Syracuse Breaks Up With Virginia Tech, Needs More Time

A week or so back I heard some grumblings that Syracuse was trying to get out of the upcoming home-and-home with Virginia Tech. SU was scheduled to host VT in 2010 and visit Blacksburg in 2011.  With today's announcement that Virginia Tech will be playing Boise State in 2010 and 2011, the flip side seems to be that the only reason that space was available in their schedule is because Syracuse asked out of the deal.

One one hand, it's a bummer to see Virginia Tech off the schedule.  SU-VT was, at one point in the late 90's, the marquee game on the Big East schedule every year.  And even when it wasn't, it was almost always a memorable game.  Would have been nice to keep that rivalry going in some form.

On the other hand, BIG sigh of relief for 2011.  I mean, that schedule was brutal.  It still kinda is (@USC, Wake Forest) but with the Hokies off the timetable, that does give us a little breathing room and allow us to schedule a little bit more within our means.  Maybe that's the spot that Duke fills.  Maybe it's Army.  Maybe's it's that Notre Dame game.  Whatever it is, SU better make it count and make it a winnable game.

Even 2010 looks much better.  The toughest OOC game on the schedule is now Boston College.  Along with Akron, Washington and Maine, now we're looking at an upcoming schedule that a rebuilding program can do something with. 

If I had to guess, we'll know who's filling those spots sooner than later.  With the Yankee Stadium info to be finalized today, SU needs to make some scheduling news in order to prove why they made this move as well as what they're going to do now that New York's College Team isn't playing in NYC.

Belated H/T: Gobbler Country & orangemanpd