The SU-UL Series is kind of a dud ... | Syracusefan.com

The SU-UL Series is kind of a dud ...

SU94

Starter
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
1,883
Like
5,130
Our football series with the Univ. of Louisville has been at best "listless" and at worst "uninspiring."

In 2009, we absolutely blew a game at UL, losing 10-9, to a terrible Steve Kragthorpe squad (likely his final win at UL). The game was as brutal as the result. It took everything we had, including a disaster of a punt (maybe a block), to lose the game. It was pretty sad.

And in terms of drama, that was the high point of the recent series. Since that game, the average margin of victory has been ~25 points. That is hard to do. I have very little against Louisville's football program (other than they've won 12 of the last 16 games), but this is one game every year that has zero punch for me.

Image 11-11-21 at 8.49 AM.jpg
 
I’ll tell you one thing, if we don’t get this dub I’ll definitely resent them as were so close to being bowl eligible. Let’s hope we beat them and the rivalry stays flat. FWIW, the Lamar Jackson highlight that’s been on a constant loop is adding some spice for me.
 
Oddly, it's the one school GRob seemed to do ok against. 2-2, and both of the losses were still close games at some point of the 4th quarter if I recall.

That should be a sign.

I would so much rather have had Maryland on the annual schedule.
 
So the only time we've beat them at their place in almost 3 decades was with Gerg. Go figure.
 
Oddly, it's the one school GRob seemed to do ok against. 2-2, and both of the losses were still close games at some point of the 4th quarter if I recall.

That should be a sign.

I would so much rather have had Maryland on the annual schedule.
Sign of what?
 
I agree. Just don’t care about Louisville. It’s one of those teams in our league that simply isn’t a cultural fit. The NC teams are more appealing to me even. I guess it’s Kentucky.

They are an outlier. The last team in the boat. When MD left the Conference.
 
I don't feel that the series itself has been a "dud" pre se. With our record being 2-9 in the last eleven meetings, we have basically sucked against them. That doesn't mean that the series has been a dud; it means WE have been a dud and not upheld our side of the matchup. It's up to SU to change that and make the game more meaningful.
 
One way for Saturday's game NOT to be a dud is for us to be ready coming out of the bye week, and for several key players who've been dinged up to have benefitted from the week off to get healthy [Bleich, Davis, Servais, Williams, Wax, etc.].

Here's hoping we take it to them on Saturday.
 
Last edited:
I don't feel that the series itself has been a "dud" pre se. With our record being 2-9 in the last eleven meetings, we have basically sucked against them. That doesn't mean that the series has been a dud; it means WE have been a dud and not upheld our side of the matchup. It's up to SU to change that and make the game more meaningful.

This is true. But I also feel like it just has no legs in football. Each team brings maybe 50 fans to the other's stadium. We're never good enough to excite their fans, they're never good enough to excite ours. Given the regional difference, there's nothing left to make it all that interesting. Basketball is different, both being more traditional powers.

From an overall league strength perspective, I was glad to see the ACC grab Louisville once Maryland bolted.

From a selfish, and regional perspective, I wish Maryland would come back.
 
It has sucked, we have been really bad there, I was there in person for the more recent rain delay game, we had no defense,too bad, its actually a nice place to visit , we enjoyed our couple days there , good restaurants, Churchill Downs and the like.
 
This is true. But I also feel like it just has no legs in football. Each team brings maybe 50 fans to the other's stadium. We're never good enough to excite their fans, they're never good enough to excite ours. Given the regional difference, there's nothing left to make it all that interesting. Basketball is different, both being more traditional powers.

From an overall league strength perspective, I was glad to see the ACC grab Louisville once Maryland bolted.

From a selfish, and regional perspective, I wish Maryland would come back.
Yup. If the ACC was going to lower its academic standards to replace Maryland, then it would have been better off if Louisville went to the Big 12 and West Virginia got into the ACC.

Having a 4-team northern pod of SU, BC, Pitt and Maryland would have been great. Shame they chased B1G money.
 
I don't feel that the series itself has been a "dud" pre se. With our record being 2-9 in the last eleven meetings, we have basically sucked against them. That doesn't mean that the series has been a dud; it means WE have been a dud and not upheld our side of the matchup. It's up to SU to change that and make the game more meaningful.
All fair ^^^^

While the rivalry means very little at this stage (and maybe that's on us), the games themselves have been BORING. That is not helping. Even our two wins "recently" (in the last decade) have been blowouts.

That can all change ... I hope it does come Saturday.
 
This is true. But I also feel like it just has no legs in football. Each team brings maybe 50 fans to the other's stadium. We're never good enough to excite their fans, they're never good enough to excite ours. Given the regional difference, there's nothing left to make it all that interesting. Basketball is different, both being more traditional powers.

From an overall league strength perspective, I was glad to see the ACC grab Louisville once Maryland bolted.

From a selfish, and regional perspective, I wish Maryland would come back.
The Cards have basically owned us since joining the Big East, minus their Kragthorpe years. I have more vitriol for the Cards than I do NC State or Duke or NC. We've played them every single year for the past 15-16 years? This is absolutely a game people should get up for. Time to take our pride back. UL can get stuffed.

Oh yeah and there's that whole bowl eligibility thing. I'm pretty pumped for this game TBH.

And what's with the MD love around here? To me they are one of the most boring D1 teams to have ever existed. Right up there with Illinois and Minnesota.
 
And what's with the MD love around here? To me they are one of the most boring D1 teams to have ever existed. Right up there with Illinois and Minnesota.

We have a large alum base up and down the northeast corridor. Might be a nice way to generate more interest in the program, having a regular away game every 2 years near those cities.

At present, it's only Boston. No regular games near NYC, Philly, DC. It's not anyone's fault, it just kinda sucks.

I do agree that it would be so great if we can beat Louisville and get bowl eligibility. But from a bigger picture, unless both teams get consistently better, it's just another game on the schedule (not that there's anything wrong with that).
 
This is true. But I also feel like it just has no legs in football. Each team brings maybe 50 fans to the other's stadium. We're never good enough to excite their fans, they're never good enough to excite ours. Given the regional difference, there's nothing left to make it all that interesting. Basketball is different, both being more traditional powers.

From an overall league strength perspective, I was glad to see the ACC grab Louisville once Maryland bolted.

From a selfish, and regional perspective, I wish Maryland would come back.

For me, Louisville is the least desirable team that we play.

The ACC was lazy when Louisville joined and just placed them in Maryland's spot. I am sure UVA rather not play them as their cross over. The smart thing to do was flip Miami-FSU and Va Tech-Cuse. Too late now.

Atlantic / Coastal
Miami / FSU
VA Tech / UVA
Clemson / GA Tech
NC State / UNC
Wake / Duke
BC / SU
Louisville / Pitt
 
If you think this is bad just check out Pitt. 4-17 since 2000.

EDIT: Pitt and Lville probably equally rough for Cuse.
 
We have a large alum base up and down the northeast corridor. Might be a nice way to generate more interest in the program, having a regular away game every 2 years near those cities.

At present, it's only Boston. No regular games near NYC, Philly, DC. It's not anyone's fault, it just kinda sucks.

I do agree that it would be so great if we can beat Louisville and get bowl eligibility. But from a bigger picture, unless both teams get consistently better, it's just another game on the schedule (not that there's anything wrong with that).
Yep, that's pretty good reason, hadn't given much thought about the alumni base in that area vs what's in 'Ville. Makes sense.
 
That 2007 game is still just surreal to think about. That may be literally the worst SU football team of the modern era, yet somehow everything came together that day.
ND in 2008 was a much bigger deal. That 2007 Cards team was Kraghtorpe's first year and they were simply not good. Even though they finished 6-6 they did not go to a bowl game for the first time in like 10 years that year.

And don't forget we beat UL again the year after with the same team that lost to Akron.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
167,145
Messages
4,682,975
Members
5,901
Latest member
CarlsbergMD

Online statistics

Members online
206
Guests online
1,310
Total visitors
1,516


Top Bottom