Saturday, September 29
Clemson, SC
12 PM
Syracuse University
at
Clemson
Preview: Syracuse, No. 3 Clemson Tangle in Unbeaten Showdown
9/28/2018 10:00:00 AM | Football
SYRACUSE (4-0, 1-0 ACC) VS. #3 CLEMSON (4-0, 1-0 ACC)
Game Details: 12Â p.m. |Â Saturday, Sept. 29
Location:Â Clemson, S.C. | Memorial Stadium
Game Links: Tickets | Listen | Watch | Live Stats
Television:Â ABC
Radio:Â Syracuse IMG Sports NetworkÂ
Twitter: @CuseFootball | @Cuse
Syracuse Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats | Notes (PDF)
Clemson Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats | Notes (PDF)
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It's going to be a battle of undefeated heavyweights when two of major college football's 21 unbeaten teams go head-to-head Saturday, Sept. 29 as the Orange (4-0, 1-0 ACC) journey into Death Valley for a showdown against Atlantic Coast Conference rival No. 3 Clemson (4-0, 1-0 ACC). Kickoff is set for noon, and the game will be televised nationally on ABC, with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) on the call.
Syracuse is coming off a 51-21 win over UConn inside the Carrier Dome, which gave the Orange their first 4-0 start to a season since 1991. Clemson picked up its first league win of the year in its last outing, taking down Georgia Tech by the score of 49-21.
A HISTORIC START
The Orange's 4-0 start to the year marks just the fifth time since the end of World War II the team has opened a season with four consecutive victories.
The four other times post-WWII that Syracuse started 4-0 were 1959, 1960, 1987 and 1991. Syracuse finished the season unbeaten in two of those years (1959 and 1987) and ended up in the top 20 of the final Associated Press Poll in each of those four seasons.
The start also marks the first 4-0 beginning to a campaign for Dino Babers in his seven seasons as a collegiate head coach.
CATCHING A TIGER
In the last four years, Syracuse is just one of three teams to claim a win against Clemson. The Orange stunned the Tigers last season, 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.
Syracuse is vying to become the first team since Florida State in 2013 and 2014 to defeat Clemson in consecutive seasons. Should the Orange accomplish the feat, it would mark the first time since 1959 and 1960 that Syracuse toppled an AP top-five team in back-to-back seasons. In 1959, the Orange capped their national championship campaign with a Cotton Bowl win over No. 4 Texas. The next year Syracuse knocked off No. 5 Kansas on the road.
ORANGE RUSHING ATTACK
The Orange have been dominant on the ground, scoring 12 rushing touchdowns and totaling 1,112 rushing yards (278.0 avg.) through their first four games.
By comparison, the Orange averaged 161.5 yards on the ground in 2017, good for increase of 116.5 yards per contest this season.
Senior running back Dontae Strickland has five rushing touchdowns, a mark that ties for the ACC lead and ranks 12th nationally. Dungey has four rushing touchdowns this season, three of which came last week against UConn, while junior tailback Moe Neal recorded his first career 100-yard rushing game one weekend ago (116 yards vs. UConn) and has two touchdowns on the year.
NO FLY ZONE
The Orange's seven interceptions rank seventh nationally and lead the ACC. The play of the secondary has spurred Syracuse to a +7 turnover margin for the year, and the Orange offense has turned the miscues into 37 points.
True freshman safety Andre Cisco has done the heavy lifting with his nation-leading four interceptions. He's also tied for 16th nationally in passes defended with 1.8 per game, leading all FBS freshmen with seven passes total (4 INT, 3 PBU).
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Clemson, which entered the year seeking its fourth straight ACC championship and fourth consecutive berth in the College Football Playoff, is a combined 44-4 since the start of the 2015 season.
Coach Dabo Swinney's Tigers feature a balanced offense, which is averaging 274.5 yards per game passing and 230.2 yards per game rushing. Newly-anointed starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence has thrown for 600 yards and nine touchdowns through four games, while running back Travis Etienne has rushed for five touchdowns this season and averages 8.5 yards per carry.Â
On the other side of the ball, the defensive line of Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Austin Bryant and Dexter Lawrence has suffocated offenses. The Tigers have surrendered an average 15.2 points per game through the season's first month.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's meeting is the seventh all-time pairing between the schools. Syracuse and Clemson met once prior to the Orange joining the ACC in 2013. Subsequently, they've played every year.
Syracuse won that original matchup – the 1996 Gator Bowl – by the score of 41-0. Future Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison hauled in seven passes for 173 yards, and Donovan McNabb threw for 309 yards in the win. Both figures still stand as Syracuse series highs versus the Tigers.
The Tigers were Syracuse's first ACC opponent after the Orange joined the ACC. Clemson spoiled Syracuse's debut in its new league, winning 49-14 in the Carrier Dome on Oct. 5, 2013.
Last season's triumph at the Carrier Dome ended Clemson's four-game series winning streak.Â
UP NEXT
The Orange, now in the thick of the ACC portion of their schedule, remain on the road next week. Syracuse plays at Pittsburgh Saturday, Oct. 6. Kickoff against the Panthers is set for 12:20 p.m. on Raycom Sports.
Â
For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
Game Details: 12Â p.m. |Â Saturday, Sept. 29
Location:Â Clemson, S.C. | Memorial Stadium
Game Links: Tickets | Listen | Watch | Live Stats
Television:Â ABC
Radio:Â Syracuse IMG Sports NetworkÂ
Twitter: @CuseFootball | @Cuse
Syracuse Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats | Notes (PDF)
Clemson Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats | Notes (PDF)
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – It's going to be a battle of undefeated heavyweights when two of major college football's 21 unbeaten teams go head-to-head Saturday, Sept. 29 as the Orange (4-0, 1-0 ACC) journey into Death Valley for a showdown against Atlantic Coast Conference rival No. 3 Clemson (4-0, 1-0 ACC). Kickoff is set for noon, and the game will be televised nationally on ABC, with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) on the call.
Syracuse is coming off a 51-21 win over UConn inside the Carrier Dome, which gave the Orange their first 4-0 start to a season since 1991. Clemson picked up its first league win of the year in its last outing, taking down Georgia Tech by the score of 49-21.
A HISTORIC START
The Orange's 4-0 start to the year marks just the fifth time since the end of World War II the team has opened a season with four consecutive victories.
The four other times post-WWII that Syracuse started 4-0 were 1959, 1960, 1987 and 1991. Syracuse finished the season unbeaten in two of those years (1959 and 1987) and ended up in the top 20 of the final Associated Press Poll in each of those four seasons.
The start also marks the first 4-0 beginning to a campaign for Dino Babers in his seven seasons as a collegiate head coach.
CATCHING A TIGER
In the last four years, Syracuse is just one of three teams to claim a win against Clemson. The Orange stunned the Tigers last season, 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.
Syracuse is vying to become the first team since Florida State in 2013 and 2014 to defeat Clemson in consecutive seasons. Should the Orange accomplish the feat, it would mark the first time since 1959 and 1960 that Syracuse toppled an AP top-five team in back-to-back seasons. In 1959, the Orange capped their national championship campaign with a Cotton Bowl win over No. 4 Texas. The next year Syracuse knocked off No. 5 Kansas on the road.
ORANGE RUSHING ATTACK
The Orange have been dominant on the ground, scoring 12 rushing touchdowns and totaling 1,112 rushing yards (278.0 avg.) through their first four games.
By comparison, the Orange averaged 161.5 yards on the ground in 2017, good for increase of 116.5 yards per contest this season.
Senior running back Dontae Strickland has five rushing touchdowns, a mark that ties for the ACC lead and ranks 12th nationally. Dungey has four rushing touchdowns this season, three of which came last week against UConn, while junior tailback Moe Neal recorded his first career 100-yard rushing game one weekend ago (116 yards vs. UConn) and has two touchdowns on the year.
NO FLY ZONE
The Orange's seven interceptions rank seventh nationally and lead the ACC. The play of the secondary has spurred Syracuse to a +7 turnover margin for the year, and the Orange offense has turned the miscues into 37 points.
True freshman safety Andre Cisco has done the heavy lifting with his nation-leading four interceptions. He's also tied for 16th nationally in passes defended with 1.8 per game, leading all FBS freshmen with seven passes total (4 INT, 3 PBU).
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Clemson, which entered the year seeking its fourth straight ACC championship and fourth consecutive berth in the College Football Playoff, is a combined 44-4 since the start of the 2015 season.
Coach Dabo Swinney's Tigers feature a balanced offense, which is averaging 274.5 yards per game passing and 230.2 yards per game rushing. Newly-anointed starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence has thrown for 600 yards and nine touchdowns through four games, while running back Travis Etienne has rushed for five touchdowns this season and averages 8.5 yards per carry.Â
On the other side of the ball, the defensive line of Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Austin Bryant and Dexter Lawrence has suffocated offenses. The Tigers have surrendered an average 15.2 points per game through the season's first month.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's meeting is the seventh all-time pairing between the schools. Syracuse and Clemson met once prior to the Orange joining the ACC in 2013. Subsequently, they've played every year.
Syracuse won that original matchup – the 1996 Gator Bowl – by the score of 41-0. Future Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison hauled in seven passes for 173 yards, and Donovan McNabb threw for 309 yards in the win. Both figures still stand as Syracuse series highs versus the Tigers.
The Tigers were Syracuse's first ACC opponent after the Orange joined the ACC. Clemson spoiled Syracuse's debut in its new league, winning 49-14 in the Carrier Dome on Oct. 5, 2013.
Last season's triumph at the Carrier Dome ended Clemson's four-game series winning streak.Â
UP NEXT
The Orange, now in the thick of the ACC portion of their schedule, remain on the road next week. Syracuse plays at Pittsburgh Saturday, Oct. 6. Kickoff against the Panthers is set for 12:20 p.m. on Raycom Sports.
Â
For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
Players Mentioned
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