Syracuse Football: Odds-makers aren’t too high on projected ‘Cuse win total in 2024

There is a lot of optimism among some national and Atlantic Coast Conference experts regarding the prospects for Syracuse football in the upcoming 2024 season.

What’s more, the Orange fan base is energized about what’s to come in the future as first-year head coach Fran Brown leads the program during what I view as a favorable schedule for the ‘Cuse this coming term.

Some pundits have stated of late that the Orange could contend for the ACC’s top tier in 2024, or at least over the next few years. Personally, I think SU can contend for the ACC championship this coming campaign, but I may have some Orange-colored glasses on with that prognostication.

That being said, a recent forecast from odds-makers isn’t super high on Syracuse football, despite what Brown and his staff have done with their 2024 recruiting efforts, along with numerous key returnees from a stanza ago.

I like Syracuse football to win at least nine games in the 2024 season.

Not too long ago, per an article from On3 writer Nick Schultz, FanDuel came out with its projected win totals for ACC schools. Schultz noted that three league squads, Clemson, Florida State and Miami, are all forecast to win 9.5 games, per FanDuel.

What about the Orange? The ‘Cuse is projected at 6.5 victories, which seems low to me.

It’s true that Syracuse football went 6-7 in 2023 and 7-6 in 2022, making a bowl game in both seasons, so I guess from that standpoint, FanDuel’s 6.5 victories for the Orange is logical.

I also get that the ‘Cuse has lost some guys to both the professional ranks (hopefully) and the portal. I recognize, too, that Brown is not only a first-year head coach on the Hill, but he’s also a first-time head coach at the collegiate level.

Yet based on multiple veterans and All-ACC performers who are returning, along with an excellent 2024 recruiting class of college transfers and high school seniors, plus a schedule that isn’t overly daunting, I for one would take the over regarding FanDuel’s projected win total of 6.5 for Syracuse football in the upcoming season if I were a betting man.

I’m not much of a betting man, candidly. But I’d still take the over.