We really should stop and appreciate 8 wins...

[Scooch]

Syracuse has played 123 seasons of college football. 2024 is currently tied for 12th all-time for wins.

12th all-time! That's a top 10% season in the century and a quarter of SU football.

If you look at the regular season only, then this season is 9th all-time. NINTH!

Now, this isn't to say this is a top 10 all-time SU team. There are other measures of that besides wins where this team doesn't rank as well. However, as a fan, the most entertaining thing to experience is wins, and this team is doing that better than all but a couple handfuls of SU teams ever.

I also suspect winning 8 games will help us considerably in attracting players here. Every coach can sit in a guy's living room this winter and not only sell a vision of the future but also sell tangible results from their very first season. Evidence, not just faith, is a very powerful tool.

We all have our gripes about certain position groups, certain coaching tactics, certain plays, certain penalties, certain breakdowns, and all that stuff. But this is a great week to step back and applaud what these staff and players have done. It's literally one of the best results in the history of the program, and there's still games left to improve on that.

 

[Marsh01]

agreed. i think most people (self included) had 8-9 wins pegged this season so we are right where I thought they would be. Stacking a few of these type seasons together is the next step in the process

 

[upperdeck]

Most people thought we could get there because of the schedule and some hope.

We almost got to 10-11 wins.

But many of the teams turned out to be better than people gave them credit for.

Uconn got to 7.
Ohio to 9.
Unlv to 10.

Cal was much better than expected and probably deserved 8
Pitt got to 7-0

The rest of the ACC was as expected, tough but not great.

 

[David321]

Yup, savoring every moment of this season. And I really hope we win whichever bowl we play in so this team will be remembered by being hung up in the rafters.

 

[BomberOrange]

Syracuse has played 123 seasons of college football. 2024 is currently tied for 12th all-time for wins.

12th all-time! That's a top 10% season in the century and a quarter of SU football.

If you look at the regular season only, then this season is 9th all-time. NINTH!

Now, this isn't to say this is a top 10 all-time SU team. There are other measures of that besides wins where this team doesn't rank as well. However, as a fan, the most entertaining thing to experience is wins, and this team is doing that better than all but a couple handfuls of SU teams ever.

I also suspect winning 8 games will help us considerably in attracting players here. Every coach can sit in a guy's living room this winter and not only sell a vision of the future but also sell tangible results from their very first season. Evidence, not just faith, is a very powerful tool.

We all have our gripes about certain position groups, certain coaching tactics, certain plays, certain penalties, certain breakdowns, and all that stuff. But this is a great week to step back and applaud what these staff and players have done. It's literally one of the best results in the history of the program, and there's still games left to improve on that.

Even if there is a dip next year, getting to 8 this year was huge for Fran to lay the foundation.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Even if there is a dip next year, getting to 8 this year was huge for Fran to lay the foundation.

Yup, unless we majorly boost the talent in the program via the portal or a lot of guys make big leaps, the goal next season is simply to keep the bowl streak alive.

 

[PhatOrange]

Amen!

 

[richmondcuse03]

Amen. Great post. Couldn't agree more. The key is stacking 7 to 9 win seasons and then we're positioned for a 10-11 win special year.

Eliminating the talent deficit is the only way that happens. While the transfer portal helps, it doesn't fix the depth issues. The only way we do that is by upgrading and retaining young guys. Folks need to give Fran time to fully reset things. I know everyone thought it wasn't a rebuild but I think any other coach, we would have seen a lot of guys leave and it would have been a much worse season (obviously Kyle helps but Kyle + Fran ensured guys like OG, Pena, Wax and JB all stayed).

There was a story in the Athletic this morning about the SMU defense that I thought was helpful -- took him a few years to get the right guys into place on that side of the ball and now they're humming. I expect improvement on the D next year and even with some regression on O, we should be competing for a bowl game and 7+ wins. Need consistency so this isn't seen as a fluke.

People are starting to notice Fran's success -- it's a quiet 8 wins and if we somehow win on Saturday, the nation will notice.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5945191/2024/11/25/smu-defense-college-football-scott-symons/

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Agree. We should appreciate what a great season this has been.

Also this conference is harder than the Big East days. Even the Indy days we had top heavy schedules but the middle and bottom were softer than this year.

That being said we did over schedule back in the day which lead to more Ls. Who is 2nd best team this year? GA Tech? UNLV? That would have been 4th back in the day.

Also we only played 11 games and no FCS many years. So this year is more like 7 Ws in comparison. Take 1994 for example where we go 8-4 with an FCS game (BTW that season didn't qualify for a Bowl game!). Other examples are 1985 and 1989.

This season is still very impressive when compared to 1999-2023. Third best currently and if we beat Miami, 2nd best.

 

[orange_in_VA]

I said 8-4 before the season started so I'm happy overall. Still hate Robinsons defense though. Lol

 

[upperdeck]

We are starting a game with perhaps our #6 corner in Kerr playing most of the game on an island.

In year one Barnes and Kerr show up and are probably already our 2 best.
our Best Wr is probably on the bench
Our best Pass rush is sitting out
We are starting a FR at DT about the hardest spot to play for a young kid

If thats the kind of Kids we start getting here the depth will come. i kinda wonder about the kids who needed some time to develop and maybe 4-5 other kids might be pretty good

Ross showed signs. Tremble/Hornsby looked electric in that small sample
Willis has shown if we block, he has skills

Too bad JRS was hurt all year.

My hope is that OLine kids just needed time and maybe in yr 2-3 we see that group take a leap

 

[billsin01]

agreed. i think most people (self included) had 8-9 wins pegged this season so we are right where I thought they would be. Stacking a few of these type seasons together is the next step in the process

It's been years since I've 'expected' 8 wins, but I'm a pessimist. That said, I genuinely appreciate what this team has done to not only get 8 wins but do so in an entertaining fashion. Will be interesting to see what we can do for an encore next season but for now, can't be anything other than thrilled with Fran and co. in year 1. Not perfect but a really, really nice wat to start a new era.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It's been years since I've 'expected' 8 wins, but I'm a pessimist. That said, I genuinely appreciate what this team has done to not only get 8 wins but do so in an entertaining fashion. Will be interesting to see what we can do for an encore next season but for now, can't be anything other than thrilled with Fran and co. in year 1. Not perfect but a really, really nice wat to start a new era.

He's accomplished everything he needed to in year one. Bonus points if he can get us a bowl win and/or into the Top 25.

 

[javadoc]

I saw Cuse beat Toledo at the Dome in 2003. Since then, I have seen Cuse lose:

Gerg's first game (WV)
Iowa (6 plays at the goal line)
FSU (close loss at home)
Clemson 3x (Home, 2 away)
@LSU
@USF
@Louisville
Penn St
@Wake Forest

It had been 20+ years before this past weekend that I had seen Cuse win a game, in person, anywhere.

 

[Marsh01]

Iowa (6 plays at the goal line)

ooof. still amazing that actually happened

 

[Dr. Bill]

I saw Cuse beat Toledo at the Dome in 2003. Since then, I have seen Cuse lose:

Gerg's first game (WV)
Iowa (6 plays at the goal line)
FSU (close loss at home)
Clemson 3x (Home, 2 away)
@LSU
@USF
@Louisville
Penn St
@Wake Forest

It had been 20+ years before this past weekend that I had seen Cuse win a game, in person, anywhere.

Wowza, that is what you call long suffering!. I tell you what, next time you are in Syracuse, go to the Varsity, tell them Dr. Bill sent you. Order a couple of pitchers of beer and a large Pizza any kind, and the bill is on me!...

 

[NKR1978]

I saw Cuse beat Toledo at the Dome in 2003. Since then, I have seen Cuse lose:

Gerg's first game (WV)
Iowa (6 plays at the goal line)
FSU (close loss at home)
Clemson 3x (Home, 2 away)
@LSU
@USF
@Louisville
Penn St
@Wake Forest

It had been 20+ years before this past weekend that I had seen Cuse win a game, in person, anywhere.

I thought my streak from the Camping World Bowl to Georgia Tech not seeing a basketball or football win in person was bad.

 

[lincolncuse]

I saw Cuse beat Toledo at the Dome in 2003. Since then, I have seen Cuse lose:

Gerg's first game (WV)
Iowa (6 plays at the goal line)
FSU (close loss at home)
Clemson 3x (Home, 2 away)
@LSU
@USF
@Louisville
Penn St
@Wake Forest

It had been 20+ years before this past weekend that I had seen Cuse win a game, in person, anywhere.

Amazing. Good to chat with you Saturday.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Well said. Second 8 win regular season in 22-23 years? It’s crazy really if you sit and think about it.

 

[Chip]

What is this 8 wins ****? We're winning 9!

 

[721Comstock]

What is this 8 wins ****? We're winning TEN.

FIFY.

Y'all forgot the bowl W.

 

[Maisel123!]

Most people thought we could get there because of the schedule and some hope.

We almost got to 10-11 wins.

But many of the teams turned out to be better than people gave them credit for.

Uconn got to 7.
Ohio to 9.
Unlv to 10.

Cal was much better than expected and probably deserved 8
Pitt got to 7-0

The rest of the ACC was as expected, tough but not great.

I totally agree. The team is actually much better than the stats would indicate. I think three games went down to an onside kick after a late touchdown by the other team made the game look closer than it actually was.

 

[elimunelson]

This has been a really enjoyable season, even the losses haven't made me go crazy.

Fran came in with a plan to coach a northeast school and to, more importantly, reclaim the northeast feel of this program. I can't pinpoint it but it just feels like the football program that I fell in love with in 1992 (when i finishing high school).

We've hired since Pasqualoni guys who, for the most part, tried to make Syracuse something else or had plans of using Syracuse to go somewhere else (that rat Marrone).

Anyway, i echo everything above. I'm savoring a return to "mattering again". I feel like it's not a one time thing either.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Well said. Second 8 win regular season in 22-23 years? It’s crazy really if you sit and think about it.

It is our 3rd best regular season win total in the last 27 years. 1998-2024 we had 1998 (8-3 only 11 games), 2001 (9-3), and 2018 (9-3).

 

[David321]

I said 8-4 before the season started so I'm happy overall. Still hate Robinsons defense though. Lol

I said 9-3, but I still have time.

Winky face.