Syracuse, N.Y. — A way-too-early narrative is starting to frame the 2022 Syracuse football season.
Experts say the Orange has a bear of a schedule.
Syracuse has four games against teams ranked in the Top 15 of ESPN’s way-too-early top 25.
It has five such games according to The Athletic.
“The lineup for this season is going to be amazing,” Syracuse coach Dino Babers told ESPN radio Syracuse earlier this month.
“It’s a very challenging schedule, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Babers enters his seventh season with the heat cranked to reach a bowl game next season.
Notre Dame, the jewel of an attractive home schedule, is ranked the highest in the outlets’ early polls. ACC Atlantic Division foes Clemson, North Carolina State and Wake Forest are also expected to return strong rosters next season.
Pittsburgh, which must replace Heisman Trophy finalist Kenny Pickett at quarterback, brought in Southern California-transfer Kedon Slovis to compete for the starting job.
Though not included in the way-too-early rankings, a Purdue team coming off a nine-win season visits the Carrier Dome, and Syracuse also hosts Florida State, which recently secured a commitment from Albany’s Jared Verse, the coveted transfer defensive end who memorably nearly chased down Sean Tucker on a long touchdown run in last year’s game in the Carrier Dome.
Another home game against Virginia carries an obvious storyline after SU hired former UVA assistants Robert Anae and Jason Beck to embellish the offense and improve a passing attack to complement an All-American tailback in Tucker.
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