We lost three league games and

[ImperialOrange]

So close to a 1 loss season

equally close to a 5-6 loss season. 9-3 is probably about right given our short comings in the trenches and injuries along with Zeed going awal

 

[blust2i3d4]

We played 11 schools with 6-6 or better records. Stanford is the only school below 0.500. I don't think this happened to other FBS schools before. The toughest schedule ever.

Also, besides Stanford and the FCS school, all our ten opponents will go to a bowl game. UNLV and Ohio could be conference champions if they win next week. No other schools have such resume. If there is a three loss school picked for the playoff, it should be us.

 

[blust2i3d4]

Based on AP poll, we have three wins against AP Top 25. The second best ACC school is SMU which has two wins against AP Top 25. GA Tech also has two wins against AP Top 25. Besides the three, no other ACC schools have multiple wins against AP Top 25.

 

[hoopsupstate]

The Stanford team we played is not the team that finished the season. They were hurt by injuries. That game might have set the tone for the season. We learned a lot from that loss.

 

[RICuse44]

The Stanford team we played is not the team that finished the season. They were hurt by injuries. That game might have set the tone for the season. We learned a lot from that loss.

Could not agree with this more.

This team was 9-3 because of their depth. We didn’t fall off a cliff when wax, reed, Barnes, jobity, tank, Hatcher, and weatherspoon were injured. You had guys capable of stepping up.

Years passed that would have happened and did happen to other teams like Stanford and Pitt.

 

[atlanticuse]

I was thinking of it this morning.
I'm afraid if we didn't lose to Stanford we end up with a worse record.
That's the way the world works.

 

[CuseFan]

I did not imagine a 9-3 season, and now the Stanford game puzzler just makes me/us all think about the might have been: BCS? top 15 or higher ranking?

Still - I will take 9-3 any year. Go SU!!

 

[grepal]

But we aren't that good. Ohio ran all over us UNLV was close and even the wins we looked great ended up 1 possession games UConn GT Cal etc.

Line opened up nothing for LQA and your typical 1st and 10 run gained 1-2 yards. D gave up 5 yards average on the usual run up the middle. Secondary probably a little worse than recent years. No Marlow return and we have lost out.

I think this is a case of a 7-5 team went 9-3 because of McCord and the Staff.

I do not think any one of us think Kyle is the biggest difference maker. HCFB gathered other talented pieces but Kyle is the man. As for our run defense the injuries on the d line, especially the tackles really hurt us both talent and depth wise.

 

[djorange1989]

I was thinking of it this morning.
I'm afraid if we didn't lose to Stanford we end up with a worse record.
That's the way the world works.

I thought of that too. Each game creates a new narrative/momentum or lack thereof as you go. We beat Stanford we go to UNLV at 4-0 vs 3-1. At 3-1 that game became do or die in a way. Maybe we don’t have the same fire and come up short in a game that took every ounce of effort we had to win. Hard to say. At 10-2 we still wouldn’t go to the ACC title game but we would probably have finished around 15-16.

 

[Dr. Bill]

I do not think any one of us think Kyle is the biggest difference maker. HCFB gathered other talented pieces but Kyle is the man. As for our run defense the injuries on the d line, especially the tackles really hurt us both talent and depth wise.

Why can't we all take a deep breadth, exhale, and take a step back: We had a great season!!! We overcame so many issues, especially on the defensive side, Wax going down, D linemen going down...Yet, we managed to make changes week to week, that kept the boat afloat...Our coaches...Improved as in game coaches throughout the season. This team won a lot of close games...that previous teams would have lost!!!! I don't understand why every Syracuse fan isn't still jumping for joy over this season!! I am going to post all the pre season predictions by so called football experts who said 10 wins was delusional and this team looked like a 7 win team if all went well. Stanford is a game we should have won! I don't know who could say we should have beat Pitt or BC...we got our asses handed to us in both games. 9-3 looks damn good from where I sit.

 

[smartman]

Frustrating losses to BC and especially Stanford. 11-1 and a shot at ACC championship and CFP. That said, we had no business beating VT and Miami down 18 and 21….squeaked by UNLV too.

All that said, been a tremendous year overall and super exciting to watch. With McCord and our offense, I feel like we are still in games even down 21-0 (similar to Nassib and team in 2012). I hope there is a way to build off the magic after McCord leaves — not sure we see many 5 star QBs no matter how good our recruiting is (here is to hoping that we see more).

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Without McCord we might have had 2 wins

How many championships would the patriots have had without Brady ? he’s on the team. So the team gets credit. No ifs ands or buts.

 

[tep624]

The BC loss was at least understandable as it was a bad matchup for us away. BC manhandled us up front.

The head scratcher is that Stanford also dominated us on both lines in our own building in front of a very loud crowd.

I think we took them lightly.

Yeah - I think we looked past Stanford AND were still working through optimizing personnel.

The Pitt game was just a complete implosion.

BC was a close fist fight and sometimes you lose those. We won at UNLV in a similar game.