Syracuse was embarrassed by No. 2 Florida State, 59-3, on Saturday. Here are a few thoughts from the game:
Syracuse has a long way to go
To be sure, no one was expecting a second coming of David vs. Goliath on Saturday, but Syracuse fans still have to be disheartened with the distance that the team will have to travel to get back into the national discussion. Florida State is entrenched as one of the elite programs in the ACC, and also in the country, and is a team that Syracuse will have to beat if they ever want to compete for an ACC championship and a BCS berth. A moral victory for SU would’ve been to keep the game in reach for the first half. Sadly, for the Orange, they were out of reach by the middle of the first quarter. That is not to say that SU can never be back in the BCS discussion again, but it’s not coming anytime soon.
» Related: Rapid reaction to Syracuse’s loss
Whigham OK after scary collision
Members of the media received this statement from assistant director of Syracuse Athletic Communications Mike Morrison on Julian Whigham late Saturday: “Julian was taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital with an injury to his abdomen. Julian is doing much better and is in good condition. As a precaution, he will remain at the hospital overnight for observation.” The play happened in the first quarter, when receiver Rashad Greene beat Whigham and hauled in a touchdown. Whigham collided with teammate Jeremi Wilkes, and was writhing in pain in the endzone before having to be carted off in a stretcher with a reported abdomen injury.
Still a chance for a good ending to the season
All Syracuse fans knew this game was going to happen. Florida State seems destined for a clash in the national title game with Alabama and is the class of Division I football. Despite lopsided losses to Clemson, Georgia Tech and FSU, the Orange still has a very good shot at finishing the season at 7-5 for the second year in a row. Syracuse finishes out the last two games of the season at home in winnable games versus Pittsburgh and Boston College. A win against either of those teams will give SU back-to-back bowl seasons for the first time since the 1998-99 season, which would be a huge step forward for the program.
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