Congrats on bowl eligibility

[Lou_C]

Pretty amazing what you guys were able to do after all your player and staff losses against a schedule that included FSU, Clemson, Penn State, Northwestern, GT, BC, etc.

Vegas had your over/under win total at 4.5, so you definitely exceeded expectations, and should be very encouraged by this season.

It's a good start to ACC play, and great that both you and Pitt were totally respectable. I'm afraid if Syracuse had gone 2-10 this year it would have surprised few outside your fan base, so you guys did a good job of making your presence felt this year instead.

 

[normaliswear]

Thanks for the kind words. Yeah it was rough timing to switch Confs and try and make a first impression. So while on one hand I'm upset at a couple games that got away (Pitt, Penn St)... I'm satisfied with the season where we at least looked like we belonged in the ACC. Hopefully this is just a stepping stone towards becoming a legitimately nationally relevant program again, and maybe, even giving you guys an actual game now and then lol. Really really hope you guys take out Duke and win the whole thing. Both because it would be a great thing for the ACC as a whole, and for the classy way your fans handled the Whigham injury when we were down there.

Pretty amazing what you guys were able to do after all your player and staff losses against a schedule that included FSU, Clemson, Penn State, Northwestern, GT, BC, etc.

Vegas had your over/under win total at 4.5, so you definitely exceeded expectations, and should be very encouraged by this season.

It's a good start to ACC play, and great that both you and Pitt were totally respectable. I'm afraid if Syracuse had gone 2-10 this year it would have surprised few outside your fan base, so you guys did a good job of making your presence felt this year instead.

 

[All4SU]

Could just have easily been 8 - 4.

 

[TexanMark]

Could just have easily been 8 - 4.

Or 4-8

 

[FreakTalksAboutSU]

I'm honestly pretty stoked about the year in general.

A completely understandable 3-9 or 4-8 could have set us back big time in the eyes of many. Now, 6-6 in our first year in a big boy conference overcoming a lot of obstacles on the way?

Really good sign.

 

[All4SU]

Or 4-8

Sssshhhh...Let's not go there.

 

[TheCusian]

Or 4-8

We had one close loss and one close win this year, I think? The rest weren't really in doubt (not blow outs - but Wake, Maryland, and NC State games our D had bludgeoned their O to unconsciousness.)

 

[Chip]

We had one close loss and one close win this year, I think? The rest weren't really in doubt (not blow outs - but Wake, Maryland, and NC State games our D had bludgeoned their O to unconsciousness.)

Yeah, 5-7 is our what-if floor. Just the BC game.

Pitt on the other side, which you can point to 4 points. Oh well. You could throw in Penn State with a what-if of Hunt playing, but that's a bit of a long shot.

 

[TexanMark]

NCSt was still in doubt fairly late...a few wacky bounces and who knows...but yes 5-7 was probably worse case

 

[orangepassion]

Pretty amazing what you guys were able to do after all your player and staff losses against a schedule that included FSU, Clemson, Penn State, Northwestern, GT, BC, etc.

Vegas had your over/under win total at 4.5, so you definitely exceeded expectations, and should be very encouraged by this season.

It's a good start to ACC play, and great that both you and Pitt were totally respectable. I'm afraid if Syracuse had gone 2-10 this year it would have surprised few outside your fan base, so you guys did a good job of making your presence felt this year instead.

Any idea why you and Clemson are in the same division?

 

[normaliswear]

Any idea why you and Clemson are in the same conference?

You meant division right? Otherwise a very odd question.

 

[Alsacs]

If Syracuse and Boston College get better athletes then the Atlantic Division is going to be a beast each year for Clemson and Florida State. Both of these schools have good history and tradition that we should win 8 to 9 games if we can get the talent infusion into these programs. Florida State, Clemson are the lead dogs and Syracuse, Boston College, NC State, Louisville, Wake Forest can create a nice middle class for the ACC.
The Coastal needs Miami to have an 11-1 or 12-0 season badly to lead that division with Virginia Tech. Duke, Pitt, Virginia, Georgia Tech, North Carolina all HAVE GREAT POTENTIAL. The ACC is really just on the crisp and the fact Florida State smoked all of its conference opponents and the talking heads in the media haven't hammered the ACC that badly shows perception is slowly improving. FSU winning the NC and Clemson(hopefully they stay in the top 14) beating their SEC opponent in the Orange Bowl can change the ACC perception even more. Florida State vs Ohio State would give the ACC a NC most likely and if they hammered them would damage the B1G brand even more.

 

[orangepassion]

You meant division right? Otherwise a very odd question.

You meant division right? Otherwise a very odd question.

Yup, division-changed
.

 

[Stevenson]

Congrats for finally living up to expectations.

 

[JJReddawg]

Any idea why you and Clemson are in the same division?

I just happens that Clemson and FSU have been peaking at the same time. Just look at the record breakdowns:

Year Clemson FSU
1992 5-6 11-1
1993 9-3 12-1
1994 5-6 10-1-1
1995 8-4 10-2
1996 7-5 11-1
1997 7-5 11-1
1998 3-8 11-2
1999 6-6 12-0
2000 9-3 11-2
2001 7-5 8-4
2002 7-6 9-5
2003 9-4 10-3
2004 6-5 9-3
--------- Divisional Splits------------
2005 8-4 8-5
2006 8-5 7-6
2007 9-4 7-6
2008 7-6 9-4
2009 9-5 7-6
2010 6-7 10-4
2011 10-4 9-4
2012 11-2 12-2
2013 10-2 12-0

 

[kirbivore]

Congrats for finally living up to expectations.

they've still got a dodge a Winston perp walk between now and January

 

[SmilinBob]

Thanks Lou. Go kick Dukes butt and leave no doubt that FSU is playing for the championship.

 

[Lou_C]

Any idea why you and Clemson are in the same division?

The general idea is that based on where things were when the divisions were created that FSU and Miami would be the most desirable CCG, and would be the two most likely powers based on recent history. So you split the two powers, then split Clemson and VT. VT with Miami makes sense with their history, and FSU and Clemson.

I didn't agree with that then and I don't know. Two dominant teams in one division is great, this year and last year being a great example. A Clemson loss in the ACCCG last year or this year would eliminate them from the BCS, instead of them getting in.

In the case of playoffs, Clemson at 11-1 had they beaten South Carolina would have been in the hunt for the playoffs, where a 11-2 team taking a loss in the CCG would be less likely.

The only problem with them in the same division is for the teams looking up to them. But historically, FSU and Miami in the same division would be more unfair, and cut off the other division from Florida completely.

I don't like the divisions, I would prefer straight north/south, parity be damned. Parity between divisions has simply proven to not be very important. Ultimately I think it would much better allow the northern teams, the more disadvantaged teams, to grow and develop.

But I also understand the reasons against that, and against every other configuration. There's simply no good division setup for the ACC and it's even worse now. Any configuration is going to suck until we can go to 16 or 20 and pods.

 

[Pyle]

The general idea is that based on where things were when the divisions were created that FSU and Miami would be the most desirable CCG, and would be the two most likely powers based on recent history. So you split the two powers, then split Clemson and VT. VT with Miami makes sense with their history, and FSU and Clemson.

I didn't agree with that then and I don't know. Two dominant teams in one division is great, this year and last year being a great example. A Clemson loss in the ACCCG last year or this year would eliminate them from the BCS, instead of them getting in.

In the case of playoffs, Clemson at 11-1 had they beaten South Carolina would have been in the hunt for the playoffs, where a 11-2 team taking a loss in the CCG would be less likely.

The only problem with them in the same division is for the teams looking up to them. But historically, FSU and Miami in the same division would be more unfair, and cut off the other division from Florida completely.

I don't like the divisions, I would prefer straight north/south, parity be damned. Parity between divisions has simply proven to not be very important. Ultimately I think it would much better allow the northern teams, the more disadvantaged teams, to grow and develop.

But I also understand the reasons against that, and against every other configuration. There's simply no good division setup for the ACC and it's even worse now. Any configuration is going to suck until we can go to 16 or 20 and pods.

Hard to believe Miami has won 0 ACC championships since joining. VT has 4, the most of any ACC team since the 2004 expansion.

 

[riskylogic]

The only problem with them in the same division is for the teams looking up to them. But historically, FSU and Miami in the same division would be more unfair, and cut off the other division from Florida completely.

In addition to bowl eligibility, third place Atlantic for Syracuse is an accomplishment worth mentioning too. Topping that is going to be hard.

 

[SmilinBob]

Kind of wondering about Clemson...why is it that they turtle when they face USCe? They just looked scared.