Schedule Analysis — 2021 Syracuse Football preview

The Orange do not have an abnormally tough schedule, save for the general low expectations around the team.

Just three teams in the ACC appear in the preseason top 25 polls and only one is on the Orange schedule. Of course, it is Clemson, who starts the season ranked third in the nation and got 146 of the 147 preseason ACC votes to win the Atlantic Division.

If you believe in history repeating itself, the Tigers will visit Syracuse on a Friday night during the middle of October.

Three other opponents did receive some votes in the preseason poll. Conference foes North Carolina State and Boston College both received some support, as did non-conference foe Liberty. The Flames return to Syracuse after handling the Orange last season, 38-21. That game, as well as the opener at Ohio, are the most difficult contests aside from ACC play.

Syracuse was expected to finish last in the Atlantic Division in the preseason ACC media voting. Wake Forest (sixth) and Louisville (fifth) are the Atlantic rivals who finished closest to the Orange in that voting. SU garnered fewer points than Duke, who is expected to finish last in the Coastal Division.

The two Coastal crossover opponents, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh, are expected to be middle of the pack teams in their division. The Orange, however, have had trouble with their cross-divisional rival Pitt in recent years, dropping seven of their last eight to the Panthers, including four of five under Dino Babers.

» Related: An in-depth preview of Syracuse football’s defense in 2021

(All listed times Eastern, time and TV coverage subject to change)

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