Syracuse Football: Does sub-par 2020 term put Dino Babers on hot seat?

Syracuse football head coach Dino Babers isn’t on the hot seat for now, but a poor 2020 campaign could quickly change things for him.

Syracuse football head coach Dino Babers enters the upcoming term – assuming a 2020 season is played amid the novel coronavirus pandemic – with one of the softest schedules in the Atlantic Coast Conference and throughout the country.

The Orange has already seen both Colgate and Rutgers taken off its non-conference slate due to recent decisions by their respective conferences, the Patriot League and the Big Ten.

It’s unclear whether the ‘Cuse could feasibly add in another non-conference foe or two at this juncture to replace Colgate and Rutgers, although the NCAA has eased up its rules related to bowl eligibility.

Given its calendar, some national pundits are forecasting that Syracuse football could prove in line for a post-season bowl berth, even if it doesn’t fare all that well in ACC competition.

However, should the Orange register a so-so mark in 2020 – say a record under .500 – then could that possibly lead ‘Cuse athletic-department officials to implement a head-coaching change? Perhaps.

In his four campaigns to date on the Hill, Babers is a somewhat pedestrian 23-26, although his career coaching tenure including at Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green is 60-42 – and that’s pretty solid.

In 2018, Babers directed Syracuse football to an impressive 10-3 mark, a victory in the Camping World Bowl, and a final ranking of No. 15 in the major polls. But, unfortunately, the Orange dipped a bit last year, going a disappointing 5-7.

If Babers has another losing stanza, that would amount to four out of five terms below .500. Even in Central New York, where expectations are relatively mild these days, that won’t cut it over the long haul.

In all fairness, if a few breaks went Syracuse football’s way in 2019, then the Orange could absolutely have attained a half-dozen conquests and journeyed to another bowl. That kind of achievement really needs to occur in 2020.

On a positive note, Babers is doing a credible job on the recruiting trail of late, particularly in the 2021 cycle, where he and his assistants have recently picked up numerous three-star prospects, with a handful of four-star guys noting serious interest in the ‘Cuse.

Moreover, even during the pandemic, Syracuse football’s geographic reach as it pertains to its recruiting efforts under Babers has proven truly admirable.

For what it’s worth, CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd recently unveiled his hot-seat rankings for 2020, and he has Babers in the “All good … for now” category after slotting him in the “Safe and secure” department in 2019.

Hopefully, the Orange will thrive this fall, so that Babers’ seat stays on the cool side.