SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Orange football team will start the 2019 season nationally ranked for the first time since 1998.
The Orange were ranked No. 22 in the Amway Coaches Poll issued by USA Today on Thursday.
Syracuse football is coming off a breakout 2018 season, where it posted a 10-3 record, won the Camping World Bowl, and finished ranked No. 15 in the final Associated Press (AP) and coaches polls.
Syracuse was the only ACC team other than national champion and No. 1 Clemson to be ranked in the preseason Amway Coaches Poll. The Orange were also the only ACC team besides Clemson to be ranked in the final polls at the end of last season.
You can check out the complete Amway Coaches Poll here.
The AP Top 25 preseason poll will be published on Aug. 19.
In college football, the preseason polls are important because they set the initial pecking order that eventually leads to College Football Playoff and New Year’s Six bowl bids. It’s much easier to be ranked highly late in the season when you start ranked at the beginning.
Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com