tomorrow. A win propels the Orange to a new stratosphere but a loss wouldn't be anything to sneeze at.
Between their basketball teams and their football team, you could make the case UConn has the best athletic program in the nation right now (at least when it comes to the big sports). The UConn men have a big-time showdown with No. 6 Pitt this weekend. If they can get past that, they've got Notre Dame, Texas and Villanova in early/mid January. Meanwhile, the way the UConn women have been playing, they're probably not going to lose a game until 2027.
As for the Duke men, they've got a fairly easy road for a while. Early January games against Maryland and at Florida State could be troublesome, it's the January 27th game against Boston College that many have circled. The Duke women, they've got a huge game Tuesday against No. 4 Xavier. Between January 4th and 14th they play three ranked teams. Something's gotta give.
There's a good chance this race might be over after tomorrow. Then again, it might run straight on until January. So, which program will be the last one standing?