Syracuse Football: Experts forecast 4 wins in 2020, which is too low

Two recent prognostications from national outlets peg Syracuse football at four victories this season. We respectfully disagree.

Syracuse football has a daunting 11-game schedule this fall. There’s no denying that.

And the Orange faces a host of question marks, given that a new defensive system is underway, for one, and the team has had to replace numerous talented players at a variety of positions following its disappointing 5-7 stanza in 2019.

Still, while the majority of national commentators and writers aren’t all that high on Syracuse football in 2020, assuming a term is played amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, it’s not a stretch to think that the ‘Cuse could put together a 5-6 or 6-5 record and perhaps garner a post-season bowl berth.

At this juncture, I would project Syracuse football to notch five or six conquests in the 2020 campaign. Others, though, aren’t so optimistic.

Syracuse football isn’t getting a lot of high praise on the national stage ahead of the 2020 season.

Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon recently published his Atlantic Coast Conference preview for the 2020 football stanza, and he has forecast the Orange to wrap things up at 4-7 (3-7 in the ACC) and in a tie for 10th place in the league standings, along with Duke and N.C. State. For me, that prediction is a tad low for the ‘Cuse.

In a separate recent article, 247Sports took a look at ACC squads and gave each of them a realistic win expectation, with Syracuse football arriving at four. Again, I firmly believe that the ‘Cuse can, and will, register more than a quartet of successes in 2020.

"Here’s what 247Sports’ Brandon Marcello had to say about the Orange. “My hopes are not high for Syracuse after quarterback Tommy DeVito led the Orange to a 5-7 record, including only two wins in the ACC, last season. He also loses most of his receivers from a year ago. I’m not so confident in the defense bouncing back after last season, either, even though replacing some departures could be an upgrade by default.”"

Finally, CBS Sports has compiled its pre-season rankings for the 76 teams that are set to suit up in the coming weeks, given that the Big Ten Conference, the Pac-12 Conference and other leagues have canceled their fall terms. Syracuse football checks in at No. 50.

None of these assessments are particularly optimistic about the Orange’s outlook in 2020, however, the ‘Cuse has an opportunity to prove these doubters wrong on the field.