Syracuse is bound to have some growing pains in Year 2 under head coach Fran Brown next season, but there’s one game the Orange can’t afford to lose.
Of all the tough matchups and marquee opponents Syracuse will face next season, the Orange should be most desperate to win their October 18 matchup against Pitt.
Buried in a magical first season under Brown was a miserable 41-13 loss to the Panthers in Syracuse’s ugliest loss of the year, where the Orange were blown out on the road in every way imaginable.
Now-NFL quarterback Kyle McCord threw five interceptions and three pick-sixes with no touchdown passes in that game, and the running game was completely shut out, ending with just six rushing yards. Facing the Panthers at home in the JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse should be eager to get revenge.
Syracuse also marked the game as its homecoming weekend, giving the Orange even more motivation to win. While Pitt is far from the toughest opponent Syracuse will face next season, let alone the toughest opponent they’ll face during conference play, it’s a must-win game.
If Syracuse wants to prove that it’ll continue to make progress each season toward Brown’s goal of winning a national championship, avenging its worst loss is a good place to start.
Win, and the Orange get to send the fans home happy on homecoming weekend. Lose, and Syracuse will have to wait another year to erase a stain on one of its most successful seasons in program history.
The jury is still out on how successful the Orange will be in Year 2, but regardless of how many wins Syracuse racks up under Brown next season, one of them needs to be a dish of sweet revenge served cold on homecoming weekend.
