If you read any preseason preview or listened to any college football analyst, Syracuse was destined for a lost campaign. The talent wasn’t any good. The coaching was terrible. The outlook was bleak.
After Saturday’s win over Ohio, things aren’t nearly as bad as most thought. In fact, all around that was essentially the best way the season could’ve started. Let’s count the ways:
- Tommy DeVito looked solid. SU fans wanted to see one of the QBs take control of the position. DeVito did that.
- Duce Chestnut showed out. The highest ranked recruit in years proved in his first game he’s ready for the moment despite being only a true freshman.
- Sean Tucker dominated. If the run game has major production it protects the QB and the defense.
- Clemson’s offense looked putrid. The ACC’s kingpin looked lost for most of the night against Georgia. D.J. Uiagalelei was touted as being perhaps better than Trevor Lawrence. He mustered 3 points and threw a pick-6. Maybe this is a Tigers team that can be beaten within the conference.
- North Carolina was exposed. The Virginia Tech defense confounded Sam Howell and the much-hyped Tar Heels offense. Maybe UNC is fraudulent.
- Miami got trucked by Alabama. Maybe the Tide is once again the most powerful team by a long shot in college football and will destroy any opponent. But the Canes certainly are nowhere near that level.
- Georgia Tech lost to Northern Illinois. Duke lost to Charlotte. Okay, so there are clearly two schools who may be far worse than Syracuse.
- UConn lost to Holy Cross. Seriously.
It’s only one week. Plenty can and will change across the ACC. But for the moment the best teams in the league looked mortal (or downright bad) and the bad teams looked really awful. But SU took care of its business. And old rival Randy Edsall and the Huskies got humiliated. That’s as good a Saturday as you can draw up.
