The nation discovered Syracuse Orange football this weekend and the accolades and praise has begun rolling in.
Their 5-2 record isn't good enough to get them ranked (which makes sense, given everything before the WVU game), but it did get them some votes in the AP Poll. The Orange finished seventh in the 'others receiving votes' category," ahead of Rutgers (teeheehee). So, congrats to the 32nd-ranked Syracuse Orange!
The Orange also received 10 votes in the coaches poll. Congrats to the 33rd-ranked Syracuse Orange!
West Virginia remained in the rankings but just barely. I guess losing to Syracuse isn't so bad anymore.
Chandler Jones had an epic return for the Orange. Dorian Graham literally had an epic return for the Orange. Both were honored with Big East Conference weekly awards, for defense and special teams, respectively. Ryan Nassib earned his sixth weekly honor roll award.
Nassib also passed Troy Nunes (!) and Don McPherson on the SU all-time completions list and now stands in fourth place with 386. His five touchdowns also moved him into sixth on the career list for TDs (40).
With the big win, Doug Marrone has moved back up the charts in the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year race. He's currently 12th in the balloting with 2,623 votes. Dana Holgorsen is ninth with 3,046 votes, so, consider that your initial goal when you go there and vote. The top 15 coaches in the initial vote make the first cut.
Remember when it was a foregone conclusion the Orange were en route to the Beef O'Brady Bowl? Amazing how much can change in a week. All of a sudden, people are putting the Orange in The Orange Bowl. Appreciate it, but, slow down champs. Let's beat Louisville first.
Andrea Adelson tempers her karmic expectations by putting the Orange in the BBVA Compass Bowl. She also honored Jones & Graham and POY on their respective spots, gave out some helmet stickers to Jones, Nassib and Nick Provo and put the Orange at No. 2 in her Big East power rankings.
Athon has Syracuse No. 4 in the conference, two spots behind West Virginia. Makes sense...