Just the other day, CBS Sports picked the Syracuse Orange as the 63rd-best college football team in the preseason. Today, the outlet’s initial bowl projections pick the Orange to head to the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.
Our projected opponent, the BYU Cougars, would be a replacement team for the SEC in that matchup. But that might actually provide some additional intrigue for the contest, which would take place on December 27.
Though the two programs have met just twice before (splitting games in 2000 and 2002), Mormonism was founded in Western New York before Brigham Young moved the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Utah. Western NY’s not Central NY, but you get the link there.
If this were to come to fruition, it would be the second trip to Louisiana for the Orange this season. They’ll square off with the LSU Tigers down in Baton Rouge on September 23 (in a game that never should’ve been scheduled, but I’m still going to it anyway).
CBS Sports’ picks feature nine ACC teams in total (and Notre Dame also gets in). A rundown of those selections:
Sugar Bowl: Florida State Seminoles
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl: Miami Hurricanes
TaxSlayer Bowl: Virginia Tech Hokies
Belk Bowl: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Sun Bowl: Pittsburgh Panthers
Military Bowl: NC State Wolfpack
Camping World Bowl: Louisville Cardinals
Independence Bowl: Syracuse Orange
Pinstripe Bowl: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
We’re probably just happy with the selection, right, despite it being in a far-off locale no SU fans can get to? Though in some respects, the Quick Lane Bowl would probably be the better call for everyone’s sake.