Yup, they haven't beat a single ranked team. Their losses also include Notre Dame, Boston College, Georgia Tech, and Wake Forest who are the 10th, 12th, 13th, and 14th place teams (Syracuse is 11th). LOL.
Yea, SOS is pointless if you don't beat anybody. We have the #24 SOS this year, and that's including a largely dumpster fire worthless out of conference schedule. Up until about 3 weeks ago, I could have made a defensible argument that we were a stronger bubble team than Syracuse was, based on the ranked teams we'd beat and our injuries/suspensions. And that's sad really that you could actually argue that against any supposed bubble team.
Welp, I'll dive into this with orange colored glasses.
First, I acknowledge Syracuse looks like crap offensively and is a marginal bubble team. Every bubble team every year has proven they can lose to pretty much anyone, and it comes down to big wins. Syracuse doesn't have any marquee wins. Not going to argue whether they should or should not be in.
That said.....
GT's best wins: vs. Miami, vs. ND w/out Colson
'Cuse's best wins: @Miami, @Louisville, vs. VT
Are you suggesting we count GT's win vs. Miami as a win over a ranked team, whereas Syracuse's was not?
Why do we ignore the last 3 weeks? Because GT now has fewer scholarship players available (yet still more than Syracuse)?
GT beat Syracuse at home. On that same date, imo, GT loses to Syracuse on a neutral court or @ Syracuse. Would have been my prediction at that time and now.
The Orange will be a pick 'em at home vs. Clemson this Saturday. Clemson is still overrated, and Syracuse is much better at home. But I actually don't think winning that will get them in. I think they need 1-2 more in the ACC tournament, where they have literally never won a game.
I wish the quadrant system was used last year, and 'Cuse would have gotten in. Instead wins at home vs. Duke, UVA, FSU, and Miami were ignored as they didn't have a good road win. I don't think 'Cuse would have done much with a bid anyway, but I didn't think so in 2016 either.