Syracuse did it. The Orange are back where they belong. Back playing on Memorial Day weekend, a spot in the final four, a chance to win a national championship. There’s no more questioning if this program is back. Gary Gait, the best player in program history, has brought them back. Now the question is if this is the year that Syracuse wins the title. It won’t be easy, because at this point every team is great. But this season has been so chaotic that it’s obvious that anyone can be anyone.
Maryland beat Syracuse when these teams first met all the way back in February. It was an ugly game at SECU Stadium. It was freezing cold and pouring from start to finish. The Orange hadn’t had a chance to practice outside all year because the outdoor practice field was covered in snow and couldn’t be plowed. Syracuse looked rattled, made mistakes and gave the game to Maryland. Right now, it looks like it could be rainy on Saturday in Foxborough.
The key to a victory for Syracuse is playing their game. No one can stop the Orange offense when it’s firing on all cylinders. In the past, like in the first meeting against the Terps, the Orange have had a tendency to get away from what works for them. Syracuse has to play aggressively and attack their matchups. Everyone saw how electric they can be in the quarterfinal against Princeton. SU has to channel that same energy and play freely. The Orange got very tense and struggled to move the ball against the Terps when they played in February.
If you watched Joey Spallina’s postgame interview on ESPN, that should make you confident that he and the offense believe in themselves. In this sport, that’s the key. Only time will tell what happens on the biggest stage at Gillette Stadium on Saturday.
