Dino Babers says a win over Notre Dame would be 'a big thing'

As we entered the 2022 season, Notre Dame entered as a Top-10 team while Syracuse was outside the Top-25. The roles have since reversed, though, as the Irish enter this weekend’s game in New York unranked while the Orange sit 16th in the nation. Still, Dino Babers acknowledged the importance of this game based on name recognition alone.

Babers spoke in depth on the brand of Notre Dame during his press conference earlier this week. He says their marque is as recognizable as it gets in college sports and that’s what makes it such an achievement to potentially knock them off.

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“Notre Dame has their own television station…Their brand is unique. Their brand is their brand. They fly alone. They have no wing man. It’s just Notre Dame and any time you get an opportunity to play a brand like that, not only is it something that you aspire to do as an athlete but you kind of take pride in (finding) a way to come up with a win,” said Babers. “If you get a win over Notre Dame, it’s a big thing. They know that everybody gives them their best short. They’re always ready for everyone and they’ll be ready for us as well. It’s a fabulous team.”

After starting the year fifth in the nation, a pair of losses to open the year has long removed the Irish from the AP Poll. They’ve made up ground over the course of the season but still sit at just 4-3 overall. With that said, Babers doesn’t believe that takes away from this game at all. Babers understands the challenges Marcus Freeman is facing in his inaugural season. He also knows Freeman will have his team prepared for what is a big opportunity for them against the Orange on Saturday.

“(Coach Freeman’s) doing a fantastic job…They’ve had some bumps in the road. But that’s what happens with a first-year head coach. I’m sure that there’s not gonna be anything but bigger and brighter futures down the road,” Babers said. “They’ve got a chance for a winning season and a bowl game this year. I’m sure they’re looking at us the same way we’re looking at them.”

The script has flipped for this game based on preseason projections, but that doesn’t make it any less important for either side. For the Irish, they’re looking for a critical win in their push toward bowl eligibility. For Babers and Syracuse, though, they’re looking for another statement win against a name brand like Notre Dame.