We made ESPN front page

[orangenauburn]

As underachievers over last thirty years.

Wasn't a bad blurb about us, and at least we are in the conversation still.

I was worried we'd be an after thought.

Best to be thought of than not at all.

 

[MSOrange]

Yep it's better to be thought of as undeachievers than thinking achievement is not possible I guess.

 

[SURules]

Sadly, I figured we weren’t even in the conversation anymore. There is at least this.

 

[syrBossHogg]

Which college football programs have been the biggest underachievers over the past 30 seasons?

There are certain programs that just can't seem to break through, despite some inherent traits that set them up for success. These are the teams that constantly prompt questions like "Why can't they win their league?" or "What happened to them?"

www.espn.com

The writer organized the schools into six tiers. Tier 1 are teams that should be winning a national championship, and Tier 6 are teams that should be going to bowl games more frequently. We were placed under the sixth tier called Bowled over.

Syracuse: There's genuine football tradition at Syracuse, which won a national title in 1959 and, after a long run of independence, three consecutive Big East titles from 1996 to 1998. Syracuse recorded nine AP Top 25 finishes between 1987 and 2001, did not record a losing season during the stretch, and played in two Fiesta Bowls, an Orange Bowl, a Sugar Bowl and a Peach Bowl. Since 2001, the Orange have appeared in only five bowl games and had postseason droughts of five years and four years. They own only one AP Top 25 finish during the stretch, in their only season with more than eight wins (10-3 in 2018). Syracuse is a basketball school not located near many top recruiting markets, but the program could achieve more than it has lately.

 

[OrangeAl]

Hard to argue with that. Winning seemed like a routine back in the '90's. Now losing has become the routine.

 

[money3189]

Which college football programs have been the biggest underachievers over the past 30 seasons?

There are certain programs that just can't seem to break through, despite some inherent traits that set them up for success. These are the teams that constantly prompt questions like "Why can't they win their league?" or "What happened to them?"

www.espn.com

The writer organized the schools into six tiers. Tier 1 are teams that should be winning a national championship, and Tier 6 are teams that should be going to bowl games more frequently. We were placed under the sixth tier called Bowled over.

Syracuse: There's genuine football tradition at Syracuse, which won a national title in 1959 and, after a long run of independence, three consecutive Big East titles from 1996 to 1998. Syracuse recorded nine AP Top 25 finishes between 1987 and 2001, did not record a losing season during the stretch, and played in two Fiesta Bowls, an Orange Bowl, a Sugar Bowl and a Peach Bowl. Since 2001, the Orange have appeared in only five bowl games and had postseason droughts of five years and four years. They own only one AP Top 25 finish during the stretch, in their only season with more than eight wins (10-3 in 2018). Syracuse is a basketball school not located near many top recruiting markets, but the program could achieve more than it has lately.

Cant argue that at all.

 

[SkyTopBus44]

It made me feel really old reading that article. I felt like the majority of those programs had significant success in the late 1990s when I was in college. I was thinking that's right they haven't been good for a long time? Oh yah I guess they aren't really elite anymore. Ironically one who is making a resurgence is UNC which has that same 1990s coach back at the helm. Maybe we should bring back P and Nebraska should bring back Tom Osborne

A side note, I always loved Los Angeles when it had no pro teams and USC and UCLA were the biggest football shows in town. LA was like a major city college town then. I know that the Rams/Chargers don't really have the passionate fan connection that the northeast pro teams do. I wonder if the addition has diluted the college football passion a little bit.

 

[elimunelson]

I mean to say we've underachieved for 30 years would completely dismiss the first 10 years of those 30 where we over achieved historically. From 91-01 we were a top 20 program in the country all things being equal.

I feel like the arbitrary 30 years makes me question our status. If it was 20 years, i'd argue we are a top 5 underachieving program.

Probably splitting hairs but I relish those first 10 and are the oasis on the horizon that a team in the northeast can become a consistent power

 

[syrBossHogg]

I mean to say we've underachieved for 30 years would completely dismiss the first 10 years of those 30 where we over achieved historically. From 91-01 we were a top 20 program in the country all things being equal.

I feel like the arbitrary 30 years makes me question our status. If it was 20 years, i'd argue we are a top 5 underachieving program.

Probably splitting hairs but I relish those first 10 and are the oasis on the horizon that a team in the northeast can become a consistent power

Rittenburg did mention he placed more emphasis on the past 15-20 years, for some reason.

 

[GoSU96]

Which college football programs have been the biggest underachievers over the past 30 seasons?

There are certain programs that just can't seem to break through, despite some inherent traits that set them up for success. These are the teams that constantly prompt questions like "Why can't they win their league?" or "What happened to them?"

www.espn.com

The writer organized the schools into six tiers. Tier 1 are teams that should be winning a national championship, and Tier 6 are teams that should be going to bowl games more frequently. We were placed under the sixth tier called Bowled over.

Syracuse: There's genuine football tradition at Syracuse, which won a national title in 1959 and, after a long run of independence, three consecutive Big East titles from 1996 to 1998. Syracuse recorded nine AP Top 25 finishes between 1987 and 2001, did not record a losing season during the stretch, and played in two Fiesta Bowls, an Orange Bowl, a Sugar Bowl and a Peach Bowl. Since 2001, the Orange have appeared in only five bowl games and had postseason droughts of five years and four years. They own only one AP Top 25 finish during the stretch, in their only season with more than eight wins (10-3 in 2018). Syracuse is a basketball school not located near many top recruiting markets, but the program could achieve more than it has lately.

And they fired the guy highly responsible for that stretch and then didn’t support the other guy who got it headed in the right direction

 

[qdawgg]

Well that should help get us on the last railroad car to the SEC or B10