Syracuse Football: 2019 crystal ball bold predictions, top x-factors

Paul A. Esden Jr, Site Expert

The biggest question heading into this season is quite simple: can the Syracuse football squad live up to the hype?

This squad went from cellar dweller to the second-best team in the entire conference. Now heading into 2019, Syracuse is the consensus top threat to the Clemson Tigers.

While speaking of Clemson, the Week 3 matchup is considered taboo among Orange fans. No one wants to talk about it because if you do, you’re automatically looking past Syracuse’s first two opponents Liberty and Maryland.

When you look at the schedule for the Orange, there’s no one that they can’t beat. In year’s past, there would be some automatic losses that you had zero chance in before the season starts, in 2019 that’s not the case.

With that being the backdrop I’m going bold here, this team can be 12-0 and can be in the mix for the College Football Playoff. My official prediction is 10-2 and there are a few games on the road vs some tough ACC competition that I think could trip up Syracuse.

My bold prediction is Syracuse takes down Clemson in Week 3 and puts themselves on the football map. So much is invested in that game and with all the eyes on the program, this is a pivotal moment in program history.

If the Orange win this year, Dino Babers can take this program into a different stratosphere. If they collapse, everyone will be saying ‘same old Syracuse’ and people will murmur that 2018 was a fluke.