Summer over. Football is back.
The annual summer hiatus is over. School is
back in session, and so is Orange::44. We fire it up again with a Friday night
tilt for the Orange. So here comes the annual preview. It’s football season
baby!
Brian’s
Season Preview
Another year here at Orange::44, where we
break down the season for you. And things look to improve in year 3 for Dino
Babers. Eric Dungey looks to take the helm again, and hopefully maintain his health for an entire
season. To good news is Syracuse has a very capable backup that may pick up
where Eric leaves off. Either way, Syracuse should improve in the only
statistic that matters; wins.
Syracuse
at Western Michigan: Syracuse starts their season on a rare road
game. And non against an FCS squad. But
over the last several years, Syracuse has faced a “directional Michigan” team.
This year, Syracuse starts at Western Michigan. W. Michigan has some
ex-Syracuse staffers, so they may compete in this one, but I expect Syracuse to
run it up in the 4th and pull away to start the year 1-0.
Syracuse
vs. Wagner: Syracuse then heads
home to take on their annual FCS game. This time the boys from Statin Island
head into the Dome to most likely lose by 40sih points. This one shouldn’t be
in doubt.
Syracuse
vs. Florida State: The ACC fires it up early for Syracuse as the Seminoles
head into town. And the Orange should be hungry to beat FSU as they are now in
the Carrier Dome, and Syracuse let them escape last year, failing to tie the
game and send it to OT after they missed a field goal with only a few seconds
left. There’s a new coach with Willie Taggert coming in. Not sure if that will
have a huge impact, but I actually think this is going to be a huge upset for
the Orange. I like SU to move to 3-0.
Syracuse
vs. Connecticut: Oh UConn.
Randy Edsall makes another return to the Carrier Dome. UConn isn’t a particularly big football
rivalry, but it still gets the people going. And as I am unable to head to
Homecoming this year, the UConn game will be the one I attend. And while the
game was fairly close the last time these two teams played in East Hartford,
Syracuse was basically in control. I don’t see how UConn somehow magically
sprouts the talent level Syracuse has. Syracuse should win another nice home game
to go 4-0. And remember kids… it’s UConn, not UCONN.
Syracuse
at Clemson: Syracuse really blew up Clemson last season, upsetting
#2 in the Carrier Dome. It isn’t happening again this year. 4-1.
Syracuse
at Pittsburgh: The old rivalry moves back to Pitt after Syracuse
beat them last season. Syracuse should earn a win in Pittsburgh. Something that
hasn’t happened in quite a while.
Syracuse vs. North Carolina: UNC wasn’t great last year.
They aren’t picked to be great this year. If this was at UNC I would say they
have a shot. But it’s in the Dome. If Dungey is healthy this game should be
boring. Hello Bowl Game.
Syracuse
vs. North Carolina State: The Wolfpack have been fairly good as of
late, being able to compete with some of the best in the ACC. However, this
should be a down year. Either way, I just think Syracuse is due for a let down,
and a bit of a regression to the mean. I just can’t see them winning every
game. SU loses a lopsided game, like they used to with Rutgers.
Syracuse
at Wake Forest: God damn does it really hurt when Syracuse loses
to Wake Forest. It seems like they should never beat Syracuse. But this is the
rare year where they probably do, and it is deserved. Plus, never bet on
Syracuse on the road in November.
Syracuse
vs. Louisville: While I can definitely see this being an upset in
Syracuse’s favor, I think they will end up losing, because again… November. But
let’s not forget that Bobby Petrino is a scum bag of the highest order and if
Louisville didn’t want to have a scum bag on the pay roll, they could do that.
Syracuse
vs. Notre Dame: Syracuse heads to Yankee Stadium, a venue where
they are undefeated. Sadly, this deal couldn’t be done with ND taking a trip to
Syracuse. Hopefully soon. But either way, ND probably isn’t losing to Syracuse
this year, sad to say. I’ll be at this game and I would love nothing more than
to be in the cold and see another win after being at the last 2 Pinstripe
Bowls. Sadly, Syracuse probably goes down. After all, Greg Robinson isn’t
coaching this team.
Syracuse
at Boston College: Ahh, the hometown match up. Living near Boston,
and this game being at the end of the season, the hype train will be very high.
Syracuse has a chance to possibly cement a mid-tier Bowl, or they could get blown
out and it won’t matter. Either way, I’m not liking Syracuse’s recent history
there. Maybe if Anish Shroff actually brought Everett’s own Diamond Ferri
there, magic could happen. Sadly, it isn’t 2004. BC has a legit Heisman hopeful
at HB. Syracuse goes down. Don’t pick Syracuse in November.
But I still
like Syracuse going 6-6 and getting a Bowl Game. Dino Babers is on a little bit
of a warm seat, despite the fact it should be ice cold. Either way, this should
be a big season for Syracuse and we should see some great games and great
moments.
John’s
Season Preview
Welcome to
my seventh annual game by game preview for Orange::44.
We're entering Year Three of Dino Babers, and the fan base is probably getting impatient
after two consecutive 4-8 seasons. Can we at least see improvement this season?
Maybe even 6-6 and a bowl game? The games have to be played, but here's what I
think might happen:
Syracuse
at Western Michigan: We're playing a real team, on the road, on
the Friday night before Labor Day. Not a Power-5 school, but FBS nonetheless.
And really, an opportunity to play in and potentially win a road non-conference
game in college is a big thing. I expect this to be a high-scoring affair: the
Syracuse offense -- particularly a healthy Eric Dungey -- should produce a lot
of points; while the defense probably needs some time to get into the swing of
things. Plus, you know, so much of that WMU coaching staff has experience at
Syracuse, so they'll figure out how to score. But I think Syracuse starts the
season with a win.
Syracuse
vs. Wagner: There's that FCS opponent we usually see. It's the
Syracuse home opener, Saturday afternoon at 3:30pm and not up against the Great
New York State Fair. I expect a decent crowd in attendance with clear bags will
see the Orange advance to 2-0.
Syracuse
vs. Florida State: This will be the first road game of the Willie
Taggert era at Florida State. The Seminoles are coming off a season the likes
of which hasn't been seen in Tallahassee in a while. As in, not great. FSU will
certainly improve this year, but if Syracuse is going to have a chance to beat
them, the timing/location of this game is about as good as it could be.
Syracuse was *this close* to winning at FSU last year, so I'm gonna pick
Syracuse to get over the hump and beat the Noles. A 3-0 start!
Syracuse
vs. Connecticut: Remember, kids, friends don't let friends root
for UConn. Or capitalize any other letters of UConn. This is a game Syracuse
should win. It's at the Dome, and it's against UConn. Especially with the
momentum coming off a win over Florida State, the Orange should get a win here
and start at 4-0.
Syracuse
at Clemson: The scheduling gods gave Syracuse possibly the
toughest two conference games in September in FSU & Clemson. By the time
this game rolls around, the Tigers will likely have settled on a starting QB,
and even a 4-0 Syracuse team isn't going into Death Valley to beat Clemson.
Syracuse
at Pittsburgh: The Panthers and the Orange have had a lot in common
over the years. We both entered the ACC at the same time from the Big East.
We've both had underperforming football teams. We both have higher expectations
this season. But I think Syracuse has better talent and better coaching right
now. So, 5-1 now?
Syracuse
vs. North Carolina: Is there an ACC school more hated right now
than UNC? Their head coach had some interesting stuff to say about CTE, they've
got a bunch of suspended players, and the talent just isn't really there. This
is Homecoming for Syracuse, and if my predictions hold true, this is the game
Syracuse becomes bowl eligible. I'm crazy, right?
Syracuse
vs. North Carolina State: The Wolfpack could struggle this year,
losing some top players to the NFL. Syracuse should have the advantage in the
Carrier Dome. But after hitting bowl eligibility, Syracuse loses and Orange
Nation starts panicking for no reason.
Syracuse
at Wake Forest: Deacs actually looks like a pretty good team this
year. I've read a few things predicting Wake to upset Notre Dame in week 4. If
there's that kind of hype, then let's just assume Syracuse loses down in the
Forest.
Syracuse
vs. Louisville: Last year it was Clemson. In other years it has
been Louisville. What I'm referring to is the "Good team visiting the
Carrier Dome on a Friday for an upset." This is the final home game of the
season, Senior night, and in November. So I'm guessing Syracuse loses. I mean,
maybe it's a toss-up, but I'll go Louisville.
Syracuse
vs. Notre Dame: This game originally was scheduled for South Bend,
but the Irish moved it to Yankee Stadium. They'll be wearing special pinstripe
uniforms. Syracuse will probably end up wearing something stupid like platinum.
Anyway, the Orange::44 crew will be in attendance for this
game (and I'll also be at MSG on Thursday and Friday for the 2K Classic games).
ND's supposed to be too good to lose this game, and Syracuse will be hitting
that November wall again, so mark this down as a Syracuse loss.
Syracuse
at Boston College: The ACC/ESPN got this right last year, putting
this game the weekend after Thanksgiving. This game belongs in this weekend,
forever, alternating the home field. This is the return game at Chestnut Hill.
Maybe I'll go to this one too. The Eagles stole the game in the Dome last year,
so the Orange have to steal this one at Alumni Stadium.
I just
predicted a 7-5 season. Three more wins than last year, a bowl berth, and
finally some confidence in the program and in Dino Babers. This could be the
year we look back at in the future and say this is when the program turned
around for good, and stayed good. Or, maybe I'm just being the eternal
end-of-August optimist and will be crying myself to sleep in a few weeks. Gotta
play the games and find out. I hope you go out and support the team and see
what happens!
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