Photo by: Bryan Fuller
Orange Gearing Up for Dome Opener
9/3/2018 12:05:00 PM | Football
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Home Sweet Dome.
Syracuse (1-0) kicks off its 2018 home slate this weekend, welcoming Wagner (1-0) to the Carrier Dome Saturday, Sept. 8. The home opener begins at 3:30 p.m. and will be televised on ACC Network Extra.
"We're looking forward to getting back in front of the student body,"Â head coach Dino Babers said, addressing the media at his weekly press conference Monday inside the Iocolano-Petty Football Complex. "They're on their second week of school, and they should be ready to watch a football game. We're getting back to the community. I think it's time to get back to Syracuse football and I think everybody is looking forward to the season.
While Babers was happy to emerge with a 55-42 win at Western Michigan in Week 1, Babers said Syracuse can't afford to be complacent.
"We need to get better, obviously," Babers said. "Handling those emotional swings, not letting deep balls go over our heads. We've had some runs that were busted. Guys not fitting the right gaps from a defensive standpoint. Offensively, way too many drops."
That said, the first half at Western Michigan is some of the best football the Orange have played on Babers' watch.
Syracuse registered points on their first five possessions (4 TDs, 1 FG) and did not punt until its last series of the opening half. The Orange's 24 first-quarter points marked their most in an opening stanza since Babers took over in 2016.
Senior quarterback Eric Dungey rushed for 200 yards on 15 carries (13.3 avg.), setting a new school record for Syracuse signal-callers and becoming the fourth quarterback in ACC history to record a 200-yard rushing game. Running backs Moe Neal and Dontae Strickland each scored a pair of rushing touchdowns, marking the first time Syracuse had two players with multiple rushing scores since Dee Brown (2) and James Mungro (2) versus Temple in 2000.
Defensively, the Orange didn't allow a first down on any of Western Michigan's first three series and recorded two interceptions in the contest.
"[Our players] know what to do, they know how to do it," Babers said. "They'd done it in the first half when it was a 34-7 game. They just need to continue to stay focused."
Now, Babers and his team look to bring that attention to detail in a game against a Wagner team that dismantled Bowie State 40-23 in its opener. The Seahawks boast an explosive offense led by running back Ryan Fulse, who gashed Bowie State's defense for 271 yards on the ground and three touchdowns.
"We've got a really big game this week," Babers said. "They're well-coached. [Head coach Jason Houghtaling] is doing a great job.Â
"Wagner is a good football team. You saw what happened to us when we lost our concentration at Western Michigan. We've got to go out and play this game and have the right mindset."
Season and individual game tickets are on sale online (Cuse.com/tickets), by phone (888-DOME-TIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B). Season tickets start at $125 for Syracuse's six home games. Single-game tickets start at $20 for Wagner and $25 for the Connecticut game on Sept. 22. For Syracuse's four Atlantic Coast Conference games, tickets are available for as little as $35.
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For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
Syracuse (1-0) kicks off its 2018 home slate this weekend, welcoming Wagner (1-0) to the Carrier Dome Saturday, Sept. 8. The home opener begins at 3:30 p.m. and will be televised on ACC Network Extra.
"We're looking forward to getting back in front of the student body,"Â head coach Dino Babers said, addressing the media at his weekly press conference Monday inside the Iocolano-Petty Football Complex. "They're on their second week of school, and they should be ready to watch a football game. We're getting back to the community. I think it's time to get back to Syracuse football and I think everybody is looking forward to the season.
While Babers was happy to emerge with a 55-42 win at Western Michigan in Week 1, Babers said Syracuse can't afford to be complacent.
"We need to get better, obviously," Babers said. "Handling those emotional swings, not letting deep balls go over our heads. We've had some runs that were busted. Guys not fitting the right gaps from a defensive standpoint. Offensively, way too many drops."
That said, the first half at Western Michigan is some of the best football the Orange have played on Babers' watch.
Syracuse registered points on their first five possessions (4 TDs, 1 FG) and did not punt until its last series of the opening half. The Orange's 24 first-quarter points marked their most in an opening stanza since Babers took over in 2016.
Senior quarterback Eric Dungey rushed for 200 yards on 15 carries (13.3 avg.), setting a new school record for Syracuse signal-callers and becoming the fourth quarterback in ACC history to record a 200-yard rushing game. Running backs Moe Neal and Dontae Strickland each scored a pair of rushing touchdowns, marking the first time Syracuse had two players with multiple rushing scores since Dee Brown (2) and James Mungro (2) versus Temple in 2000.
Defensively, the Orange didn't allow a first down on any of Western Michigan's first three series and recorded two interceptions in the contest.
"[Our players] know what to do, they know how to do it," Babers said. "They'd done it in the first half when it was a 34-7 game. They just need to continue to stay focused."
Now, Babers and his team look to bring that attention to detail in a game against a Wagner team that dismantled Bowie State 40-23 in its opener. The Seahawks boast an explosive offense led by running back Ryan Fulse, who gashed Bowie State's defense for 271 yards on the ground and three touchdowns.
"We've got a really big game this week," Babers said. "They're well-coached. [Head coach Jason Houghtaling] is doing a great job.Â
"Wagner is a good football team. You saw what happened to us when we lost our concentration at Western Michigan. We've got to go out and play this game and have the right mindset."
Season and individual game tickets are on sale online (Cuse.com/tickets), by phone (888-DOME-TIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B). Season tickets start at $125 for Syracuse's six home games. Single-game tickets start at $20 for Wagner and $25 for the Connecticut game on Sept. 22. For Syracuse's four Atlantic Coast Conference games, tickets are available for as little as $35.
Â
For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
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