Syracuse Football 2012 Schedule: Who Will Our Fifth (And Sixth?) Non-Conference Opponent Be?
by Sean Keeley on Feb 14, 2012 5:24 PM EST
in Syracuse Football
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Just like every other school in the Big East, the Syracuse Orange have a scheduling problem. The 2012 football schedule was supposed to include the TCU Horned Frogs and the West Virginia Mountaineers and now it will include neither of them.
That means that a schedule that once seemed complete with four non-conference games must now include at least five, if not six.
It's a little late in the game to be scrambling for non-conference opponents, especially since all of your conference-mates are in the same scramble you are.
The obvious filler is to add a FCS opponent and the Orange did that with Stony Brook. The Seawolves join the Northwestern Wildcats, Minnesota Golden Gophers and USC Trojans.
There's that rumor about Syracuse and Rutgers playing twice next season and considering no one seems to be denying it, I'd say it's in play. It would call for the Orange and Scarlet to meet in Piscataway as planned but then hold a second, "non-conference" game at Yankee Stadium on another date. It may sound stupid but if the only alternative is a road game against Florida State, I'll take the Scarlet Knights in The Battle Of Pinstripe Bowl Champions any day.
(FYI, that would also mean Syracuse would play in Yankee Stadium and MetLife Stadium in the same season, giving DOC Gross some major wood)
For the moment, let's just work on what we know for sure, that Syracuse absolutely needs a fifth non-conference game. Matt's College Sports Media Blog did the Lord's work and compiled a list of every team that still needs to finalize it's non-conference schedule. Excluding Big East opponents, here they are:
- Arkansas
- Florida State
- Hawaii
- Houston
- Middle Tennessee State
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- North Texas
- Oklahoma
- Oklahoma State
- Texas A&M
- UAB
- Louisiana-Lafayette
- UTEP
Now, we've already got the preseason No. 1 USC Trojans on the schedule so, if at all possible, I would love to avoid playing another national power. So for the sake of discussion, let's remove Florida State, Arkansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Missouri and Texas A&M.
That leaves Hawaii, Houston, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, UAB, Louisiana-Lafayette and UTEP. Honestly, I'm fine with any of these. Sure, Houston was great last year but they lost their coach and they're due to fall off. The problem is, of course, every other Big East school is thinking the same thing.
Of course, if it's true that the Orange need to find two non-conference games, it won't be easy to avoid some of those BCS schools (Missouri and Oklahoma need to fill two open spots). I'd rather keep the schedule as light as possible (bowl eligibility is the name of the game in 2012), but if we must, we must. OR, we can play Rutgers twice.
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You mean you DON'T want to play
USC, Florida State, and Oklahoma all in the same year?
Jets, Bills, Syracuse, Tennessee, Florida State, Braves, Cubs, Red Sox
I think we should Schedule these teams.
It shows that atleast SU is better then the rest of the BE and doesn’t load up on cup cakes, but instead, goes for some dragons. Yeah we might go 0-3, but think of how people will see us if we win a game or two.
by Gregory Tuers on Feb 14, 2012 5:43 PM EST up reply actions
If we took two from that trio of games, we would be a Top 15 team.
All three of those teams are gonna be in the Top 10 to start the year, so us winning multiple games against them would be truly epic.
Clear eyes, full bologna sandwiches!
If we did that and I see you calling for Marrone's firing at the end of the year
I’m coming for you.
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 Feb 14, 2012 5:52 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Losing to good teams is pointless
This isn’t basketball where we need to make the Big Dance. You win 6 games, you go to a bowl. You win 8 games, you go to a slightly better bowl. This team is not winning enough games for schedule difficulty to matter.
Get the cupcakes to sandwich around USC and be done with it. Our schedule will still be at the top of the Big East.
http://atlanticcoastconfidential.com/
I say go for it!
Born in '87, Orange fan since '86
by StealthTurkey on Feb 14, 2012 6:01 PM EST up reply actions
Until we have two or three winning seasons in a row
I don’t want to play them in any year, short of making an unlikely run to a BCS game.
Based on the highly scientific simulation engine known as NCAA Football 12...
I vote for UTEP and North Texas.
Orange you glad it's not football season?
by SUMB44 on Feb 14, 2012 5:29 PM EST via Android app reply actions
haha I'll take it.
Born in '87, Orange fan since '86
by StealthTurkey on Feb 14, 2012 6:01 PM EST up reply actions
Some good options
I say schedule 2 now and screw the BE and their stupid option of playing Rutgers twice. That is beyond stupid and Syracuse would be doing the league a favor by preventing another embarrassing decision.
Sounds like Marinatto's grand strategy for Big East expansion.
Orange you glad it's not football season?
by SUMB44 on Feb 15, 2012 9:43 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
Playing Rutgers twice, it is!
Would rather go 1-1 versus Jersey State than get undressed by Oklahoma down in Norman.
All about ACC (Plus SU & Pitt) football: http://atlanticcoastconvos.wordpress.com
Follow me on Twitter: @JohnCassillo
Just made a fanpost regarding this
But Doc Gross said on the radio this isn’t happening. Period.
But did he say Point-Blank Period?
Cause if not, then it’s not binding.
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.
He did not
But he didn’t say a word more than “No.” when first asked. Then there was an awkward pause and McManus had to ask more questions about it to get a longer answer, before reiterating that “No.”
What happens if it is 0-2 vs the "Garden" State?
Fans of New Jersey State will become insufferable and doc gross loses NYC bragging rights…
Orange you glad it's not football season?
by SUMB44 on Feb 15, 2012 9:46 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
I say Houston! In Houston!
Than I can take a nice 10 minute drive and be at a Syracuse football game. Given the turnover for Houston this year that game could easily be a win also.
ULL is rarely, if ever, good, so that would be an option that would net us a win (same for Middle Tennessee State I assume).
Part of me wants to schedule another big name team. Just for kicks. I wouldn’t be totally against scheduling one of the mid-majors and one of the big boys to fill out the schedule. Optimally, however, my choice would be Houston and Middle Tennessee State I think.
Clear eyes, full bologna sandwiches!
Houston and UTEP
I would like to see us play one of these schools just because they are both from Texas and it would give recruiting somewhat of a boost in that state. That being said i don’t think we will get what we want. If we have to play a top team like Florida State, Missouri or any of the big name it should be at home so we can at least get the possibility of a nationally televised OOC game. Especially if second game for Rutgers is at neutral site and since USC already is at neutral site.
Forget Houston
There is no way they schedule Syracuse or Pitt. The BE will reach out to them, guarantee them a game and fill it with one of the other 5 teams stuck in the conference.
by orangetundra on Feb 14, 2012 5:45 PM EST up reply actions
Good point on getting a nationally televised home game.
A game against an A&M, Oklahoma or FSU should pack the Dome and make for good PR if we can keep the actual game competitive (or God forbid win).
Clear eyes, full bologna sandwiches!
I somehow doubt
that we’d be able to get OU or A&M in the Dome. FSU might just be desperate enough to come up here, but I just can’t see the other two making the trek up here.
Without Gerry McNamara we wouldn't have won 10 f-- games, not 10
by PoetryInMoten on Feb 14, 2012 6:55 PM EST up reply actions
That, and they'll be up here every other year as long as they're in our division
… so coming to the Dome once out of conference probably isn’t a huge deal.
But FSU’s game with WVU was schedule for the 8th, and although the ACC schedule isn’t out yet so they don’t have anything for the 8th, 15th, or 22nd yet, we already have games set up for all three weekends.
SU and FSU could set up a long term home and home series...
then transition the games into their ACC schedules down the road…
Orange you glad it's not football season?
by SUMB44 on Feb 15, 2012 9:48 AM EST via Android app up reply actions
With the rutgers option out
We have to fill two spots. So its looking more and more like we will have to play a big name school.
by diavoloskier on Feb 14, 2012 7:01 PM EST up reply actions
Play at Hawaii!
Then we get to schedule a 13th game and have an even larger headache on our hands.
/end psychotic talk.
Go Cuse!
....And Georgetown still sucks!
CRS/HST '05
Texas AM
They only went 7-6 last year. That’s decent in a good Big XII from last year, but it certainly wouldn’t be an automatic loss. With South Carolina State, SMU, and Louisiana Tech, they could use a game against a BCS school out of conference.
After that just take UAB, UTEP, or ULL instead of a DIAA so it counts towards bowl eligibility.
FSU has apparently reached out to "50+" schools to try to fill the void in their schedule left by WVU
And not gotten a bite. I assume we’re one of those schools.
Never argue with an idiot. They'll bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
Well, kind of tough
To shop around a free loss to teams. When you’re a top-10 program (projected), people aren’t necessarily throwing themselves at you for scheduling purposes.
All about ACC (Plus SU & Pitt) football: http://atlanticcoastconvos.wordpress.com
Follow me on Twitter: @JohnCassillo
by JohnCassillo on Feb 14, 2012 6:52 PM EST up reply actions
FSU's opening is September 8.
We’re kind of busy with USC that day.
Unless you want to schedule a double header?
I vote
Middle Tennessee St. and Louisana Lafayette, for no other reason than they should be easy victories. Of course there’s almost no incentive for them to come to the Dome.
Without Gerry McNamara we wouldn't have won 10 f-- games, not 10
That's why I said
should be
Without Gerry McNamara we wouldn't have won 10 f-- games, not 10
by PoetryInMoten on Feb 15, 2012 10:57 AM EST up reply actions
FSU
i think they might just get pitt or cuse to play them because we will be acc buddies if it comes down to that
as per above, FSU really doesn't work
unless the ACC wants to schedule two conference games for them in September so we could play later in the year, our schedules don’t match up; we have non-con games already scheduled for all three of their open weekends in September (the WVU game was supposed to be the 8th).
Great body and okay face, or tiny torso and beauty?
It’s a dilemma, boys (or girls). Two cupcakes and a much better shot at a bowl, which is obviously great for cred (hey, I got some, did you?), or a tough game against a monster and a lesser shot at a bowl (hey, at least she let me in her room – did she let you in her room?) I’m taking the tough game with an outside shot at a win (“Soooo, you’re saying I have a chance?”) coupled with a perceived cupcake.
I just hope there isn’t that Sunday morning regret of “Dang, I should have gone for the layup.”
So.... Cornell and Colgate (again) available for historic rivalries?
In all seriousness, we’ve got enough BCS conference games next year, so I’d say aim for big name mid-major like Hawaii and Houston for one and then go with a low-level like MTSU or North Texas for the other
Twitter: RyanMcD29
Completely agree
I bet I could count on one hand the number of teams scheduling three BCS out of conference games. We don’t need a fourth, we need wins. With that said, we should do everything we can to get a low level FBS team (Akron) rather than another FCS game.
Whoever it turns out to be for either game
I smell some big frequent flyer miles for the team this year. :(
Go Orange(men)!
I sincerely hope
They do, because I need an excuse to travel in the fall. Already planning on going to the NW game and potentially the MN game too
"I tell our players all the time, champions can play anywhere" - Charlie Manuel
by The Polish Punch on Feb 15, 2012 8:36 AM EST up reply actions
WVU
With WVU going from 7 BE conference games to 9 B12 games and having already dumped the FSU game, do they have another team to drop from the schedule still? Or did they already lose the game when TCU said “thanks, but no thanks”?
~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."
I can't see them dropping anyone else
They’ve got Maryland (which they consider kind of a big deal), Marshall (forced on them by the state government), and an FCS game with JMU set up in Redskins’ stadium.
One decent, one easier team
If this was college basketball, then I would immediately say Oklahoma, Arkansas, or Florida State. But we only need 6 wins and we’re in a bowl. We also don’t wanna look like idiots playing Colgate again. This is where we find out the truth about Marrone. Here’s his 4th year, and now he’s got practically an entire team of his own recruits. Now we can become a real college football team again.
Get Houston or Texas A&M for one game, ULL or North Texas for the next. One game is winnable, another is tougher but if we win, we look better than we probably actually are.
how 'bout an FCS team?
Orange you glad it's not football season?
by SUMB44 on Feb 15, 2012 9:51 AM EST via Android app reply actions
Only as a last resort
We already have Stony Brook on the schedule, so we’d have two FCS teams if we did that (and only one FCS win counts for bowl eligibility).
I live like 40 minutes from middle.
Let’s play at their place.
Based on the coolness of the uniforms
I vote for either Texas A&M or UTEP. Both would make for an aesthetically pleasing game.
Victor Cruz is the 2011 Ahmad Bradshaw. He giveth, and he taketh away. Thankfully he is giving much more now.
by bigbluethruandthru on Feb 15, 2012 10:48 AM EST reply actions
Since when did everyone start trembling at the mention of Missouri Tiger football?
I know they had a good couple seasons lately, but c’mon – we can’t beat Mizzou?
Oklahoma vs UTEP
Looks like OU and UTEP have agreed to play September 1 in El Paso so that narrows the teams needing a OOC game.
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