Syracuse football bracket: Final Four voting

As we have with some other things since sports went on hiatus, we’re doing a bracket to determine the best Syracuse Orange football team since 1950.

On Tuesday, we voted on the Elite 8 and there were actually a couple upsets. First off, there were obvious wins for the 1959 squad (97% to 3% over the 2001 team) and 1987 squad (94% to 6% over 1958). Then the 11th-seeded 1992 team knocked off 1996, 72% to 28% while the 1991 team beat the 1988 team by a tight 55% to 45% margin.

Below you’ll find both matchups, plus some brief descriptions of each of the remaining squads. Voting for this round wraps up at 11 p.m. ET on Wednesday night.

1-seed 1959 (11-0, Cotton Bowl) vs. 5-seed 1991 (10-2, Hall of Fame Bowl)

In one corner, there’s the team that needs no introduction: the 1959 squad, one of the best in college football history. SU’s lone national title season stands well above the rest because of a crushing ground attack (thanks, Ernie Davis!) and a defense that allowed just 73 points all year. It’s tough for 1991 to match that team, but they were strong in their own right, hanging around near the top 15 or so most of the season and finishing 11th in both polls. Without Dick MacPherson, there was a chance this team could fall off. Instead, the Marvin Graves-led team scored victories over top-25 Florida and Pitt squads, plus a bowl victory over Ohio State.

2-seed 1987 (11-0-1, Sugar Bowl) vs. 11-seed 1992 (10-2, Fiesta Bowl)

No, 1987 wasn’t a steamroller the way 1959 was, but it was still a talented and fun squad with an offensive player that won a Heisman Trophy* during his career (*yes, just accept it). Don McPherson accounted for over 2,500 yards and 27 touchdowns and the Orangemen employed a two-headed rushing attack of Robert Drummond and Daryl Jonston to take home 11 wins and what could’ve maybe been a piece of a national title, if not for Pat Dye.

The 1992 squad was like the 1991 team, in that they hung around the top 10-15 all year, but finished sixth in the AP Poll (seventh in the Coaches Poll). That Marvin Harrison and Marvin Graves squad picked up three top-25 wins, almost upset Miami and beat Colorado to wrap up the season.