Preview: Syracuse Hosts Wagner in Dome Opener

SYRACUSE (1-0, 0-0 ACC) VS. WAGNER (1-0, 0-0 NEC)
Game Details: 3:30 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 8
Location: Syracuse, N.Y. | Carrier Dome
Game Links: Tickets | Listen | Watch | Live Stats
Television: ACC Network Extra
Radio: Syracuse IMG Sports Network
Twitter: @CuseFootball | @Cuse
Syracuse Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats | Notes (PDF)
Wagner Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats | Notes (PDF)

SYRACUSE N.Y. – The Orange football team (1-0) looks to win its home opener for the sixth consecutive season Saturday, Sept. 8, when Syracuse faces in-state FCS foe Wagner (1-0) inside the Carrier Dome. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on ACC Network Extra. Syracuse alum Doug Sherman '88 and former New York Jets coach Al Groh have the call.

Syracuse opened the campaign with a 55-42 road victory last Friday at Western Michigan. Quarterback Eric Dungey rushed for 200 yards, a school record for a player at his position, and accounted for 384 total yards and three touchdowns. Wagner also got off on the right foot, beating Bowie State, 40-23, behind 271 yards rushing from Ryan Fulse.

SYRACUSE IN HOME OPENERS
Syracuse is 90-32-4 in home openers. Over the course of football history on the Hill, the Orange have had a home opener in all but two campaigns. In 1889, Syracuse did not play a home game, and in 1979, while the Dome was under construction, Syracuse's "home games" were not played in the Salt City.

Since the Carrier Dome opened in 1980, 'Syracuse is 15-16 in home openers. The Orange boast a current five-game winning streak in home starters, which began in 2013 ironically enough against Wagner. Orange QB Terrel Hunt threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns in the contest, while nine players combined for 236 yards rushing to lead Syracuse over the Seahawks, 54-0.

Saturday also marks the sixth straight season the Orange's first game played in the Carrier Dome is versus an FCS opponent.

AGAINST THE FCS
Syracuse is a perfect 16-0 against FCS foes (formerly Division I-AA) since the separation of major college football programs into two divisions in 1978. The streak includes 15 straight wins inside the Carrier Dome.

In total, Syracuse has won its last 34 games against current FCS members. It's a streak that predates the separation into two divisions. The program's last loss to a current FCS team came on Oct. 4, 1958 at Holy Cross, 14-13.

Following the separation in 1978, Syracuse's first matchup against an FCS opponent was interestingly enough in a bowl game. The Orange were selected as an at-large opponent to play the champion of the Southland Conference, unbeaten McNeese State, in the 1979 Independence Bowl. Behind 155 yards from all-time rushing leader Joe Morris, the Orange cruised to a 31-7 victory over the Cowboys. Morris' jersey will be retired this season on Sept. 22 when Syracuse hosts Connecticut.

#WhitsUp Week 2.

Ryan Guthrie talks music, what he learned at the JUCO level and even breaks it down and sings a little @Creed with @Twitty_Whitty25. pic.twitter.com/b6JXMhNNZA
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) September 6, 2018

CUSTIS' COMING OUT PARTY
Redshirt senior WR Jamal Custis broke out for 168 yards and a pair of touchdowns on six catches in the season opener at Western Michigan. All three numbers were career bests.

Custis' receiving yardage total was the top mark in the ACC during Week 1 of the college football season, and he was one of three players in the league to post a 150-yard receiving game on opening weekend. NC State's Jakobi Meyers (161) and Wake Forest's Sage Surrat (150) were the others. In addition, he was one of four ACC players to have multiple receiving touchdowns during Week 1, joining Kemari Averett (Louisville), Kobay White (Boston College) and Alex Bachman (Wake Forest).

Don't miss out on the excitement Saturday.

Here's the timeline of everything you need to know: https://t.co/Y93ZiOwQH2 pic.twitter.com/dcSC6FVM1P
— Syracuse Athletics (@Cuse) September 6, 2018

SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS
The Seahawks are led by RB Ryan Fulse, who in addition to his 271 yards on the ground against Bowie State, also scored three touchdowns. Fulse's performance built upon a successful 2017 campaign in which he ran for 1,306 yards and 12 TDs , while averaging six yards a carry.

QB Luke Massei completed 8-of-16 passes for 134 yards against Bowie State. In 2017, he completed over 58 percent of his passes and threw for 1,372 yards.

RB Denzel Knight accounted for most of Wagner's receiving yards in the opener, catching two passes for 101 yards. The rest of the Wagner receiving corps is experienced, as four of the five players with double-digit receptions in 2017 are still on the 2018 roster.

Defensively, Wagner was led by LB Santoni Graham and DB Jesse Flaherty with 10 and 8 tackles, respectively, versus Bowie State. Seven of the top eight Seahawk tacklers from 2017 return, as well.

UP NEXT
Syracuse hosts Atlantic Division rival Florida State in its ACC opener Saturday, Sept. 15, Kickoff is at 12 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. 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. Tickets to watch the Orange and Seminoles next weekend are available for as little as $35.

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