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Date Posted: 09/18/15 1:42:08pm Fri
Author: 'gate80
Subject: Colgate-Syracuse 1982
In reply to: Gate63 's message, "Film" on 09/13/15 5:58:03pm Sun

This game was anticipated more than any other (even Penn State) since the halcyon days of the 1977 season when Dunlap was upgrading our schedule. He could get games with Syracuse in 1981 and 1982, but couldn't get them on the schedule annually until 1987. In 1981 Syracuse with Joe Morris had a stronger team than in 1982 (Morris had a 80-yd TD run on the first play from scrimmage in 1981). Colgate's team was younger and not as strong in 1981 as in 1982. Yet in 1981 Syracuse game the Raiders had about 450 total yards, nearly as much as the Orange, and was in the game until the 4th quarter. A couple of turnovers deep in our territory put Colgate in a hole early we could not climb out of. We were 6 point underdogs for the 1982 game (there were Vegas spreads for Colgate games prior to the PL), a line which held during the week. 1982 was felt to be the best chance Colgate had in decades for a win over Syracuse, which would have been huge for recruiting, alums, and fan interest.

With exquisite timing, George Langdon picked the week before the Syracuse game to tell the team they would not be permitted to participate in the I-AA playoffs, a tournament they were favored to win. There could not have been a worse time for this inane announcement. It was almost as if Langdon picked it to cause maximum harm to the fb program, although I don't think that imbecile was that smart. A coach later told me there was no way the team had a chance against Syracuse after that announcement was made. The week before the game the players were filled with bitterness and a sense of betrayal. Some met with lawyers and were planning a lawsuit against their own school (the threat of which caused Colgate to temporarily change their position). Others were consulting with coaches on where they could transfer the following year.

It was poignant watching the telecast of that game again, knowing what would transpire over the coming years. The TV announcers matter of factly call Colgate the strongest team in I-AA (nice to be reassured that I'm not just getting delusional about past Colgate teams in my dotage). They also refer to the "playoff controversy" at Colgate, which would not be a controversy anyplace on the planet except in a Colgate faculty lounge. I saw 5 Colgate players in that game destined to play professionally. How nice to see us throw downfield on 3rd and 18 deep in our territory against a I-A team, or to see a 40-yard FG attempt split the uprights with plenty of room to spare. The lopsided finish of that game was a bitter disappointment at the time. We all knew then and talked after the game about how the playoff fiasco, which brought public contempt and ridicule to Colgate, would be the death knell for Dunlap's aspirations for Colgate fb, and that we would never again have a chance to beat Syracuse in fb. Yet despite knowing the result it was nice watching again Colgate play competitively against a I-A program. In my memory we were routed from the start, but watching again we were still in the game well into the second half.

When I read on this board hopes and dreams for Colgate fb in the future, it's hard for me not to recall these times. Our fb program, in little ol' I-AA, was a jewel, the envy of other schools. We were recruiting future NFL players, and could schedule virtually anybody (our future schedules in the 80s were fabulous). We had a 15-game winning streak against I-AA schools. (The 15th was against highly ranked HC 2 weeks before the Syracuse game, one of 4 games televised by ABC-TV live from Kerr. It was publicity from this game which led the faculty to demand that Langdon take action to begin the gutting of the program, as no less an authority than Fred Dunlap told me.) We were favored to win the I-AA title, a division which included at the time Boise St, Marshall, Nevada, N. Illinois, and others now in I-A. We were competitive against all but the top 3 or 4 Eastern I-A teams. Two weeks after the 1982 Syracuse game we would beat Temple, who had beaten the Orange in the Dome earlier that year. The following year we would beat Army in a game we were favored to win. I would have traded those victories for a win over Syracuse in 1982, but the idiots who ran our school took actions to make sure that didn't happen.

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Replies:

[> [> Re: Colgate-Syracuse 1982 -- The Future, 09/18/15 1:49:28pm Fri

Great post, '80.


[ Edit | View ]

[> [> [> Re: Colgate-Syracuse 1982 -- 'gate80, 09/18/15 1:57:57pm Fri

>Great post, '80.

Wait a minute, Future. I thought you didn't like posts like these.


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[> [> [> [> Re: Colgate-Syracuse 1982 -- Go...'gate, 09/18/15 9:20:51pm Fri

>>Great post, '80.
>
>Wait a minute, Future. I thought you didn't like posts
>like these.

Agree - GREAT post!


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