Syracuse athletics director says late-season swoons, failure to get to 7 wins led to Babers’ firing

By MARK FRANK The Associated Press

FILE - Syracuse head coach Dino Babers listens to a question at the NCAA college football Atlantic Coast Conference Media Days in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, July 20, 2022. Syracuse fired coach Dino Babers on Sunday, Nov. 19, after eight years with the Orange that included just two bowl appearances. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Nell Redmond]

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Syracuse athletics director John Wildhack says the latest November swoon and failure to achieve a 7-5 regular season record led to firing football coach Dino Babers. The move was made a day after the Orange dropped to 5-6 following a loss to Georgia Tech. The program has one last chance to become bowl eligible in closing its season hosting Wake Forest this weekend. The Orange wasted a strong start for a second straight season by losing six of their past seven. Wildhack says he informed Babers of his expectations to win seven games before the season and reminded him of that objective last month.