We're #50!

[SWC75]

I hate it when it takes along time to find SU on these lists:

Ranking the top 50 college football programs of all time

 

[SUFan44]

We're much higher than 50, IMO.

 

[Ish88888]

Its such a what have you done lately world. The last 20 years have really hurt our historic ranking.

 

[cuse309]

Its such a what have you done lately world. The last 20 years have really hurt our historic ranking.

It was just a few years back that Sports Illustrated had us ranked around #20 all time if I remember correctly.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

A national championship in 1959, an undefeated season in 1987, a Heisman Trophy winner, a Heisman runner up. That's it for the glory.

Yeah, Syracuse has a history of being good or very good but rarely great at football. There's a long record of 2 and 3 loss teams before WW2, during the 50s and 60s, and in the late 80s and into the 90s. The teams of the 90s, especially the McNabb era, never got over the hump to greatness. Since WW2, Cuse has had exactly two teams have less than two losses in a season - 59 and 87. Syracuse peaks with a special group of older players and then struggles to replicate that, even with the right coach in place.

Do streaks of good football make Syracuse an all-time great team?

Don't get me wrong - there's plenty to be proud of as Syracuse football fans. We've had some incredible players and wonderful success. But do we really have the track record to be upset by arbitrary greatness rankings?

 

[Hoo's That]

I hate these "click 50 times" sites. So, I'll just ask in total seriousness, where did they put Harvard, Yale, and Chicago? Any "all-time" ranking either has to include them or give some really, really good reasons beyond "They don't play D-1A football now " to be valid.

 

[OrangePA]

Just look at the information documented on Tomcat's posts.

Given the entire history of the program, Syracuse University Football is far better than No. 50.

 

[Eric15]

I would personally have us somewhere between 35-40. I agree that 50 is too low.

 

[Eric15]

Its such a what have you done lately world. The last 20 years have really hurt our historic ranking.

We have finished in the AP Top 10 only 5 times in the programs history. We can't just use the past 15 years as an excuse.

 

[SWC75]

Just look at the information documented on Tomcat's posts.

Given the entire history of the program, Syracuse University Football is far better than No. 50.

Like other eastern teams we got off to an earlier start than schools in other parts of the country. College football didn't really explode nationally until the 1920's. A lot of our 'career' totals are due to that.

We've had three great periods: 1914-35, when we had 22 straight wining seasons. None were undefeated, (thank you Colgate), but James Howell ranks us the #1 team of 1923. The impetus was the building of Archbold Stadium, which was the equivalent of the Dome in it's time. When it ceased to be a novelty, it ceased to be an advantage.
I-A Winning Percentage 1914-1935

1923 NCAA Division IA Football Power Ratings

Then there was the Schwartzwalder Era. We had 22 straight non-losing season, (a couple were even) from 1950-71 and won a national championship with one of the great teams that ever took the field. Ben was a near miracle worker because Archbold was a crumbling rock-pile through much of this period and the budget and facilities were almost laughable. I remember Duffy Daugherty expressing amazement that been accomplished what he did with what he had to work with. Two platoon football, which more than doubled recruiting requirements and the black boycott ended any chance of continuing the success. The Dome should have been built in the 60's in the wake of the national title.
I-A Winning Percentage 1950-1971

Finally, there was the MacPherson-Pasqualoni Era, really 1983-2001. We had one losing record over that period, when we lost a bunch of close games to get an 0-4 start, then went 26-4-1 through the next 2 1/2 season to set up what was to come, (it was between the 4th and 6th game!). Then it faded for all the reasons we've discussed over the years.
I-A Winning Percentage 1983-2001

In all three eras, we were, on average a "second twenty" type team with occasional peaks. We had some great players but were never a consistent top ten type team. We would certainly have been higher on a list done 20 years ago. Hopefully we can have a fourth great era and begin climbing these lists again.

Really, we have the profile of a basketball school like Georgetown or Villanova, both of which were once good in football but reduced themselves to small college in that sport decades ago and focused on their basketball program. We've managed to continue playing big time football and have a top basketball program, which is quite an achievement.

 

[OrangePA]

Like other eastern teams we got off to an earlier start than schools in other parts of the country. College football didn't really explode nationally until the 1920's. A lot of our 'career' totals are due to that.

We've had three great periods: 1914-35, when we had 22 straight wining seasons. None were undefeated, (thank you Colgate), but James Howell ranks us the #1 team of 1923. The impetus was the building of Archbold Stadium, which was the equivalent of the Dome in it's time. When it ceased to be a novelty, it ceased to be an advantage.
I-A Winning Percentage 1914-1935

1923 NCAA Division IA Football Power Ratings

Then there was the Schwartzwalder Era. We had 22 straight non-losing season, (a couple were even) from 1950-71 and won a national championship with one of the great teams that ever took the field. Ben was a near miracle worker because Archbold was a crumbling rock-pile through much of this period and the budget and facilities were almost laughable. I remember Duffy Daugherty expressing amazement that been accomplished what he did with what he had to work with. Two platoon football, which more than doubled recruiting requirements and the black boycott ended any chance of continuing the success. The Dome should have been built in the 60's in the wake of the national title.
I-A Winning Percentage 1950-1971

Finally, there was the MacPherson-Pasqualoni Era, really 1983-2001. We had one losing record over that period, when we lost a bunch of close games to get an 0-4 start, then went 26-4-1 through the next 2 1/2 season to set up what was to come, (it was between the 4th and 6th game!). Then it faded for all the reasons we've discussed over the years.
I-A Winning Percentage 1983-2001

In all three eras, we were, on average a "second twenty" type team with occasional peaks. We had some great players but were never a consistent top ten type team. We would certainly have been higher on a list done 20 years ago. Hopefully we can have a fourth great era and begin climbing these lists again.

Really, we have the profile of a basketball school like Georgetown or Villanova, both of which were once good in football but reduced themselves to small college in that sport decades ago and focused on their basketball program. We've managed to continue playing big time football and have a top basketball program, which is quite an achievement.

I know the history quite well.

And the fact is that our Program is truly unique.

From the "Reverse Center" to the 1959 team - from Bill Horr/Joe Alexander to Jim Brown to Ernie Davis - from to the 1959 team to the 1987 team to the numerous Cotton, Orange, Sugar Bowls in the 1960s - from Freeney to Mackey, to Anderson, Ringo, Little, and Harrison and McNabb - from Archbold to Manley to the Carrier Dome - from Howard Jones, to Ossie Solem to Biggie Munn to Bud Wilkinson to Schwartzwalder, Mac and Pasqualoni - there are few programs that match the history of Syracuse University Football.

There is no doubt that Syracuse University ranks higher than No. 50.

 

[SWC75]

I know the history quite well.

And the fact is that our Program is truly unique.

From the "Reverse Center" to the 1959 team - from Bill Horr/Joe Alexander to Jim Brown to Ernie Davis - from to the 1959 team to the 1987 team to the numerous Cotton, Orange, Sugar Bowls in the 1960s - from Freeney to Mackey, to Anderson, Ringo, Little, and Harrison and McNabb - from Archbold to Manley to the Carrier Dome - from Howard Jones, to Ossie Solem to Biggie Munn to Bud Wilkinson to Schwartzwalder, Mac and Pasqualoni - there are few programs that match the history of Syracuse University Football.

There is no doubt that Syracuse University ranks higher than No. 50.

But how well do you know the other histories?