Syracuse Football: Recent history suggests ‘Cuse could turn things around

Syracuse football is off to a woeful start in 2020, but the Orange has proved able to bounce back from poor beginnings and finish strong.

The Orange fan base is understandably disappointed and frustrated with the Syracuse football 0-2 record to commence the fall term, but the ‘Cuse has in recent stanzas managed to end on a high note in similar circumstances.

First and foremost, let’s keep in mind that the Orange fell in its first two contests to a pair of nationally ranked teams on the road. The ‘Cuse didn’t have spring practice amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, it has new offensive and defensive coordinators, its offensive line has suffered from injuries, and its top-two returning running backs from last year have opted out of the fall campaign.

As such, it’s not all that surprising Syracuse football is struggling at this juncture, but the season still has nine affairs left and isn’t by any means over, not in the least.

A press release posted on cuse.com provides an interesting historical backstory that may provide some Orange fans with a bit of optimism.

The last time that Syracuse football began a stanza 0-2, in 2013, the ‘Cuse would go on to a 7-6 mark and a victory versus Minnesota in the Texas Bowl.

A year earlier, in 2012, after opening with two losses to commence this term, the Orange would ultimately wrap things up at 8-5, including a pasting of West Virginia in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl.

Prior to the current campaign, the last instance when Syracuse football played two top-25 squads to kick off a season came in 2001, as the ‘Cuse fell to No. 10 Georgia Tech and No. 8 Tennessee. The Orange got hot the rest of the year, only losing to No. 1 Miami, while crushing Kansas State in the Insight.com Bowl and finishing 10-3.

Syracuse football will suit up for three games in a row inside the newly renovated Carrier Dome, against Georgia Tech this coming Saturday afternoon, followed by Duke and Liberty. The opportunities are there for the ‘Cuse to take an 0-2 beginning and translate that bummer start into a solid record and, possibly, a bowl invite.

"“There’s no doubt we can clean this thing up and we’re going to clean it up,” said head coach Dino Babers. “You’d like to think that if we can get something going on offense and special teams, that we’re going to have a defense that we can really be proud of when the smoke all clears.”"

He added, “What we need to do, is we’ve got to have faith.”