Syracuse Football: Fans frustrated, but declaring season over short-sighted

Syracuse football (Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports)
Syracuse football (Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Sports)

I’m going to irk some Syracuse football fans with this column, and that’s okay. I always respect my fellow Orange fans, and we don’t always have to agree on things.

We’re all frustrated by what occurred on the Hill this past Saturday afternoon. Syracuse football (4-1) was stagnant on offense, it committed costly turnovers and penalties, it missed out on some potential interceptions of its opponent, and there was some questionable play-calling by the Orange staff.

The result was the team’s first loss of the 2023 season, a 31-14 setback at the hands of Clemson (3-2) at the JMA Wireless Dome on homecoming weekend at Syracuse University, with many SU football commits/targets and ‘Cuse basketball recruits in attendance.

It was not fun to watch that Atlantic Coast Conference encounter. I’m a proud Syracuse University alumnus and often have Orange-colored glasses on, but trust me, I was not pleased with the squad’s performance versus the Tigers.

However, I’ll try to remain optimistic about the prospects for the ‘Cuse during the rest of the 2023 stanza, even with consecutive road battles with top-15 North Carolina (4-0) and top-five Florida State (4-0) lurking on the horizon.

Some fans say the 2023 season is over for Syracuse football, and that’s unfortunate.

It’s understandable if some of my fellow Syracuse football fans aren’t so optimistic. But on Saturday, as it was clear the Orange was going to fall to Clemson, I saw numerous fans on various social media channels declare the entire 2023 campaign over, even though there are seven games left in the regular season.

To reiterate, I respect what other ‘Cuse fans have to say, even when we don’t agree. Declaring the 2023 stanza over in early October, though, just simply makes no sense to me.

A little context, if I may. Head coach Dino Babers is in his eighth term at the helm of the Orange. To date, he’s had two winning seasons, and he’s guided the team to two bowl games.

In 2022, Syracuse football started 6-0 and was ranked in the top 15 of the major polls. The ‘Cuse had Clemson on the ropes away from Central New York, but the Orange couldn’t hold the lead in the second half.

Syracuse football would lose to the Tigers, go 1-6 after that 6-0 beginning and finish at 7-6 overall. Fast-forward to the present, and yes, the ‘Cuse went 4-0 in the non-conference docket, although the schedule wasn’t all that tough, with the squad beating Colgate, Western Michigan and Army at home, as well as a sub-par Purdue team on the road.

On homecoming weekend, before the largest home crowd to date in the 2023 stanza, Syracuse football faced a somewhat reeling Clemson group. The Orange did itself in with costly mistakes, and the ‘Cuse lost.

Now, it has to regroup and next head to UNC and then FSU. Is Syracuse football likely to sit at 4-3 after those two road ACC battles? Perhaps. Is the Orange going to falter down the stretch in 2023 as it did a season ago? Maybe.

Will Syracuse football likely make a second consecutive bowl game? I believe so. Is the 2023 stanza over, given the setback to Clemson and the near-term upcoming schedule? I wholeheartedly say no, it is not.

I totally understand the pessimism and skepticism of many Syracuse football fans, given that the Orange hasn’t been particularly relevant in the ACC and on a national scale in a long time. I get it.

But declaring the current term over when seven regular-season games remain lacks a certain amount of common sense. I mean no disrespect, but at the same time, that line of thinking is really sad to see when, let’s face it, the ‘Cuse is still 4-1 at this point in 2023.