Yesterday, Syracuse finally finished up its 2020 schedule, adding a road game against Western Michigan. Last week, Syracuse had announced it would host an FCS game with Colgate. Syracuse had previously scheduled a road game at Rutgers and home game with Liberty.

It's big future needs are a P5 opponent for 2024 (it has a road game at Army and home game with Ohio scheduled), and a G5 or P5 home opponent for 2026 (it has already scheduled two road games, at Notre Dame and Army).

Finding a P5 opponent for 2024 could be tricky. It appears to me that the only P5 schools that don't already have an opponent are Alabama, Washington State, and Kentucky. I assume Kentucky is planning to schedule a game with Louisville that hasn't been finalized. (Any UL fans know more about this?). BYU also has a number of open dates on its schedule. SU had scheduled 6 home games in several future seasons. I therefore presume they would be willing to give a home game to BYU (or Bama or WSU). The ACC counts BYU as a P5 opponent. I do not understand that it counts Army as a P5 opponent. Even if I misunderstand Army's status, we should still add a true P5 opponent if we can. Let's get this done.

2026's lack of home OOC opponents is a less difficult problem, as Syracuse has a number of seasons in which to offer a home game to its opponent, including 2022, when it has two P5 home opponents already scheduled (Purdue and Notre Dame).

In general, I've been disappointed with Syracuse's OOC schedule since it joined the ACC. I'd love to see more high profile opponents, including more top level G5 programs such as Houston, Cincinnati, UCF, and Boise St., some G5 opponents from recruiting hotbeds, particularly Florida and Georgia, possibly FIU FAU and Georgia St., and higher profile P5 opponents, as well as a second P5 opponent in more years. I'd also look at scheduling fewer FCS opponents. Improving the schedule would probably do a lot to boost attendance.

If I'm not mistaken, Syracuse used to play 7 conference games when it was in the Big East, but now it plays 8... that one game can make a huge difference in OOC scheduling!

(04-18-2019 12:18 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  If I'm not mistaken, Syracuse used to play 7 conference games when it was in the Big East, but now it plays 8... that one game can make a huge difference in OOC scheduling!

Correct, and we usually scheduled three P5 opponents.

2012: Northwestern, Southern Cal, Missouri; 2011: Wake Forest, Southern Cal; 2010: Washington, Boston College; 2009: Minnesota, Penn State, Northwestern; 2008: Northwestern, Penn State, Notre Dame; 2007: Washington, Iowa, Illinois; 2006: Wake Forest, Iowa, Illinois; 2005: Virginia, Florida State, Notre Dame; 2004: Purdue, Virginia, Florida State

That suggests that we ought to be open to scheduling two now.

(04-18-2019 12:30 PM)orangefan Wrote:  

(04-18-2019 12:18 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  If I'm not mistaken, Syracuse used to play 7 conference games when it was in the Big East, but now it plays 8... that one game can make a huge difference in OOC scheduling!

Correct, and we usually scheduled three P5 opponents.

2012: Northwestern, Southern Cal, Missouri; 2011: Wake Forest, Southern Cal; 2010: Washington, Boston College; 2009: Minnesota, Penn State, Northwestern; 2008: Northwestern, Penn State, Notre Dame; 2007: Washington, Iowa, Illinois; 2006: Wake Forest, Iowa, Illinois; 2005: Virginia, Florida State, Notre Dame; 2004: Purdue, Virginia, Florida State

That suggests that we ought to be open to scheduling two now.

True. On the other hand, SU also used to play Temple, UConn, Rutgers, Cincinnati and USF... maybe one of those plus one P5 is more comparable?

(04-18-2019 12:08 PM)orangefan Wrote:  possibly ... Georgia St.

Playing teams from Atlanta has gone infamously poorly for Cuse in football and hoops so far. You sure about that?

(04-19-2019 12:03 AM)georgia_tech_swagger Wrote:  

(04-18-2019 12:08 PM)orangefan Wrote:  possibly ... Georgia St.

Playing teams from Atlanta has gone infamously poorly for Cuse in football and hoops so far. You sure about that?

0-3 all time vs. Ga Tech, but 1-0 all time vs. UGA. I'd love to play Ga Tech more frequently, but we don't. We are already playing some low low level G5 schools, might as well use those types of games to get some exposure in recruiting hotbeds.