The Athletic’s 2025 bowl projections have Syracuse football heading to the Birmingham Bowl to face Memphis on December 29. The matchup would give the Orange national visibility on ESPN, a mid-tier ACC bowl slot, and a chance to prove Fran Brown’s program is built to last.
The Athletic’s Syracuse Bowl Projection
The Athletic has Memphis as the opponent in its Syracuse football bowl projection 2025. That would be a great fit for Tigers fans since it’s a three-and-a-half hour drive from Memphis to Birmingham. This is a realistic destination for the Orange since it’s usually a mid-tier ACC squad. This Syracuse vs. Memphis bowl projection gives the Orange a chance to showcase themselves nationally in one of the ACC’s top postseason slots. Last season Georgia Tech was the ACC representative in the Birmingham Bowl, and finished 6th in the league standings at 5-3 (7-6 overall). Syracuse had the same conference record but held tie-breakers over Louisville and GT.
Why the Birmingham Bowl Is a Realistic Fit
A Syracuse vs. Memphis Birmingham Bowl would likely mean the Orange finished fifth or sixth in the league standings. If two ACC schools make the College Football Playoff like last year (SMU and Clemson), this becomes the fourth-best bowl game for a league member considering ACC bowl tie-ins in 2025. Considering how difficult experts believe the schedule will be, and the uncertainty of production at QB, if the Orange finish in the top-6 in the ACC it will mark a successful season for Fran Brown.
How ACC Teams Have Fared in the Birmingham Bowl
A Syracuse vs. Memphis Birmingham Bowl is a coin flip game. The ACC has had mixed results in the game. Last year, Georgia Tech fell 35-27 in the Birmingham Bowl. Duke beat Troy 17-10 two seasons ago. Cincinnati dominated Boston College 26-6 in the 2020 game. And Wake Forest topped Memphis 37-34 in ’18.
The SEC has had a bowl-tie in too to the bowl game, so Syracuse facing off against a major-conference opponent would be intriguing.
Past SEC teams in the Birmingham Bowl include:
- Vanderbilt
- Auburn
- South Carolina
- Florida
But even if the opponent is Memphis, it would be a quality matchup. The Tigers have gone 10-3 and 11-2 in the last two seasons under coach Ryan Silverfield. He has never had a losing season in 5 years at the school, and has gone 4-1 in bowl games since taking over.
National Respect for Fran Brown’s Program
While this Syracuse football bowl projection 2025 has fans traveling to Birmingham in December (it’s not exactly San Diego), it’s a respectable destination for Syracuse and reflects respect the program is now receiving under Fran Brown. The Athletic doesn’t view last year as a flash in the pan. The experts there see last year as the beginning of an era of Syracuse football where the program is bowl-worthy every season.
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