Orange Extra: Do I Know You?
11/13/2019 12:39:00 PM | Football
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Two unacquainted teams will take the field when Syracuse plays Duke on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. The Orange and the Blue Devils have met just three other times on the gridiron with two of those meetings occurring before World War II.
DO I KNOW YOU?
Despite sharing residence in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Orange and the Blue Devils have played only once since Syracuse joined the league in 2013. Duke is a member of the Coastal Division and becomes the first Coastal opponent – outside of permanent divisional crossover foe Pittsburgh – to square off against the Orange twice since the Syracuse made the move to the ACC
In the only previous conference matchup, Duke defeated Syracuse in the Dome 27-10Â in 2014.
The series also includes a home-and-home set in 1938 and 1939. Duke claimed a 21-0 victory in Archbold Stadium in 1938 and then won in Durham the following season, 33-6.
Syracuse and Duke are much more familiar on the hardwood with Hall of Fame coaches Jim Boeheim and Mike Krzyzewski matching wits 11 times since the 2013-14 season.
TWO TEAMS TRYING FOR TURNAROUNDS
Syracuse enters Saturday's pairing on a four-game losing streak while Duke is in similar shape, having lost its last three and four of its last five. All four Orange defeats were at the hands of ACC opponents, while the Blue Devils five-game stretch has included four conference foes and Notre Dame.
Duke has ACC victories against Virginia Tech (45-10) and Georgia Tech (41-23). Syracuse is seeking its first league triumph of 2019.
PLAYING KEEP-AWAY
Sophomore quarterback Tommy DeVito has put together quite a streak of passing effectiveness in his first year as a starter for the Orange. DeVito has gone 131 straight throws without an interception. His streak ranks third among active Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) signal-callers. He trails Stephen Calvert (281 passes) from Liberty and Georgia Southern's Shal Werts (182).
DeVito's streak is the fourth-longest in the Syracuse record books. The longest run was 190 passes by R.J. Anderson (2002-03). Ryan Nassib (2012) went 165 straight and Donovan McNabb (1998) had a streak of 133.
During this stretch, DeVito has completed 85-of-131 (64.9 pct.) passes for 841 yards and four touchdowns.
FLY BYE
Syracuse is coming off its second bye week of the season. In addition to having an extra week to get ready for the Blue Devils, the bye week has afforded the Orange a chance to become acclimated with new coordinator Steve Stanard calling the defense.
Stanard, previously the team's defensive ends coach, was named interim defensive coordinator when Brian Ward was replaced on Nov. 3.
Stanard played for one of college football's most respected coaches, Tom Osborne at Nebraska. He has experience running defenses from his stops at Nebraska Wesleyan, South Dakota, New Mexico State, Colorado State, Tulane and Wyoming.
Stanard's unit will be challenged by a Duke offense that has been especially effective in the red zone. The Blue Devils rank 32nd nationally in red-zone offense, having emerged with scores 89.3 percent of the time. Duke enters the game averaging 158.2 yards rushing and 186.2 yards passing over the course of nine games.
KEY MATCHUP: SYRACUSE SECONDARYÂ VS. DUKE QB QUENTIN HARRIS
The Orange defensive backfield has been one of the stronger units on the team over the past two seasons. Syracuse has 25 interceptions in the past 23 contests. Sophomore safety Andre Cisco has been one of the leaders of that group, contributing nine career thefts in his two campaigns.
Cisco and his 'mates will be going up against an experienced quarterback in Duke's Quentin Harris. A redshirt senior, Harris has completed 166-of-274 passes (.606) for 1,602 yards and 14 touchdowns. He's been intercepted eight times in nine outings.
Harris also ranks second on the Duke squad in rushing yards. He's carried the ball 111 times for 418 yards (3.8 avg.) and six scores.
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