As someone in the younger generation (sorry ‘bout it old farts
) Syracuse’s national relevance has probably been about the same as Tech’s. I left Tech in the spring of ‘19. Since I’ve been alive, Syracuse has won 10+ games twice, and has 5 seasons of 8+ wins. Conversely, Tech has won 10+ games 3 times and 8+ 10 times. Neither of those resumes are stunning, and outside of their own regions, both programs have been very forgettable.
But, Syracuse went 16 entire seasons without being ranked once. That was my entire childhood/adolescence. There was no reason for me or anyone else near my age to ever think about Syracuse football. I didn’t even know Donovan McNabb went to Syracuse until within the last few years. And McNabb was one of the best NFL players of my childhood, and was on the cover of one of my favorite Madden games.
I’m sure it’s the same with the generation below mine and Calvin Johnson. An incredible player, had his own Madden cover ironically, but his time at GT has become irrelevant because GT was all but irrelevant for a long time. My original comment wasn’t a shot at ‘Cuse’s history, more so just a bit surprised about it. As you said, that decade and a half of absolute incompetence probably did irreparable damage to the program. Tech is at least helped out with natural rivalries with Georgia and Clemson, and have had some classic games with Miami and FSU over the last decade+ or so. I honesty couldn’t tell you anybody that Syracuse has any semblance of a rivalry with. Rutgers? Pitt? I’ve honestly got no idea.