I recently projected that I believe Syracuse football will finish up its challenging 2022 slate with a 7-5 overall mark, followed up by an appearance in a bowl game.
Numerous national journalists and pundits, though, aren’t so optimistic on the Orange as the ‘Cuse gets set to host Louisville on Saturday, Sept. 3, in the 2022 season opener.
Sure, I probably have Orange-colored glasses on a bit, but I also think there are a lot of encouraging components to the Syracuse football 2022 roster.
But still, given the team’s track record in recent stanzas, plus its perceived brutal schedule this fall, it doesn’t surprise me that expert after expert is predicting the ‘Cuse to finish near or in the basement of its Atlantic Coast Conference division in 2022.
Let’s review some predictions from media members on Syracuse football.
We recently detailed that the ACC pre-season media poll forecasts the Orange to finish at No. 7 (i.e., in last place) within the league’s Atlantic division in 2022. The same goes for college football insider Phil Steele.
Just in recent days, seven experts from CBS Sports made their picks, and six of these predictions have the ‘Cuse in the Atlantic division’s basement. One CBS Sports panelist put Syracuse football at No. 6 in this division. Yay!
ESPN senior writer Mark Schlabach writes that he believes the Orange will also be in last place within its division, compiling an overall record of 4-8.
Brad Crawford of 247Sports is even less optimistic about Syracuse football in 2022, projecting the team to put forth an awful 3-9 overall mark this fall.
Crawford says that he expects quarterback Garrett Shrader to be better in 2022 (I assume he means in the passing game), and the 247Sports writer envisions star running back Sean Tucker having another monster stanza over the next few months.
"Crawford writes in part, “If anyone has a line of how Syracuse will finish up this season against a challenging slate, I’m all ears. Given the lack of national spotlight on the Orange, you’re not going to hear about this nationally during the preseason ACC build-up, but (head coach) Dino Babers needs to win this season.”"
I agree with Crawford’s statement here about Babers. And I get that the ‘Cuse was 5-7 last season and 1-10 in 2020. I also get that Syracuse football, on paper, has a rough calendar in 2022.
However, to me, I’m hopeful that the Orange can actually improve upon its win total from 2021. I’m usually wrong with these sorts of predictions. Maybe, though, for a change, I’ll be right (and the pundits will be wrong).