Syracuse postseason projections coalesce around Fenway Bowl

Deuce Chestnut
Oct 1, 2022; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange defensive back Deuce Chestnut speaks with the media following Syracuse's 59-0 win over Wagner at JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kicia Sears-The Juice Online.

Syracuse finished the 2022 regular season 7-5 after a 32-23 win over Boston College on Saturday night. The Orange will find out its bowl destination following championship Saturday on Dec. 4.

The majority of prognosticators have coalesced around the Wasabi Fenway Bowl (AAC v. ACC) in Boston, with only a single projection having the Orange playing in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl in New York.

Additionally, the projected opponent for the Fenway Bowl is down to two choices: The AAC’s Memphis Tigers or the East Carolina Pirates.

Here are the publications projecting Syracuse playing Memphis in the Fenway Bowl on Dec. 17 at 11 a.m. ET:

Memphis (6-6, 3-5 AAC): Memphis clinched bowl eligbility for a ninth-straight season with a 59-0 rout of North Alabama on Nov. 19. The Tigers have become a staple in the college football postseason, with the longest active bowl streak of any non-Power 5 team in the country. Quarterback Seth Henigan has thrown for 3,287 yards and 19 touchdowns to just 8 interceptions, and three different receivers (tight end Caden Prieskorn, Javon Ivory and Eddie Lewis) all have 500+ receiving yards on the year.

» Related: Syracuse rallies late to defeat Boston College in regular season finale

Two other major publications have Syracuse matching up against East Carolina:

East Carolina (7-5, 4-4 AAC): Like Syracuse, East Carolina notched its seventh win after rallying in the fourth quarter. The Pirates knocked off Temple after Holton Ahlers fired his third touchdown pass of the game for the go-ahead score with 1:11 left to make it 49-46. ECU has had consecutive seven-win seasons behind the arm of Ahlers, who has thrown for 3,408 yards and 23 touchdowns. RB Keaton Mitchell has been a perfect complement on the ground, rushing for 1,325 yards and 13 scores.

Among other major publications, there was only one significant variation. Pro Football Network projects SU playing in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 29 (ACC v. Big 10) at 2 p.m. against Wisconsin.

Wisconsin (6-6, 4-5 Big 10): The Badgers are more known for their headlines off the field this season than on it. Though Paul Chryst guided Wisconsin to a 67-26 record (43-18 Big 10) over his 7+ seasons with the Bagers, he was dismissed midseason after a 2-3 start and a blowout against Ohio State. DC Jim Leonhard was the interim coach for the 2022 season, but Luke Fickell will come over from Cincinnati (he finished 9-3 this season in the AAC) to take over the program in 2023.

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About Wes Cheng 2907 Articles
Wes has worked for Rivals.com covering the New York Knicks, as well as for Scout.com covering Syracuse athletics. Wes has also been a contributing writer for the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), for SportsNet New York (SNY) as a news desk writer covering all of New York professional sports, and reported on the NBA and MLB for the New York Sportscene. A native of Long Island, New York, Wes graduated from Syracuse University in 2005 with a degree in journalism. Contact him at wes[at]sujuiceonline.com.