Syracuse Football: Is Boston College the Orange’s biggest football rivalry?

Oftentimes, fan sites, blogs, social media and sports talk radio will bring up the subject of rivalries, whether it pertains to Syracuse football or other teams around the country. As a 49-year-old, lifelong Orange fan, I refuse to acknowledge any rival in basketball other than Georgetown.

However, when it comes to football, teams like West Virginia, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Clemson lately and Boston College are often the names I hear mentioned most commonly. If you told me I had to choose one team, I think even though I’d lean Pitt sometimes and think Clemson could be one day if they continue to play close games, Boston College is the closest to a rival in my mind as far as competitive games and games you truly want to win.

According to www.winspesdia.com, Syracuse University and Boston College have played each other 53 times in football. Syracuse football leads the overall series 31-22 but since Dino Babers was hired as the Orange’s head coach in 2015, Boston College has won 3 of 5 of those matchups including the last two.

Need memorable moments? Shall I say the name Diamond Ferri? In 2004, Boston College started a young quarterback named Matt Ryan that you may have heard of before. Diamond was a DB who also filled in at RB and had an amazing game on both sides of the ball. Diamond had a 44-yard pick 6 as well as 141 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Syracuse football and Boston College are long-time rivals.

In 2013, Syracuse football needed one more win to be bowl eligible going into the final game of the season. Syracuse won the game with a comeback victory TD with six seconds left. This resulted in a Scott Shafer-led Syracuse Orange team making it to the Texas Bowl where they defeated Minnesota 21-17.

Now admittedly this felt more like a rivalry in the old Big East days to me for some reason than it does now but I’d still rank them above the others. If West Virginia played in the ACC, maybe I’d lean in that direction since there actually is the Schwartzwalder trophy involved but the lack of head-to-head games these days leaves me lacking that taste.

This year, the Syracuse Orange and Boston College Eagles both need two more wins to be bowl eligible. Who will get the win this week to be only one win away while the other will then need two? Both teams will be playing their hardest to win and I expect a tough, close game with so much on the line. This will also likely only enhance this as a rivalry.

So what do you think? Who is your choice for the rightful claim as the biggest rival to Syracuse football?