Syracuse at #1 Clemson
Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC
Noon ABC
Remember when this game used to worry us as Clemson fans?
Well, not much need to worry about this one. Syracuse might just be the worst team in the ACC and last weekends blowout loss to FCS team Liberty does nothing but reinforce that theory.
The Orange pretty much saw their season derailed before it ever started after several players decided to opt out, including their best two running backs. Then the injuries set in. They have taken two major hits, losing starting quarterback Tommy DeVito and starting safety Andre Cisco.
It is bad enough to lose your starting quarterback but the Cisco injury is the one that really hurts. He is the anchor of that 3-3-5 style of defense they employ and since he has been out the Orange haven’t been able to stop teams from running all over them. In the three games without him, Syracuse has surrendered 325.3 rushing yards per game.
After having been shut down for one of the few times in his career last weekend at Georgia Tech, Travis Eteienne could be looking at a big bounce back weekend. Liberty ran the ball at will on the Orange, to the tune of more than 300 yards. Expect Clemson to feed those running backs early and often.
As for the Syracuse offense, they aren’t any better than their defense. They just can’t score. The Orange have scored just 98 points all season long. For comparisons sake, this Clemson offense is averaging over 48 points per game.
The Orange can’t protect the quarterback and this Clemson defense is one of the best in the country at getting after the QB. Sixteen different Tigers have combined for 22 sacks through the first five games.
There’s a reason the Tigers are favored by 46.5 points. This Syracuse team is just plain bad. There is going to be a bloodbath in the Valley on Saturday. How bad of a beating it actually is depends solely on Dabo Swinney.
Clemson 55 Syracuse 0
Nathan Shipman (Contributor): 44-10 Clemson wins! Hunter Helms gets some more reps in as a back up quarterback!
As always we like to include a few predictions from the Facebook group and like usual no one is picking the upset.
Crystal Dearring 57-7
Tom Reed 56-3
Donald Stephens 60-12
Robert McCall 63-14
John Chancey 58-0
John Baker 52-7
Leonard Wade 63-7
Gene Morris 56-7
