Just curious as to what the football experts predicted for our 1987 season after going 5-6 in 1986! | Syracusefan.com

Just curious as to what the football experts predicted for our 1987 season after going 5-6 in 1986!

orangechef

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I am the eternal optimist, I admit this freely, however there is always the opportunity for ones team to surprise all and out-perform expectations by those who deem themselves experts, see 1987!
 
I am the eternal optimist, I admit this freely, however there is always the opportunity for ones team to surprise all and out-perform expectations by those who deem themselves experts, see 1987!
I swear to God I am telling the truth. USA Today had the starting line ups for all of the D-1 teams right before the season started in '87 and as I sat reading the paper at Big Boy, I said, that is a pretty good team.
 
The experts didn't think we were going bowling in 2010, 2012 and 2013 and we did. When they thought we were going bowling in 2011 and 2014 we didn't. So, the 2015 team probably won't be close to undefeated but recent history says bowl time! Athlon ranks us ahead of only Kansas out if all P5 teams. Time to stick it to them!
 
FWIW: on 10/6 at 5-0 they entered the AP at #17.

jumped to #9 after beating ped st.
 
Were you?
i was, but maybe just because i was going to be a student.

1 step further, they finished 5-2, there was a lot of optimism about that team.
 
1987 ruined me. Freshman year. 28 years later - still waiting (and hoping) for a repeat. Hence my negativity after seeing lasts year's sharp regression.

Maybe THUNT can be like #9 was in '87? Don't think so. But hope springs eternal. By all objective measures - it's not gonna happen.
 
Scooch said:
I'd really prefer to be highly rated and trying to meet those lofty expectations. Shocking the world is a suckers game.

Agree 1000%. But being written-off is classic motivation tactic. There's a reason athletes respond to it. The danger is in believing the doubters/headlines. That's why the first 3 games are key. Need to build some confidence.
 
I for one was very optimistic. 85 was a good year and 86 finished strong and a loss to Penn State near the end was very close to a win until we turned the ball over on the last drive of the game, inside PSU territory. Also you could see McPherson growing as was the entire team.
That said this team could pull off a surprise but obviously not of that stature. We will need the defensive linemen and safeties to stay healthy and the offensive linemen to improve vastly compared to last season and the spring game. If, (A BIG IF) these two things can happen this team can surprise a lot of people. If healthy I think this defense can be better than last years as some real diamonds in the rough are developing here.
Also I see the ACC talent level being down across the board this year. There was a great deal of seniors on teams last year. It will take some time for them as well to adjust and mature.
I hold out hope in these areas but am nervous because I see this year being critical for the program. We need a bowl game (winning record) and another good recruiting class or we will probably end up in the basement of the ACC for many years to come. If we pull off the surprise with both of these objectives I think SU will have turned the corner for many years to come.
 
My point was, that nobody in the National media thought the 87 team was going to be anywhere near undefeated and finishing, I think, # 3 in the country. No need to be so despondent about this season based on what some # cruncher from athalon or wherever ranks us pre-season. Last year was a perfect storm of G-Mac and injuries. I totally see this program trending in a positive direction since the departure of G-Rob. Recruiting, facilities, being in the power 5 verses stuck in the AAC, all is moving in the right direction, maybe not as fast as a lot of us would like, be patient, good times are ahead. maybe even this year, who knows, be positive. Go Orange!
 
It's really a shame that 2 other power programs had undefeated regular seasons that year. If SU has the '87 season in 1984 or 1990 we have another national title.
 
Notre Dame has two Heisman's that should be ours, 1987 being one of them (Jim Browm losing to The Golden Boy the other of course). As excellent as Tim Brown was, you think if Donnie put his numbers up on an 11-0 ND he loses the Heisman? Or you think Brown wins the Heisman on an 8-4 Cuse team? No to both.
 
FWIW: on 10/6 at 5-0 they entered the AP at #17.

jumped to #9 after beating ped st.
17th after just 5 games tells me that the pollsters had them ranked fairly high to start the season. 25-35 range. If we were 5-0 to start this year, we'd probably just be cracking the top 25.
 
17th after just 5 games tells me that the pollsters had them ranked fairly high to start the season. 25-35 range. If we were 5-0 to start this year, we'd probably just be cracking the top 25.
We go 4-0, we are in the Top 25 this year. That said 4-1 after 5 puts us on schedule for a 6 or 7 win season. A 3-2 start tells me we finish with a losing record. Wake Forest game will be huge.
 
17th after just 5 games tells me that the pollsters had them ranked fairly high to start the season. 25-35 range. If we were 5-0 to start this year, we'd probably just be cracking the top 25.
heres the whole enchilada, minus week 4 for whatever reason.

PRESEASON #33 (3) votes

Week 1 #30 W Marylyand 35-11 (6)
Week 2 #25 W @Rutgers 20-3 (14)
Week 3 #24 W Miami (OH) 24-10 (45)
Week 4 # ? W @vpi 35-21 (?) but not Top 20
Week 5 #17 W Mizzou 24-13 (143)
Week 6 #13 IDLE (421)
Week 7 #9 W ped st 48-21 (722)
Week 8 #8 W Colgate 52-6 (744)
Week 9 #8 W @Pitt 24-10 (798)
Week 10 #6 W @Navy 34-10 (902)
Week 11 # 6 W BC 45-17 (904)
Week 12 # 4 W West Virginia 32-31 (983)
Week 13 #4 IDLE (914)
Week 14 #4 IDLE (955) AND 1 VOTE FOR #1

FINAL #4 TIE auburn (966)
 
Last edited:
heres the whole enchilada, minus week 4 for whatever reason.

PRESEASON #33 (3) votes

Week 1 #30 W Marylyand 35-11 (6)
Week 2 #25 W Rutgers 20-3 (14)
Week 3 #24 W Miami (OH) 24-10 (45)
Week 4 # ? W vpi 35-21 (?) but not Top 20
Week 5 #17 W Mizzou 24-13 (143)
Week 6 #13 IDLE (421)
Week 7 #9 W ped st 48-21 (722)
Week 8 #8 W Colgate 52-6 (744)
Week 9 #8 W Pitt 24-10 (798)
Week 10 #6 W Navy 34-10 (902)
Week 11 # 6 W BC 45-17 (904)
Week 12 # 4 W West Virginia 32-31 (983)
Week 13 #4 IDLE (914)
Week 14 #4 IDLE (955) AND 1 VOTE FOR #1

FINAL #4 TIE auburn (966)

Thanks Kaiser. Interesting schedule. I was only 11 at the time. I had forgotten we beat ol popsicle stick Beamer in his first year at Va Tech.
 
Thanks Kaiser. Interesting schedule. I was only 11 at the time. I had forgotten we beat ol popsicle stick Beamer in his first year at Va Tech.
And IIRC, we spotted them a 21-0 lead before storming back.
 
And IIRC, we spotted them a 21-0 lead before storming back.
not sure about the VPI game but I know we spotted BC 17 before shutting them out in a 45-17 blowout.
 
My point was, that nobody in the National media thought the 87 team was going to be anywhere near undefeated and finishing, I think, # 3 in the country. No need to be so despondent about this season based on what some # cruncher from athalon or wherever ranks us pre-season. Last year was a perfect storm of G-Mac and injuries. I totally see this program trending in a positive direction since the departure of G-Rob. Recruiting, facilities, being in the power 5 verses stuck in the AAC, all is moving in the right direction, maybe not as fast as a lot of us would like, be patient, good times are ahead. maybe even this year, who knows, be positive. Go Orange!
clearly, this wasnt the case.

granted undefeated is 1 thing, but they were basically ranked all year and rose pretty quickly, top 10 by mid Oct.

in other words...expectations were high, warranted and fulfilled.
 

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