I am drinking all the Syracuse football Kool-Aid, and it tastes delicious. The Fran Brown era has seen domination in the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail. Today, the Syracuse football schedule dropped and it’s hard for me to envision a bad season for the Orange.
At first glance, I do not see a single auto loss. In year’s past, a Clemson or Florida State on the schedule could mean trouble. There is part of me that wishes the Orange would have that kind of challenge this year. Instead, it will be a cakewalk potentially to the ACC Championship game.
The first third of the schedule
The Orange open with Ohio at home. I like the Bobcats, but without friend of the show Kurtis Rourke they are COOKED. Kyle McCord will light up their sorry MAC defense en route to a big win. Georgia Tech presents an interesting matchup in Week 2. I like Brent Key a lot and what he has done is admirable. But the Fran Brown train ROLLS ON.
Taking on Stanford in Week 3 is a classic mascot mashup on NCAA Football 14 (hopefully NCAA Football 24 if we ever actually get it). The Stanford Tree against Otto the Orange. Give me Otto in a blowout. The superior “S” logo lies in Central New York. Holy Cross comes to town next, and the Crusaders should say their prayers. 4-0 seems all but guaranteed.
The middle third
UNLV presents a fun and interesting first road test for Fran Brown and company. If QB Jayden Maiava was still in town, I would be nervous. With him now at USC, the nerves are not longer there. The next stretch of games are where I could see the Orange fall. NC State brings in transfer QB Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina. NC State is always a tough road environment and anything can happen. Pitt is a tough road rival but not playing at Yankee Stadium is a welcome change. Finally, Virginia Tech smoked Syracuse this season but that was on a Thursday night in Blacksburg which is basically a cheat code.
If you believe in the 12-0 run, NC State will be the biggest threat. Standing here on January 24th, high on the new vision for the Syracuse football program, it’s a big, fat W. Pitt sucks. Easy win. Virginia Tech? Good luck beating a Syracuse team with a healthy quarterback. Kyle McCord has to stay upright, but if he does, they win sweep these four games.
The final stretch
As Syracuse closes in on their ACC Championship appearance, BC, Cal, and Miami represent their final conference games. Boston College on the road is essentially a home game and Syracuse will plant their flag at the 50 after an easy win. Cal is a weird conference road game. I still think the Orange handle them. UConn as the 11th game is a joke. Sorry Andrew Diaz, but this will be a laugher. 56-3 final score. That leaves Cam Ward and Miami inside the JMA Wireless Dome for a chance at a perfect season.
This would be the dream. 11-0 with a former Big East rival coming to Syracuse for the first time since 2002. A sold-out stadium. Chills. Absolute chills. Cam Ward deciding to ditch the NFL Draft and come back to college certainly throws a wrench in things, but not an insurmountable wrench. Miami has vastly underperformed for years and Cam Ward wasn’t able to elevate Washington State to the tune of wins. GIVE ME THE ORANGE TO CLOSE OUT A PERFECT SEASON BABY. It’s certainly a dream, but an attainable dream. Syracuse has the talent, now it’s time to find out if they have the coaching. With the college football playoff expanding, nothing is out of the realm of possibility.
