Syracuse Football: Let’s all get stoked to go bowling in Boston or El Paso
By Neil Adler
Yeah, yeah I know that bowl-game projections for the end of the 2022 season are super early at this juncture, but still, it’s nice to see that Syracuse football is garnering some attention on this topic.
After beating Big Ten Conference member Purdue over the weekend on a last-second touchdown to move to 3-0 in this young 2022 campaign, the Orange is preparing to host Virginia this Friday night and then Wagner on Saturday, Oct. 1.
The ‘Cuse, I think we all can agree, has a terrific chance in the near term to start out the current term at 5-0. But one game at a time, Neil. I know, I know.
In any event, multiple college football pundits and media outlets are projecting that the Orange will end up bowling later this year, and this pleases me.
Let’s look at where experts are forecasting Syracuse football to arrive during bowl season.
Jerry Palm of CBS Sports is placing the ‘Cuse in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 17, in Boston. Palm has the Orange squaring off against Memphis out of the American Athletic Conference.
To date in the 2022 stanza, the Tigers have a 2-1 overall record. Memphis fell to Mississippi State but has conquered both Navy and Arkansas State.
Brett McMurphy of the Action Network also predicts that Syracuse football will suit up in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl. However, he has the Orange going toe to toe with Cincinnati, which also is a member of the American Athletic Conference.
The Bearcats, a squad that earned a berth in the most recent College Football Playoff, are 2-1 so far in 2022. Cincinnati lost in a close game at nationally ranked Arkansas, while the Bearcats smoked both Kennesaw State and Miami (Ohio).
For what it’s worth, McMurphy says that Cincinnati would be a 7.5-point betting favorite against Syracuse football in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl.
Over at CollegeFootballNews.com, the Orange is projected to play Arizona out of the Pac-12 Conference in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. This game is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 30, in El Paso, Texas.
I mean, who the heck doesn’t love Frosted Flakes? All kidding aside, to date in the present season, the Wildcats are 2-1, with wins over San Diego State and North Dakota State. Arizona’s lone loss was to Mississippi State.
Personally, I think it would be really cool if the ‘Cuse ended up playing at the Fenway Bowl in Boston, because Syracuse football would likely have a large crowd in attendance.
Or, the Orange could just run the table in the 2022 regular season and head to the CFP. That works, right?