The Orange head back on the road to Louisville on Saturday (12:00 p.m., BIG EAST Network)
Photo by: Charles Wainwright
Orange at Louisville on Saturday
10/24/2011 4:39:27 PM | Football
Read The Game Notes | Orange All Access
Read Coach Marrone's Press Conference Transcript
With its 49-23 win against No. 11/14 West Virginia in the rearview mirror, head coach Doug Marrone and the Orange must turn their focus to the task at hand in Louisville on Saturday (12:00 p.m., BIG EAST Network).
"We talk about managing losses for a team," Marrone said. "You also have to manage success. That's the one thing that we have to do a very good job of this week. We are playing a football team that we have not beaten since I've been here, a team that is built or may be better suited for exposing things that we have inconsistent with during the year. It's going to be a great challenge for us."
Marrone is 0-2 against the Cardinals in his career at SU, including a 28-20 loss last season at the Carrier Dome. The all-time series is tied 5-5-0.
The Orange come into the game against Louisville receiving votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today rankings. It's the second year in a row that Syracuse has earned votes in the polls. In 2010, SU entered the receiving votes category following its win at natinonally-ranked West Virginia and remained there for a month before dropping out. Prior to last season, the Orange's last appearance in the national ranking was following a 43-17 triumph at Boston College to close out the 2004.
SU can also become bowl eligible for the second year in a row with a win on Saturday. The Orange is 5-2 and needs one victory in its last five games to qualify for a spot in the postseason. Last year Syracuse earned a berth in the inaugural New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium and defeated Kansas State, 36-34. The last time the Orange reached bowl games in consecutive years was 1998 (Orange Bowl vs. Florida) and 1999 (Music City Bowl vs. Kentucky). Marrone, however, is looking at his team's situation on a week-by-week basis.
"I'm totally focused on just Louisville," he said. "Like I said before, whatever happens, the cards go and the chips fall. I know people have to write stories and do those other things, but my job is to get this team focused on a team that we've never beaten and that creates greater challenges for us than maybe we've seen all year."
Louisville has started two quarterbacks this season in Will Stein and Teddy Bridgewater. Stein started the first three games, but was replaced by Bridgewater following a shoulder injury. Bridgewater was under center for every play in the Cardinals 16-14 win against Rutgers last weekend, and is 78-of-127 for 831 yards and five touchdowns this season.
The Syracuse defense, which has gone against some of the most prolific wide receivers in the nation this season, will face another test in Cardinal wideout Josh Chichester, who leads the team with 280 receiving yards.
"He's a good football player, and he's hurt us for the past two years," Marrone said. "He's someone, along with their receivers, who we have to make sure that we do a good job on."
Defensively, Louisville is ranked 14th nationally in points allowed (17.1) and 15th in total defense (302.7 yards allowed per game). Linebacker Dexter Heyman leads the Cardinals with 51 tackles, including a squad-best 7.5 for a loss Overall, Louisville is tied for 11th in the country in tackles for loss (7.86 per game).
"They do an excellent job," Marrone said. "They pose quite a bit of challenges for us, and we have to do a good job making sure that we turn this page, and look forward to competing against a Louisville team that is probably going to create more challenges for us than we've faced all year."
After two straight games on the road, the Orange will return to the Carrier Dome on November 11 against South Florida (8:00 p.m., ESPN2). Tickets are available for the game online, at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B) and by phone (888-DOMETIX).
Read Coach Marrone's Press Conference Transcript
With its 49-23 win against No. 11/14 West Virginia in the rearview mirror, head coach Doug Marrone and the Orange must turn their focus to the task at hand in Louisville on Saturday (12:00 p.m., BIG EAST Network).
"We talk about managing losses for a team," Marrone said. "You also have to manage success. That's the one thing that we have to do a very good job of this week. We are playing a football team that we have not beaten since I've been here, a team that is built or may be better suited for exposing things that we have inconsistent with during the year. It's going to be a great challenge for us."
Marrone is 0-2 against the Cardinals in his career at SU, including a 28-20 loss last season at the Carrier Dome. The all-time series is tied 5-5-0.
The Orange come into the game against Louisville receiving votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today rankings. It's the second year in a row that Syracuse has earned votes in the polls. In 2010, SU entered the receiving votes category following its win at natinonally-ranked West Virginia and remained there for a month before dropping out. Prior to last season, the Orange's last appearance in the national ranking was following a 43-17 triumph at Boston College to close out the 2004.
SU can also become bowl eligible for the second year in a row with a win on Saturday. The Orange is 5-2 and needs one victory in its last five games to qualify for a spot in the postseason. Last year Syracuse earned a berth in the inaugural New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium and defeated Kansas State, 36-34. The last time the Orange reached bowl games in consecutive years was 1998 (Orange Bowl vs. Florida) and 1999 (Music City Bowl vs. Kentucky). Marrone, however, is looking at his team's situation on a week-by-week basis.
"I'm totally focused on just Louisville," he said. "Like I said before, whatever happens, the cards go and the chips fall. I know people have to write stories and do those other things, but my job is to get this team focused on a team that we've never beaten and that creates greater challenges for us than maybe we've seen all year."
Louisville has started two quarterbacks this season in Will Stein and Teddy Bridgewater. Stein started the first three games, but was replaced by Bridgewater following a shoulder injury. Bridgewater was under center for every play in the Cardinals 16-14 win against Rutgers last weekend, and is 78-of-127 for 831 yards and five touchdowns this season.
The Syracuse defense, which has gone against some of the most prolific wide receivers in the nation this season, will face another test in Cardinal wideout Josh Chichester, who leads the team with 280 receiving yards.
"He's a good football player, and he's hurt us for the past two years," Marrone said. "He's someone, along with their receivers, who we have to make sure that we do a good job on."
Defensively, Louisville is ranked 14th nationally in points allowed (17.1) and 15th in total defense (302.7 yards allowed per game). Linebacker Dexter Heyman leads the Cardinals with 51 tackles, including a squad-best 7.5 for a loss Overall, Louisville is tied for 11th in the country in tackles for loss (7.86 per game).
"They do an excellent job," Marrone said. "They pose quite a bit of challenges for us, and we have to do a good job making sure that we turn this page, and look forward to competing against a Louisville team that is probably going to create more challenges for us than we've faced all year."
After two straight games on the road, the Orange will return to the Carrier Dome on November 11 against South Florida (8:00 p.m., ESPN2). Tickets are available for the game online, at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B) and by phone (888-DOMETIX).
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