For the third straight season, Syracuse is going bowling. The No. 21 ranked Orange football team is headed to the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl in San Diego on December 27.
Under Fran Brown’s first season as Syracuse head coach, the Orange went 9 and 3, ending their regular season with a thrilling upset win over then-ranked No. 6 Miami. Brown is tied for the most regular season victories by a first-year head coach in program history.
Still, Brown, speaking after the Miami game, said he wasn’t satisfied, wanting his team to vie for a conference championship and win a national championship.
“Those two things didn’t happen, but I guess this is progress," Brown said. "I wanted to go to the national championship, there was nothing else on my mind except trying to repeat what happened in 1959 to at least 1987."
"We fell short of that," Brown continued. "We’re growing. We just have to keep pushing. I will never be satisfied with second place or third place. That’s like a loser’s mentality. But I’m happy for our players that our seniors got to raise the standard of what it takes to be a Syracuse football player.”
Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord has not said whether he will play in the bowl game. McCord led the country in passing yards.
Syracuse will take on Washington State in the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl. The teams have faced each other only once, in 1979 with Syracuse winning the contest.
Kick-off is set for 8 p.m. on December 27.
Tickets to the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl are on sale now, Syracuse fans who want to ensure seats in the Syracuse sections of the stadium are encouraged to buy their ticket through Syracuse Athletics.
