Re-evulating the guantlet after 4 games | Syracusefan.com

Re-evulating the guantlet after 4 games

kirbivore

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I know don't look past Wagner blah blah blah but lets take a look at that 6 game post bye stretch before BC and see if your expectations have changed due to Syracuse being better than expected and/or those teams doing better/worse than you thought

10/15 vs. NC St. - Nothing's changed. Still think this will be the toughest game
10/22 @ Clemson - Like SU chances a little better. They've played well down there and I'm not impressed with Tigers' QB
10/29 vs. ND - Like SU chances a lot better. SU will still be a slight dog but I don't fear this bunch at all
11/5 @ Pitt - about the same. SU tends to play poorly there no matter the roster
11/12 vs. FSU - Give SU a better chance than I did preseason. Key is to not be injury decimated
11/19 @ Wake - Again lets see where the injuries are. Wake took Clemson to OT. About the same expectations as pre season
 
I know don't look past Wagner blah blah blah but lets take a look at that 6 game post bye stretch before BC and see if your expectations have changed due to Syracuse being better than expected and/or those teams doing better/worse than you thought

10/15 vs. NC St. - Nothing's changed. Still think this will be the toughest game
10/22 @ Clemson - Like SU chances a little better. They've played well down there and I'm not impressed with Tigers' QB
10/29 vs. ND - Like SU chances a lot better. SU will still be a slight dog but I don't fear this bunch at all
11/5 @ Pitt - about the same. SU tends to play poorly there no matter the roster
11/12 vs. FSU - Give SU a better chance than I did preseason. Key is to not be injury decimated
11/19 @ Wake - Again lets see where the injuries are. Wake took Clemson to OT. About the same expectations as pre season
No change, sticking with this, with the caveat that since my optimistic injury take did not come to fruition, if it continues at this pace we’d likely come up short vs wake and likely fsu
 
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One thing is for certain, Syracuse couldn't have asked for any larger of a benefit/advantage heading into the NCST game. We play a school in Wagner this weekend that has absolutely no business being on the schedule. Then we get the bye week, before facing State at home in the Dome. At a minimum, we have 2 FULL weeks to prepare for the Wolfpack.

Meanwhile, NCST plays at Clemson this weekend, and then they're at home against another solid opponent in FSU the following weekend. Afterwards, they have to travel up to Central NY.

If there was ever a time for SU to pull off a huge victory against a Top 10 opponent (although, unlikely they will be Top 10 by then as I see them going 1-1 before our game), this is definitely it.

No excuses!
 
One thing is for certain, Syracuse couldn't have asked for any larger of a benefit/advantage heading into the NCST game. We play a school in Wagner this weekend that has absolutely no business being on the schedule. Then we get the bye week, before facing State at home in the Dome. At a minimum, we have 2 FULL weeks to prepare for the Wolfpack.

Meanwhile, NCST plays at Clemson this weekend, and then they're at home against another solid opponent in FSU the following weekend. Afterwards, they have to travel up to Central NY.

If there was ever a time for SU to pull off a huge victory against a Top 10 opponent (although, unlikely they will be Top 10 by then as I see them going 1-1 before our game), this is definitely it.

No excuses!
Agree. Its set up well for Nc state. Our performance after a bye hasn’t been good. That’s my worry. FSU Clemson Pitt are interesting games. ND’s O line and power run game concerns me a little.
 
Unbelievably, even at 5-0 after this weekend, we would probably be a Vegas Dog in all of those games as of next Monday. Obviously, results and injuries will change the future lines as the games approach.

Want them all in the win column (and my mind convinces me this is possible) but I would be happy with a split taking the 3 home games.
 
While I know their track record after byes is pretty abysmal of late, I’m hoping with the major upgrades they’ve made across the coaching staff that they team will be far better prepared heading into NC State.

The injuries are killer though. With Thompson, Lockett, Jones and Elmore healthy this could have been a really special season. We still have a chance at 8-9 wins as long as we get the running game going and we can get our backup DTs up to snuff.

The great thing about this season though is that while much of it is young, it seems like after 6 seasons of building they finally have meaningful depth. It shows how big of a rebuild this truly was, and while the 10-3 season in 2018 was amazing it was a bit of fools gold as far as being sustainable. However, they’ve recruited well, been smart in the portal and have the best coaching staff in forever. We are seeing the results of lots of hard work over the years.
 
Injuries affect ALL teams.

Every year it's the same deal. In year 7 of Dino, there are absolutely no excuses IMO. Also, in my opinion, the injuries to Elmore and Jones are not insurmountable to overcome in any way, shape or form. Elmore missed a ton of game last year, 8 I believe. He went down in game one this year, therefore who the heck knows what was lost from a pure tangible productivity standpoint. So, two years now of zilch from him, just a bunch of pure hype in my view.

Jones, may have perhaps been coming on a bit, however, when you look at the facts (actual numbers/lost production, etc.) this shouldn't be difficult to overcome as well.

No doubt, IMO, it appears the biggest losses to date are on D. Obviously, Thompson going down looms even larger now that Lockett is lost for the year too. Thompson was solid against the run, and now with Lockett down and out, it appears this will be our largest weakness moving forward, the capacity to stop the run, and consistently in that.

Moreover, that falls straight back in Dino's lap relative to building an P5 roster, along with adequate depth to endure the game of attrition that is the sport of football. Especially, in year 7.

Again, no excuses!
 
Those are all tough games and yet at the same time winnable. I don't think there's any chance we win them all but beyond that, I'm not sure I'd be surprised by any other record coming from those 6 games, although going 0-6 would surprise me. Injuries will be huge, I think if we beat ACC Rutgers (Ncstate) we carry that momentum forward to at least beat one of; Clemson, FSU, ND. Football coaches also have a tendency to stop doing what's working or what's obvious. If any of these coaches decide they're just going to pound the ball and make us stop the run for 4 quarters, I think we could be in trouble. But there's no way we'll see that game plan from all those coaches for a full game.
 
Agree. Its set up well for Nc state. Our performance after a bye hasn’t been good. That’s my worry. FSU Clemson Pitt are interesting games. ND’s O line and power run game concerns me a little.
Kind of thinking the same. We've been flat after byes and NCSt's defense is good. OTOH we'll be home, rested and hopefully have some wrinkles in our offense. FSU is a possible win (we certainly owe them). Clemson, Pitt and Wake on the road ... tall orders. ND is at home ... Dome will be sky high, and it would be awesome to shut up their sanctimonious fans. But even with a 3d string QB they destroyed UNC. We have a chance if our offense plays its best and we come up with a scheme to defend their dangerous TE (Mayer).
 
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While I know their track record after byes is pretty abysmal of late, I’m hoping with the major upgrades they’ve made across the coaching staff that they team will be far better prepared heading into NC State.

The injuries are killer though. With Thompson, Lockett, Jones and Elmore healthy this could have been a really special season. We still have a chance at 8-9 wins as long as we get the running game going and we can get our backup DTs up to snuff.

The great thing about this season though is that while much of it is young, it seems like after 6 seasons of building they finally have meaningful depth. It shows how big of a rebuild this truly was, and while the 10-3 season in 2018 was amazing it was a bit of fools gold as far as being sustainable. However, they’ve recruited well, been smart in the portal and have the best coaching staff in forever. We are seeing the results of lots of hard work over the years.
Part of the reason I'm optimistic about coming out of this bye strong is because of how we started the season against Louisville.

We haven't really been ready like that to start the season often. I'm taking it as a sign that we'll be ready with a bye week to rest a bit.
 
Part of the reason I'm optimistic about coming out of this bye strong is because of how we started the season against Louisville.

We haven't really been ready like that to start the season often. I'm taking it as a sign that we'll be ready with a bye week to rest a bit.
yeah, and pick pretty much any trend for this program over the past 20 years and that trend sucks. this team is one win away(against a horrid FCS team) from our first 5-0 start since 1987. I would say we are pretty good so far at bucking these crapfest trends, time to buck another one
 
How often does it go the way we expect? Not listening to brain or heart, this one’s straight from the gut.

Wins: Wagner, NC SState, Clemson, FloridA State, BC
Losses: Notre Dame, Pitt, Wake

Final record: 9-3.
 
Kind of thinking the same. We've been flat after byes and NCSt's defense is good. OTOH we'll be home, rested and hopefully have some wrinkles in our offense. FSU is a possible win (we certainly owe them). Clemson, Pitt and Wake on the road ... tall orders. ND is at home ... Dome will be sky high, and it would be awesome to shut up their sanctimonious fans. But even with a 3d string QB they destroyed UNC. We have a chance if our offense plays its best and we come up with a scheme to defend their dangerous TE (Mayer).
I knew I was missing a team. Yeah Wake will be tough. Their receivers look legit.
 
How often does it go the way we expect? Not listening to brain or heart, this one’s straight from the gut.

Wins: Wagner, NC SState, Clemson, FloridA State, BC
Losses: Notre Dame, Pitt, Wake

Final record: 9-3.

I know this team has defied the usual trends of SU football from the last two decades but this team winning at Clemson and beating FSU in the same year seems highly unlikely.
 
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I know this team has defied the usual trends of SU football from the last two decades but this team winning at Clemson and FSU seems highly unlikely.
FSU is home bro
 
7-5 or 6-6

I think this team can get to 7-5 but I also wouldn't be shocked if we went from 5-0 to 5-5. NC State is such a huge game becaue the next four after that are just brutal. NC State hasn't really looked like a great team so far and after the next two weeks, maybe a mess physically. That said Babers track record against NC State has been less then stellar.

Syracuse plays Clemson well but winning at Clemson for the first time ever seems unlikely and that's being kind.

ND is clearly down from what they have been recently but will likely be riding a 2 game winnign streak at least and maybe 4 if they can get by BYU ( no easy task). After BC though this is probably the game I think SU could win the most. ND has issues on both sides of the ball and is far removed from the teams we saw previously.

Pitt is far from unbeatable but on the road I just don't see it. SU hasn't won at Pitt in literally like 20 years, its hard to have any sort of confidence in them winning that game even though they could.

FSU has become Pitt part 2. SU just finds away to give the game away or play just well enough to be in it before blowing it late or some fluke play etc. FSU has plenty of issues but this feels like playing the Miami teams of the late BE sans the Dorsey year, just can't seem to beat these guys (save for 2018). Good news is they have a heck of a gauntlet to before they face us save for Ga. Tech including Miami the week before.

SU played well against Wake last year but if were dealing with significant injuries and if Hartmann is healthy, feels like a tough hill to climb.

SU should beat BC, there a mess all over the place and may have packed it in by then. Just hope this game is for win 7 or 8 and not 6.

The other elephant in the room is that SU's gotten I don't want to say breaks but benefits from calls or decisions that they don't normally get. Despite Anae and Beck being onboard, clock management was horrific last week and probably costs us against Wake, Clemson, NC State or ND or FSU. That stuff has to get cleaned up.
 
One thing is for certain, Syracuse couldn't have asked for any larger of a benefit/advantage heading into the NCST game. We play a school in Wagner this weekend that has absolutely no business being on the schedule. Then we get the bye week, before facing State at home in the Dome. At a minimum, we have 2 FULL weeks to prepare for the Wolfpack.

Meanwhile, NCST plays at Clemson this weekend, and then they're at home against another solid opponent in FSU the following weekend. Afterwards, they have to travel up to Central NY.

If there was ever a time for SU to pull off a huge victory against a Top 10 opponent (although, unlikely they will be Top 10 by then as I see them going 1-1 before our game), this is definitely it.

No excuses!
I've always preferred the opposite. Don't like facing decent teams that are angry, hungry and possibly desperate after a loss or two. Would prefer they come in overconfident and resting on their laurels. Hopefully NC State beats at least Florida State.
 
I think this team can get to 7-5 but I also wouldn't be shocked if we went from 5-0 to 5-5. NC State is such a huge game becaue the next four after that are just brutal. NC State hasn't really looked like a great team so far and after the next two weeks, maybe a mess physically. That said Babers track record against NC State has been less then stellar.

Syracuse plays Clemson well but winning at Clemson for the first time ever seems unlikely and that's being kind.

ND is clearly down from what they have been recently but will likely be riding a 2 game winnign streak at least and maybe 4 if they can get by BYU ( no easy task). After BC though this is probably the game I think SU could win the most. ND has issues on both sides of the ball and is far removed from the teams we saw previously.

Pitt is far from unbeatable but on the road I just don't see it. SU hasn't won at Pitt in literally like 20 years, its hard to have any sort of confidence in them winning that game even though they could.

FSU has become Pitt part 2. SU just finds away to give the game away or play just well enough to be in it before blowing it late or some fluke play etc. FSU has plenty of issues but this feels like playing the Miami teams of the late BE sans the Dorsey year, just can't seem to beat these guys (save for 2018). Good news is they have a heck of a gauntlet to before they face us save for Ga. Tech including Miami the week before.

SU played well against Wake last year but if were dealing with significant injuries and if Hartmann is healthy, feels like a tough hill to climb.

SU should beat BC, there a mess all over the place and may have packed it in by then. Just hope this game is for win 7 or 8 and not 6.

The other elephant in the room is that SU's gotten I don't want to say breaks but benefits from calls or decisions that they don't normally get. Despite Anae and Beck being onboard, clock management was horrific last week and probably costs us against Wake, Clemson, NC State or ND or FSU. That stuff has to get cleaned up.

Honestly I’ve been conditioned by late season collapses in 2011, 16, and (to a lesser extent) 21 to be completely unsurprised if we go 0-for after the bye week.
 
Not feeling great about the gauntlet and home stretch mostly because our opponents are starting to look better than they did earlier in the season. Clemson, Notre Dame, and NC State are starting to look better offensively to go along with great defenses (ok Clemson's looked bad against Wake but they will presumable improve). Pitt and Wake look not to far off from last year and FSU is one of the most improved teams in the country. It also doesn't help that we've looked progressively worse each game. I don't think we're favored in any game between Wagner and BC need to try to steal a game or two.

Then again I wasn't feeling great coming into the season and the team proved me wrong hopefully they will again.
 

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