Syracuse Football: After another Cardiac ‘Cuse loss, now what?

In reflecting on the most recent Syracuse football losses, I’ve thought, did you ever see the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray? Every day Phil (Bill Murray’s character) wakes up and relives that same day over and over no matter how hard he tries to change things.

Right now, Syracuse Orange fans are living in a Cardiac Cuse Groundhog Day scenario for the last few weeks at least.

On Friday night, Syracuse football lost 17-14 to the Clemson Tigers as a game-tying field goal fell short in the last minute. The week before that, the Orange lost to a ranked Wake Forest team in overtime 40-37.

And the week before that Wake game, it was Florida State winning 33-30 with a last-minute field goal. Syracuse football is now 3-4 for the season and 0-3 in ACC play, with all three conference losses coming down to a last-minute play determining the outcome only to lose by 3 points.

Where does Syracuse football go from here?

In past seasons, Clemson and Florida State games were the “hard games” but this season, no team can be underestimated and what some might deem to be the “easiest game” left might be this week at Virginia Tech.

Make no mistake about it though, this will not be an easy win especially at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, VA. I think even the most optimistic of Syracuse fans can’t afford to look at any game this season as an “easy game” especially after seeing so many close games this season with Syracuse ending up on the losing side of 4 of those games (if you include they had opportunities to win against Rutgers as well).

If this Syracuse football team wants to make a bowl game, they’ll need to find three more wins at least with VT, Boston College, Louisville, NC State and Pitt left to find those wins. Right now, every single one of those opponents could be a win for Syracuse football but also has the potential for waking up the day afterward feeling like they lost yet another close one.

Do these close losses strengthen the will of this Orange team or break their spirit? These players are playing hard and not giving up so I’d like to believe maybe if anything, it’s strengthened them and their beliefs that they can play with and defeat anyone.

There is no easy win this season and if this Syracuse Orange football team wishes to play in a bowl game, they’re going to have to keep fighting and eventually find a way to win 2-3 more at least.

Will they? Time will tell! Can they? The optimist in me thinks they can but is also haunted enough by those close losses to not underestimate anyone. As a guy who spent the preseason writing about #WhyNotCuse and called out the experts who were negative about this team, I’m praying that the optimistic me is right and this team finally pulls out some wins.

I refuse to give up on this team and I bet the players feel the same way and want to prove they can win.

Let’s Go Orange!