Syracuse vs. Pitt: Nooner Televised On ESPN2

by Sean Keeley on Nov 28, 2011 11:57 AM EST

The Syracuse Orange are 5-6. The Pittsburgh Panthers are 5-6. These two teams will play each other on Saturday at Noon. ESPN2 will televise the event.

One team will lose and their disappointing season will be over.

One team will win and spend their December planning for a trip to the Beef O'Brady Bowl or the New Orleans Bowl or some other bowl you're vaguely familiar with.

Such is the circle of life.

Once 5-2 and on the easy road back to a bowl game, the Orange have dropped four-straight and Doug Marrone is practically on suicide watch.

Last weekend, the Cincinnati Bearcats wore down the SU defense with big plays while the Orange offense sputtered all day. Speaking of that offense, coordinator Nate Hackett spent the day on the sidelines, trying to get closer to the players during the game. It didn't make much of a difference and Hackett seemed to come to the conclusion that it has less to do with where he is and more to do with what he's putting Ryan Nassib through:

"I think I’ve got to take a lot off of Ryan. I think I’m making him think too much. I’m putting almost too much pressure on him," he said. "I sometimes forget that there’s a lot of guys coming to try and take his head off."

Syracuse has seen it's share of injuries all season and last week's game was no different. Fullback Adam Harris and cornerback Ri’Shard Anderson both suffered the dreaded upper body injury, Mikhail Marinovich spent the second half on the sideline with a sore back and Jeremiah Kobena left the game with a lower body injury. No word on their availabilities for Pitt.

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Well

this is our bowl game. Time to pull out all the stops.

May Doug Marrone bless you and keep you.

by ryanwk628 on Nov 28, 2011 12:15 PM EST reply actions

Yep.

If there is anything left to hide, we might as well use it.

Clear eyes, full bologna sandwiches!

by NOLACuse on Nov 28, 2011 12:24 PM EST up reply actions

Super Duper Wildcat

Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician - The Syracuse blog that cares.

If you've got time, buy my book "How To Grow An Orange", visit SeanKeeley.com and follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

by Sean Keeley on Nov 28, 2011 12:28 PM EST up reply actions

If they ever plan on using the Annexation of Puerto Rico, Saturday would be as good a time as any.

Clear eyes, full bologna sandwiches!

by NOLACuse on Nov 28, 2011 1:45 PM EST up reply actions

Wildest Cat

by Dan Lyons on Nov 28, 2011 5:30 PM EST up reply actions

as long as it's not this

Shut up brain or I'll stab you with a Q-tip

by MrPlow99 on Nov 29, 2011 1:30 AM EST up reply actions

Win this and we get to play in the Candlestick Park Bowl....

great, in front of 2000 fans (total)

by OrangeinJersey on Nov 28, 2011 12:32 PM EST reply actions

Unfortunate end to the season

I am pulling for one more win, and I was hoping it was any of the last 4 games. Hard to say where the problem is, but overall we are just not a very good team this year. We have shown flashes of great promise but in the end we are not able to put the product on the field. I hope Doug and Co can pull out one more win against Pitt and end the season on a good note and get to a bowl game, any bowl game at this point. Given our record against inferior teams and against Pitt, I am not going to hold my breath, but stranger things have happened. We are looking beat up and over matched out there in every single game since West Virginia.

At the end of the year, we are haunted with the same problems as last year on offense, a porous o-line, a running game that sputters at the worst possible times, and no deep threat to chuck a ball to in 3rd and longs. Here is to hoping the recruits start coming in to help out.

I think our defense will be a heck of a lot better next year, but our offense? We are losing 2-3 starting lineman, and Bailey, Provo and Van Chew. It will be curious to see who if anyone steps up next year to be a play-maker.

I still like Ryan Nassib however. He is not a bad quarterback, and I know if HCDM felt if he had anyone better, they would be in there instead.

Hard to say how much is on the coaching and play calling and how much in on the players, but they’ve both pretty much shown they have nothing left to close out the year at this point.

by Pinker on Nov 28, 2011 12:43 PM EST reply actions

The Bowl one goes to doesn't matter at this point

The 15 extra practices for the players who are returning next year that comes with a bowl invite is what matters.

by kd bart on Nov 28, 2011 1:59 PM EST reply actions 2 recs

How is it possible for Syracuse to go to a bowl game?

The BE has six bowls: The Beef O’Brady’s Bowl (Big East team against a team from Conference USA); The Belk Bowl (Big East against a team from the ACC); The Champs Sports Bowl (Big East against a team from the ACC); The New Era Pinstripe Bowl (Big East against a team from the Big XII); and The BVAA Compass Bowl (Big East against a team from the SEC) and the BCS slot.

1) Is it possible for Notre Dame slide into one of the BE bowl slots (I am aware that they are non- BE conf in football), leaving the conference with 5 bowl slots?

2) Both Syracuse and USF are 1-5 in conference play. The following teams are ranked 1 through 6 in the conference and thus must occupy the six Big East bowl slots: Louisville, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Rutgers, Pitt, UConn. Sure, Syracuse can win their sixth game, there by making them bowl eligible.

However, they will not be eligible for a Big East bowl tie in due to their 2-5 BE conference record (presuming they beat Pitt). Are there any bowls that do not have an automatic conference tie in?

Thanks for clarifying this. PS: I want Cuse to go for a bowl game for the same reason as kd bart posted. 15 extra practices for returning players is more valuable to the team than the actual game itself.

by cusedomedog on Nov 28, 2011 2:49 PM EST reply actions

Some conferences will not be able to fill all their automatic tie-ins

Though ND is very likely to take a ‘Big East’ spot. The Pac 12 is likely to have two unfilled spots (because UCLA will be rendered ineligible after losing the Pac 12 championship game, and USC has a postseason ban).

by drothgery on Nov 28, 2011 2:54 PM EST up reply actions

sounds like Syracuse is New Mexico Bowl bound!

Thanks for the clarification drothgery. I kew that I was missing something…

We should be pulling for Cuse to land in the New Mexico Bowl (Pac 10 tie in) which is located in super sunny Albuquerque, NM (disclaimer: I live in ABQ).

We are the true mile high city (32 feet higher than Denver), the true sunshine state (330 sunny days per year), and it’s Christmas year round (red or green chile)!

by cusedomedog on Nov 28, 2011 3:37 PM EST up reply actions

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl!

Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician - The Syracuse blog that cares.

If you've got time, buy my book "How To Grow An Orange", visit SeanKeeley.com and follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

by Sean Keeley on Nov 28, 2011 9:39 PM EST up reply actions

Keep in mind

Right now only 4 BE teams are bowl eligible. The winner of SU-Pitt will be #5. That leaves UConn (v Cincy) and So Florida (v W. Virginia) both needing wins to get to 6 wins. Can’t see both of those teams winning. So, that leaves 5,6 or 7 to the bowl tie-ins. Assuming ND takes 1, that still leaves 5 bowl bids. Conference record is not as important in the bowl bids.

by orangetundra on Nov 28, 2011 4:37 PM EST reply actions