With football season on the horizon (and SU’s virtual season in full swing), you’d be forgiven for hoping against hope and getting excited for this year’s squad. Here at the Fizz, we’ve written about the storylines surrounding Dino Babers’ quest to journey back from last year’s 1-10 boondoggle.
However, other publications haven’t been so kind to Syracuse. Athlon Sports in particular featured an anonymous coach and his choice words for Syracuse’s program, and others like CBS Sports and 247Sports haven’t spared SU. It doesn’t seem like anybody believes in this team, and the latest to say so was a pretty major player: the ACC itself.
A few days ago, the ACC released its preseason media poll. Predictably, the Clemson Tigers are tabbed as the prospective favorites for their 7th straight ACC Atlantic Division title. Of 147 media votes, Clemson got 125 to be the ACC’s overall champion.
In the coastal division, Mack Brown and UNC are favored as the champion. If this prediction comes true, it would be the Tar Heels’ first Coastal title since 2015.
Going back to Clemson, you have to squint to see where Syracuse lands in the Atlantic Division poll. Their placing might be unsurprising: dead last. The Orange didn’t receive a single first-place vote (shocker) and amassed just 202 total points, lower than Duke (212), over 200 points lower than next-to-last place Louisville, and lower than every other team in the conference.
In other words, the ACC thinks that Syracuse is going to finish last in the conference overall, not just within the Atlantic. That’s a pretty troubling development for Dino, but it goes to show that this year Рmore than any other Рhe and the Orange aren’t burdened by expectations. In about a month’s time, we’ll see if that leads to better play and signs of improvement for a moribund program.
