For the 2025 season, CBS Sports doesn't think Syracuse football will be the best team in New York state.
Say what now?
Look, all these preseason prognostications that come from national and Atlantic Coast Conference pundits are made with good intentions, and they mean nothing in the long run. But they're still fun to debate.
On Monday, I took issue with the preseason Associated Press top-25 poll. The Orange wasn't ranked, nor receiving votes, and I get it. Some of the teams included over the 'Cuse, though, were head-scratchers to me.
Today, I'm taking issue with the CBS Sports annual tradition of picking the top squad in every U.S. state ahead of the 2025 campaign. In the Empire State, CBS Sports isn't showing the love to the Orange. Sigh.
Tried to peg who will be the best college football team in each state during the 2025 season.https://t.co/BzboDZdQeQ
— David Cobb (@DavidWCobb) August 11, 2025
Syracuse football, to be fair, does have strong competition for top dog in New York.
David Cobb of CBS Sports has Army as the No. 1 New York team entering 2025. The Black Nights, out of The American Conference, are an excellent program, don't get me wrong. I would also never disrespect one of our U.S. service academies.
However, I don't think Army is a better squad than the 'Cuse. Part of the issue here is what defines "better"? Because I'm the first to acknowledge that the Black Knights could have a better record in 2025 than the Orange. Does that make Army a better team? Not necessarily.
Last year, Army went 12-2 overall. The 'Cuse sported a 10-3 mark under first-year head coach Fran Brown. Syracuse football was one spot higher than the Black Knights in the final AP top 25, while Army was one spot above the Orange in the final Coaches top 25.
In 2024, the 'Cuse beat three ranked teams, although the home loss to Stanford was a clunker. Army didn't defeat any ranked foes, and it only faced one top-25 squad. Notre Dame pummeled the Black Knights.
This coming term, Army will face one opponent in the preseason AP top 25. The Orange will battle five ranked foes, four of which are on the road and one is at a neutral site. Should Syracuse football have a 2025 record anywhere close to the Black Knights', I don't know how you can conclude that Army is better than the 'Cuse.
From Cobb's write-up about the Empire State: "All three of New York's FBS programs are coming off great seasons. Army went 12-2 and won the AAC, Syracuse finished 10-3 under first-year coach Fran Brown and Buffalo was 9-4 under first-year coach Pete Lembo. Syracuse faces a significantly more difficult schedule in 2025 that will inevitably lead to a lower win total. While Buffalo should be really good again, Army is a safer choice. In Year 12 under Jeff Monken, the Black Knights are a high-floor program that benefits from the excellent retention inherent with the unique mission of a service academy."
Cobb's thoughts are understandable. And the Orange's schedule is much tougher. To reiterate, if Syracuse football wins anywhere close to as many games as Army and Buffalo, I'm the first to admit that I'm a homer, but the 'Cuse should be No. 1 in New York state.