The 2023 Syracuse football season is among us. Syracuse (0-0, 0–0 Atlantic Coast Conference) hosts in-state foe Colgate (0-0, 0-0 Patriot League) Saturday at 4 p.m.
The Orange finished last season 7-6 overall, and 4-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Last season got off to a rocking start, with SU securing six straight wins. Come late October, Syracuse traveled down to Death Valley and took its first loss of the season to Clemson. This triggered a losing streak of five games.
Regardless of the rocky finish to the 2022 season, the Orange’s 6-0 start granted them a Pinstripe Bowl appearance. Syracuse fell to Big 10 opponent Minnesota in Yankee Stadium 28-20.
For the returners, quarterback Garrett Shrader, special teamer Justin Barron and linebacker Marlowe Wax are this year’s captains. Shrader and Wax are just two of five SU players that were named to award watch lists. Shrader made two: the Davey O’Brien Award and the Maxwell Award watch lists. The QB tallied over 3,000 total yards and 26 total touchdowns.
After being selected to the All-ACC team last year, Wax is on the Dick Butkus Award watch list. Other notable veterans, Oronde Gadsden II, LeQuint Allen and Trebor Pena, have also earned spots on award watch lists.
“I don’t think it’s going to be the way it was with Sean Tucker for two years, but I do think that we have a good group and I think LeQuint is going to be one of the members of that group,” said Babers.
Babers announced that the second set of captains are placekicker Brady Denaburg, defensive back Isaiah Johnson and wide receiver Damien Alford. Denaburg replaces Andre Szmyt, the program’s all-time leading scorer.
For upcoming opponent Colgate, the 2022 season was less than ideal. The Raiders finished the year 3-8 overall and 2-4 in the Patriot League. But with a new season, always comes a clean slate.
Colgate has strength at quarterback. Junior Michael Brescia was named the preseason All-Patriot League QB. The Illinois native recorded 20 total touchdowns and nearly 2,500 total yards last season.
This is not the first time these two squads open the season against each other. The Orange defeated the Raiders 33-7 in the 2016 season opener. This was Babers’ first game as SU football’s head coach and the last time the teams faced off.
In terms of all-time history between Syracuse and Colgate, the matchup dates back to 1891. The in-state rivals will play each other for the 68th time on Saturday. The Raiders have not beaten the Orange for the last 16 matchups, but Syracuse’s overall record is 31-31-5 against Colgate.
SU has only dropped one season opener in the Dino Babers era. That was back in 2020 when the Orange’s first contest was against ACC foe North Carolina. Despite Babers’ success in season openers, it doesn’t mean he’s not nervous.
“I’m not excited at all. I’m worried. You’re talking about an opponent that’s very close to us, a lot of common knowledge. I’m sure they know more about us than they’ve known about many teams,” said Babers.
Despite the nerves from the head coach, Wax knows how he and the team are going into it.
“We all know that a lot of highs last year, a lot of lows. Just be grounded and just be low. Don’t get too big headed, that’s the biggest thing right now. I’m just ready and the guys, we’re focused and we’re locked in,” said Wax.
Syracuse and Colgate kick off at 4 p.m. inside the JMA Wireless Dome. A special one-hour long McClurg Remodeling Countdown to Kickoff pregame show begins at 3 p.m. on 88.3 FM and waer.org.