Syracuse vs. Notre Dame: TNIAAM Predictions & Poll

Congratulations, Syracuse Orange fans! You made it to the end of the 2020 football season. All it took was the top two running backs opting out, two quarterbacks getting injured, two safeties getting injured and declaring for the NFL draft, more injuries on both sides of the ball, and a spike on fourth down for Syracuse to reach this point.

With that said, it seems inevitable that Syracuse will finish the season with a 1-10 record as Dino Babers and the Orange roll into South Bend to play the No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. With our resident ACC guests seemingly primed for the College Football Playoff, can Syracuse reverse fortune and get a shocking win to cap off an unusual season? The TNIAAM staff weighs in:

Christian

Notre Dame 48, Syracuse 7

Now what would be really funny is if Syracuse plays like it did during the Clemson game. The Orange have often played to the level of their competition and it would be the most Syracuse thing for that to happen here. Do I think that will happen? No. Ian Book and Kyren Williams are probably going to have a field day and I still don’t have enough faith in the Orange offense to do anything. At the very least, there’s a lot to talk about in the off season

John

Notre Dame 41, Syracuse 7

This is less an endorsement of Syracuse’s defense and more a belief that Notre Dame’s going to be pretty focused on getting out of this game unscathed before the ACC Championship Game. Despite the struggles last week, we did see some glimmers of what this offense could be if consistently competent. With a defense that can force turnovers, maybe we see them take advantage once... and only once.

Kevin

Notre Dame 48, Syracuse 13

I think this will be something like 31-0 at halftime as Notre Dame comes out focused and looking to make a statement on both sides of the ball. In the second half Brian Kelly starts to rest his starters as he prepares for the ACC Championship and Dino Babers gives Dillon Markiewicz some playing time with the Syracuse starting offensive. Markiewicz looks good and Orange fans are ready to hand him the starting job as we head into the off-season.

Andy

Notre Dame 51, Syracuse 10

I don’t know if this will be “Hangman game” level blowout, but with an ACC Title game appearance on the horizon, it wouldn’t surprise me to see some Notre Dame depth players in the game early. If that’s the case, maybe the Fighting Irish don’t put up 51 against the Syracuse defense. However, there’s a really good chance that the defense continues to get gassed in the second half due to offensive struggles, and the points get racked up.

Steve

Notre Dame 45, Syracuse 13

The Orange find a way to continue their decimated ways against a Fighting Irish squad that overmatches them across the board. At this point, in this situation, there’s little hope that the team can pull the miracle, but who knows. I assume a steady dose of Notre Dame resting their starters relatively early and the Orange getting gassed late. Who knows what will happen in Dillon Markeiwicz gets the nod, or if we trot out Rex Culpepper for one last go-around so that the young guns don’t get shellshocked.

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Alright fans, your turn. Sound off in the poll and the comments below: