Syracuse football got totally crushed on Saturday afternoon on its own turf, allowing more than 500 yards of offense to Liberty.
Coming into this non-conference clash on Saturday afternoon from the Carrier Dome on a crisp autumn day in Central New York, FBS independent Liberty had never beaten an Atlantic Coast Conference team, an 0-8 streak that included a 24-0 defeat in 2019 at the hands of Syracuse football in Lynchburg, Va.
The Flames (5-0) assertively ended that pattern in their rematch with the Orange, as Liberty registered 520 yards of total offense in destroying the ‘Cuse, 38-21.
Without question, the Syracuse football roster has gotten stung by injuries throughout its line-up, which is unfortunate. However, even amid these injuries, the Flames dominated the Orange (1-4) in a setback for the ‘Cuse that pretty much signifies the Syracuse football fall term to date.
No disrespect to Liberty, as the Flames played well and totally deserved this win, but for the Orange to lose this badly on the Hill to a non-conference opponent might have proven the dagger in the ‘Cuse 2020 stanza.
Yes, NCAA officials have waived the normal requirements for FBS teams to land in bowl games, so it’s still conceivable that Syracuse football could head to the post-season. But if the ‘Cuse is playing poorly, a bowl invite to me is a hollow gesture.
Syracuse football proved no match for a Liberty offense that racked up in excess of 500 yards of offense in this non-conference affair.
While I bleed Orange no matter what our boys do on the field, and I’m a proud alum of Syracuse University, I don’t believe it’s too much of an overstatement to say that it’s entirely feasible the ‘Cuse goes winless during the rest of the present campaign.
The remainder of the 2020 schedule does a struggling Orange group no favors, as up next for Syracuse football is a trip to No. 1 Clemson this coming Saturday at noon. That conference duel will air on either ESPN or the ACC Network.
The Tigers, by the way, absolutely pummeled Georgia Tech this past Saturday afternoon, 73-7. The ‘Cuse has one victory so far in the 2020 stanza, and it came at home versus those same Yellow Jackets in late September.
After the Orange lost to a top-five North Carolina unit and then-No. 25 Pittsburgh last month, both on the road, l said that Syracuse football had to take care of business in Central New York versus Georgia Tech, Duke and Liberty to get to 3-2 before the ‘Cuse went to Clemson.
That didn’t occur, and now a 1-4 Orange outfit has to square off with those Tigers as Syracuse football sees its 2020 season unequivocally slipping away.