Orange Prepare for Trip to Death Valley
9/24/2018 4:00:00 PM | Football
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Death Valley awaits.Â
Two of major college football's 21 unbeaten teams tangle Saturday when the Orange (4-0, 1-0 ACC) head to Memorial Stadium for a date with Atlantic Coast Conference rival No. 3 Clemson (4-0, 1-0 ACC). Kickoff is set for 12 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally on ABC.
Last season's showdown against the then-No. 2 Tigers inside the Carrier Dome was one for the ages. In front of a raucous home crowd, the Orange stunned Clemson, winning 27-24 behind senior quarterback Eric Dungey's three touchdown passes. The Orange defense held Clemson to 113 yards rushing, well below its season average of 237.3 per game, and recorded four sacks.
The victory marked the first time Syracuse had ever beaten a second-ranked team in the Associated Press Poll. The Tigers were the highest-ranked Orange victim since Syracuse's historic upset of No. 1 Nebraska in 1984.
"Clemson's going to be ready to go, and we're not going to have our home crowd with us," head coach Dino Babers said while addressing the media at his weekly press conference Monday inside the Iocolano-Petty Football Complex. "They're going to have their home crowd with them. That's a big advantage."
Last season's victory was a stark contrast to the first time Babers led the Orange up against the Tigers. In his first season at the helm in 2016, Syracuse traveled to Clemson and lost 54-0.
"Two years ago when we went down there, we had a lot of difficulties," Babers said. "We couldn't hear. It's going to be extremely loud, but that's how it's supposed to be in a big game when you're going into somebody else's place."
In the last four years, Syracuse is just one of three teams to claim a win against Clemson. The Tigers are a combined 44-4 since the start of the 2015 season and show no signs of slowing down. In addition to the Orange, the only teams with wins against the Tigers in span are Pitt and Alabama twice.
Coach Dabo Swinney's Tigers featured a balanced offense, which is averaging 230.2 yards per game rushing and 274.5 yards per game passing. On the other side of the ball, the defensive line of Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Austin Bryant and Dexter Lawrence have suffocated offenses. The Tigers have surrendered an average 15.2 points per game through the season's first month. Syracuse comes into Saturday 10th nationally in scoring offense at 49.5 points per contest.
"They're an extremely talented team," Babers said. "Their entire front four is going to get drafted. I've never seen a front four like that before. It's going to take an almost spotless game on our part, but we're looking forward to the chance to go down there and play them.
"They've won one. We've won one. The big thing is trying to find a way to win on somebody else's field. It's going to be difficult."
For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
Two of major college football's 21 unbeaten teams tangle Saturday when the Orange (4-0, 1-0 ACC) head to Memorial Stadium for a date with Atlantic Coast Conference rival No. 3 Clemson (4-0, 1-0 ACC). Kickoff is set for 12 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally on ABC.
Last season's showdown against the then-No. 2 Tigers inside the Carrier Dome was one for the ages. In front of a raucous home crowd, the Orange stunned Clemson, winning 27-24 behind senior quarterback Eric Dungey's three touchdown passes. The Orange defense held Clemson to 113 yards rushing, well below its season average of 237.3 per game, and recorded four sacks.
The victory marked the first time Syracuse had ever beaten a second-ranked team in the Associated Press Poll. The Tigers were the highest-ranked Orange victim since Syracuse's historic upset of No. 1 Nebraska in 1984.
"Clemson's going to be ready to go, and we're not going to have our home crowd with us," head coach Dino Babers said while addressing the media at his weekly press conference Monday inside the Iocolano-Petty Football Complex. "They're going to have their home crowd with them. That's a big advantage."
Last season's victory was a stark contrast to the first time Babers led the Orange up against the Tigers. In his first season at the helm in 2016, Syracuse traveled to Clemson and lost 54-0.
"Two years ago when we went down there, we had a lot of difficulties," Babers said. "We couldn't hear. It's going to be extremely loud, but that's how it's supposed to be in a big game when you're going into somebody else's place."
In the last four years, Syracuse is just one of three teams to claim a win against Clemson. The Tigers are a combined 44-4 since the start of the 2015 season and show no signs of slowing down. In addition to the Orange, the only teams with wins against the Tigers in span are Pitt and Alabama twice.
Coach Dabo Swinney's Tigers featured a balanced offense, which is averaging 230.2 yards per game rushing and 274.5 yards per game passing. On the other side of the ball, the defensive line of Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Austin Bryant and Dexter Lawrence have suffocated offenses. The Tigers have surrendered an average 15.2 points per game through the season's first month. Syracuse comes into Saturday 10th nationally in scoring offense at 49.5 points per contest.
"They're an extremely talented team," Babers said. "Their entire front four is going to get drafted. I've never seen a front four like that before. It's going to take an almost spotless game on our part, but we're looking forward to the chance to go down there and play them.
"They've won one. We've won one. The big thing is trying to find a way to win on somebody else's field. It's going to be difficult."
For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
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