Before all our hopes and dreams are crushed and we lose to Central Michigan, let's live in a little dream world together. Just for a moment ...
Week 1: Syracuse hosts Villanova. Just like hosting Wagner last year, the Orange manhandles an FCS team. It's not quite the blowout Wagner was, but it's never close. A good warm up, and a good confidence builder for Hunt and the receivers, in particular. (49-13).
Week 2: Syracuse faces a rare MAC road test at Central Michigan. CMU is in there early thanks to the most raucous crowd they'll have all year, but ultimately the talent gap shows itself in the second half as the Orange pulls away. The running game and offensive line wear down Central Michigan and eventually break through for a couple breakaway runs in the 3rd quarter to pull away. (31-13).
Week 3: Brief ACC foe Maryland comes to the Dome with high expectations. Randy Edsall posts some garbage on the wall about how Syracuse never showed him the respect he deserved and the players vow to win this one for Randy in the Dome. But then everyone realizes that Maryland sucks, and the only difference between last year's beating in Maryland and this one is that Terrel Hunt is a better player and so are his receivers. The George McDonald Express hurry-up offense hits full stride against the Terps and Syracuse cruises to a victory that's never in doubt. (37-10).
Week 4: Syracuse and Notre Dame in MetLife Stadium. The stands are flooded with ND fans who can't even tell you what state the school is in. Everyone thinks this will be a repeat of their matchups with Greg Robinson because Notre Dame fans still think he's the head coach ... but wait ... what happened last time they faced Gerg? Oh yeah. Once again, Notre Dame is overrated based on name recognition. Everett Golson still isn't showing his same form after a year away from the team, and the aggressive SU defense gets him to throw two INTs and sacks him once for a fumble that's returned for a TD late in the fourth quarter. Hunt struggles, but the defense and running game carry the team to an upset victory that crushes the Notre Dame "faithful." (17-14).
Week 5: Brimming with confidence and a 4-0 record, Syracuse hosts Louisville on a Friday night. The Orange are still not ranked - somehow - but are in the "others receiving votes" category when the Cardinals come to town. With the momentum, following a marquee win, and on a Friday night, the Syracuse faithful actually show up and fill the Dome to the tune of about 44,000 announced attendance (appropriate number). Playing against a team he's familiar with, and a coach that even Greg Robinson was able to beat, Scott Shafer puts on a masterful performance as head coach. The defense reminds us of the West Virginia game in 2011 - also a Friday night - and the offense rides the momentum to a better performance than the week before. Louisville has no answer for the Cuse blitz and turns the ball over five times as Syracuse rolls to a fifth-straight win. (27-13).
Week 6: An undefeated and ranked Syracuse (21st in the polls ... no respect) hosts undefeated and No. 1 Florida State. It's homecoming. It's the biggest game in the Dome in 15 years (SU/Michigan in 1999).
Admit it. That's not the craziest thing you've ever read ...
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