Syracuse Football: An early preview of the Orange’s games in November

Finishing up my series on a breakdown of three months of Syracuse football, I’ve previewed September and October already and finally, it’s the final 1/3 of the schedule as they wrap up the 2022 season in November (minus a bowl game).

If you’ve read them, you know how optimistic I am about this team this season. I truly believe if everyone stays healthy, this can be a special team. Running back Sean Tucker is a once-in-a-generation type skill player with no limitations on his potential. Andre Szmyt with a seasoned special teams coach could be that clutch guy who wins some close games. Garrett Williams and Duce Chesnut (along with other names you might not know as well) are out to prove SU is Secondary University.

The receiving corp is young and hungry looking to prove they can be productive and make Garrett Shrader even better (and I think with Beck and Anae helping, Shrader will show Orange fans reasons to be optimistic). And Mikel Jones is a team leader who also leads on the field and with Wax and Thompson beside him will make some noise this season.

So if you think you know where I’m going, you might be surprised to see how I finish this season. I will only say this, these are my actual predictions as of the middle of August and how I truly feel if I’m looking at the schedule. I’ve never written anything I didn’t honestly feel on this site and I never will.

With that said, I present the November portion of the Syracuse football schedule with a quick breakdown and predictions.

Syracuse Orange at Pittsburgh Panthers
Saturday, November 5th at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. PA
Time & TV TBD Radio-TK99

Pittsburgh is coming off the heels of an ACC championship season. The expectations will be high and they seem to have their program doing some great things. But also this is a team that lost Kenny Pickett, a Heisman contender at QB, to the NFL and their top receiver Jordan Addison to USC in the transfer portal. Can they rebound though with Jared Wayne still there at receiver and Narduzzi and the staff taking former USC QB Kedon Slovis to help bolster the QB position? Definitely some uncertainty here but I think Pitt can be a high-level bowl team still if key players stay healthy.

Prediction: Syracuse 27 – Pittsburgh 20

Florida State Seminoles at Syracuse Orange
Saturday, November 12th at JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, NY
Time & TV TBD Radio-TK99

I’m so glad this game is in Syracuse because this would be the game I feared the most. I think FSU is doing things right and building a strong program for years to come to regain the top-tier ACC glory they once knew. FSU coach Mike Norvell was impressive at Memphis and a coach I highly respect so I did not take his team lightly last season when some Syracuse fans thought Syracuse should just crush the Seminoles last season. This will be senior day and I’m holding out hope this or the Notre Dame game might be the first time we get to see ESPN Game Day in Syracuse because I have high expectations for both teams this season. I’m also still kinda bitter that University of Albany defensive lineman Jared Verse chose FSU over Syracuse football but I think Verse also believes FSU has potential for greatness again.

Prediction: FSU 41 – Syracuse 36

Syracuse Orange at Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Saturday, November 19th at Truist Field in Winston-Salem, NC
Time & TV TBD Radio-TK99

If Sam Hartman is healthy and playing, Syracuse football could be in trouble. I’m just a fan and not an expert but I think Hartman and Leary are the best QBs in the ACC and something about Hartman at home could be the difference between Syracuse football having a shot at the ACC championship or just a really good bowl game. But I also think Sean Tucker is a special talent on a mission to prove he belongs in the Heisman conversation and to be drafted on the first day of the NFL draft as well as possibly Hartman. I think this will be Tucker’s breakout performance heard around the world.

Prediction: Syracuse 24 – Wake Forest 23

Syracuse Orange at Boston College Eagles
Saturday, November 26th at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, MA
Time & TV TBD Radio-TK99

The Syracuse campus hill > Chestnut Hill. I mean happy hour isn’t even legal in Massachusetts but they do have Wegmans too. But in regards to football, BC did get into a bowl game last year and Syracuse football did not so I think discounting what BC can do, especially at home and with bowl game aspirations on the line, this one could get physical and interesting.

Prediction: Syracuse 27 – Boston College 17