Cuse vs. Tennessee in Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game - Atlanta 2025

[Scooch]

As a fan I love this game. But look at 2012 as an example of over scheduling. We had a good team yet we only went 7-5 that year because we had 11 BCS games (USC, Northwestern, Minny, Mizzou all OOC). That team deserved to be ranked. In 2025 the same could happen as we have 10 P5 games and 0.0 FCS games.

Meanwhile in 2025 other ACC teams could easily go 8-4 because they schedule soft.

Duke- Illinois, Liberty, at MTSU, at Tulane
NC State- East Carolina, Campbell, at ND, at LA Tech
Wake- Army, Western Carolina, at Liberty, at Ole Miss

The above three schools have not been all that much better than SU the last 10 years but they have a good perception because of their yearly soft OOC scheduling.

The issue isn't playing Tennessee but playing Tennessee and ND.

Duke and Wake have a "good perception"? Maybe they're seen as acceptingly mediocre by us die-hards, but I don't think they even make the radar of most non-ACC college football fans.

Look, I get it, people are terrified of overscheduling. We've done it in the past, for sure. But I do think we need to set aside what transpired in the Big East era -- the program was in an entirely different place, revenue-wise. And we had an AD who wasn't great with the whole scheduling thing to begin with.

To me, ND is a quasi-conference opponent. Hell, we play them more often that we do 6/14ths of the rest of the ACC! So I don't think we can flee from other opportunities in the years where they're on the schedule.

 

[Scooch]

Knew exactly what the comments were going to be on this. Clicked anyways. People just love being miserable.

How Syracuse somehow landed a Chick-Fil-A kickoff game against an SEC school I will never know. This is huge publicity for our program, it helps with a recruiting, it's a fun trip for a lot of alumni, and it's four years from now! We could be good, we could be terrible, but this is exactly the type of thing that gets me excited about SU football.

Can't wait to go down to ATL, drink with old friends, and enjoy a marquee game in one of the more impressive stadiums in the US.

Who cares about the score?

But it could keep us from playing Central Michigan in the Poulan Weedeater/Cheez-It/Orkin Pest Control Bowl-a-ganza in a frigid, two-thirds empty stadium in Davenport, Iowa! THE PROGRAM WILL NOT RECOVER FROM THAT!

 

[UpstateSM]

Hopefully I get out of Magic City in time to catch the game

 

[syrBossHogg]

Duke and Wake have a "good perception"? Maybe they're seen as acceptingly mediocre by us die-hards, but I don't think they even make the radar of most non-ACC college football fans.

Look, I get it, people are terrified of overscheduling. We've done it in the past, for sure. But I do think we need to set aside what transpired in the Big East era -- the program was in an entirely different place, revenue-wise. And we had an AD who wasn't great with the whole scheduling thing to begin with.

To me, ND is a quasi-conference opponent. Hell, we play them more often that we do 6/14ths of the rest of the ACC! So I don't think we can flee from other opportunities in the years where they're on the schedule.

Exactly, and this is just a one off game rather than a series. Our OOC schedule isn't that hard for the next few years outside of maybe next year with Purdue + ND.

We're not scheduling hard anymore, just taking advantage of opportunities such as this.

 

[Doc5120]

Someone please tell Josh he needs 4 more years.

 

[721Comstock]

Someone please tell Josh he needs 4 more years.

Forget it. He's rolling.

 

[OrangeDW]

This one is for Will Allen. Revenge.

 

[texascpa]

This could be a fun game, hopefully by then we're a solidified program that at minimum gets to a bowl game every year

Haven't we been hoping that for some time now?

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

I'm not sure who needs to hear this, but you don't need to be afraid of Tennessee. They haven't won 10 games since 2007 and have had many losing seasons recently.

This is a fantastic opportunity for big-time national exposure.

Our schedule always looks hard. Because we stink.

 

[djorange1989]

This one is for Will Allen. Revenge.

I still have not gotten over 1998

 

[Bulldog04]

I don’t know how you can say anything negative about this game. Unreal exposure, unreal facility, huge recruiting tool for kids in the south to give them the opportunity to play in an nfl stadium. huge payout and the chick fil a will be open that day too in the stadium. I will be attending the game for sure ... cAnt wait

 

[syrBossHogg]

Haven't we been hoping that for some time now?

More reason not to worry

 

[elimunelson]

Our schedule always looks hard. Because we stink.

it never looked hard when OOC in 1997 was Wisconsin NC State Oklahoma to start

 

[TexanMark]

Start saving boys and girls...sideline seats will probably set you back $200

 

[All4SU]

if it makes you feel better I will be in my later 50s. ok, that makes me feel way worse than playing this game the same year as ND. dammit! But thank you for the tailgate invite, that would be amazing!

If it makes you feel any better, I hope to be alive then.

 

[djorange1989]

If it makes you feel any better, I hope to be alive then.

I feel much better, thank you.

 

[sdhall01]

 

[Geode]

I feel like there's always a great SU fan presence when we play basketball games at Georgia Tech. Obviously, we will be at a massive crowd disadvantage to Tennessee, but hopefully we can hold our own a bit and have the correct shade of Orange represented well.

That is the type of game that will be really fun to look forward to the entire summer.

Fanwise, we almost always hold our own. Huge presence in the SE. If we show decent signs of improvement there will be a good SU turnout.

 

[Bulldog04]

And whoever got this deal done did a great job. I’m sure the outside world is mortified by these choices but a lot can change in perception by then

 

[javadoc]

I can help with the tailgate prep on this one.

 

[rrlbees]

Great job JW.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

it never looked hard when OOC in 1997 was Wisconsin NC State Oklahoma to start

That is why we never had 10 W seasons. When you play 11 BCS teams you are going to have slip ups. That is how you end up 9-4.

Meanwhile VA Tech built their program off of our backs (well more so Miami) by playing OOC cupcakes. The year before they had a 10-1 regular season by playing Akron, SW Louisiana, ECU, and UVA OOC.

 

[SUFan44]

Heard back judge Lee Dyer will be honored at halftime?

23 years, and still too soon.

 

[Eric15]

That is why we never had 10 W seasons. When you play 11 BCS teams you are going to have slip ups. That is how you end up 9-4.

Meanwhile VA Tech built their program off of our backs (well more so Miami) by playing OOC cupcakes. The year before they had a 10-1 regular season by playing Akron, SW Louisiana, ECU, and UVA OOC.

UVA was ranked 16th in that 1998 game and was ranked in the Top 10 that year. Way too hard. Should have picked up a one-off with ITT Technical Institute.

1998 Virginia Tech Hokies football team - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Eric15]

In my opinion, the perfect SU non-conference schedule looks like this.

-a home-and-home against a traditional power that is not currently an elite program, such as Tennessee, Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, Penn State, etc. It will excite our fanbase and fill the Dome and increase season ticket sales, but we can win it especially at home. If we lose, so be it. It's sports -- you can't always micromanage your way to wins. Just play better. The Dome is incredible when its full for football -- THAT is what will excite potential recruits, not making bowl games featuring 6-6 teams.
-two games (ideally 2 for 1s) against mid-majors such as Army, Navy, directional Michigans, UConn
-one game against an FCS (ideally on the opening Friday night of Labor Day Weekend)