'Cuse Hits the Road to #1 Clemson

SYRACUSE VS. Clemson
Game Details: 12 p.m. | Saturday, Oct. 24
Location: Clemson, S.C. | Memorial Stadium
Game Links: Watch | Listen | Live Stats
Television: ACC Network
Radio: Syracuse Sports Network from Learfield IMG College
Twitter: @CuseFootball | @Cuse
Syracuse Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Notes(PDF)
Clemson Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Notes(PDF)

ORANGE FACE CLEMSON ON SATURDAY
• Syracuse hits the road for the first time since Sept. 19 when the Orange face No. 1 Clemson.
• Of the three road games the Orange have played this season, all-three have come against ranked opponents, highlighting the difficulty of the 2020 slate.
• The game will air on ACC Network, with Wes Durham (PxP), Roddy Jones (analyst) and Lericia Harris (reporter) on the call.

TURNOVER TALE
• Syracuse has not lost the turnover battle in 12-straight contests and has won the takeaway battle in 22 of its last 31 games (five of the remaining nine were even).
• 'Cuse has ranked in the top-15 in turnover margin to conclude each of the past two seasons and have started 2020 by posting +16 in turnovers gained, a mark that ranks first nationally.
• The Orange have also turned the ball over just five times this season and are averaging a +2.2 turnover margin per game this year, which also leads the nation.
• Since 2018, the Orange lead all FBS teams in takeaways with 72.
• LB Mikel Jones leads the Orange with five takeaways in 2020 (3 INT, 2 FR).
• In 2019, the Orange gained 25 and committed 16 turnovers (+9), for an average margin of +0.75. That figure ranked 13th nationally.
• In 2018, Syracuse was even better. Led by a defense that recorded 31 takeaways, including 18 interceptions, the Orange tied Ohio for No. 5 in average turnover margin (+1.0).
• Syracuse and Arizona State are only two FBS programs to rank in the top 15 of the statistic both of the last-two seasons. The Sun Devils tied for 11th in 2018 and ranked No. 6 in 2019. DC Tony White was part of both defenses as he was at Arizona State before becoming the Orange's defensive coordinator this season.

DEFENSE GETS YOUNGER
• Syracuse has started six different freshmen (3 R-Fr. and 3 true freshmen) on defense this season across multiple games. If five-or-more start a single game this season, it'll be the most freshmen to start for Syracuse on one side of the ball in program history.
• 'Cuse has started four freshmen on defense in each of the last-two games. Against Duke, LB Steve Linton and DBs Rob Hanna, Ja'Had Carter and Garrett Williams each started. All four freshmen started in the secondary vs. Liberty, with Aman Greenwood starting at safety along with the same three DBs from the Duke game.
• LB Stefon Thompson is a true freshman who started the first three games at LB before Linton got the start vs. Duke.
• The number of freshmen starters on the Syracuse roster ballons to eight when you include the offense, which has seen R-Fr. RB Jawhar Jordan and Fr. RB Sean Tucker start in the backfield.

SERIES HISTORY
• Saturday's meeting is the ninth all-time pairing between Syracuse and Clemson. The Tigers hold a 6-2 advantage in the series, including a 3-0 margin in games played at Memorial Stadium.
• Syracuse won the first matchup – the 1996 Gator Bowl – by the score of 41-0. Future Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison hauled in seven receptions for 173 yards and QB Donovan McNabb threw for 309 yards in the win.
• The Tigers were Syracuse's first ACC opponent after the Orange joined the conference in 2013. Clemson spoiled Syracuse's debut in its new league, winning 49-14 in the Dome on Oct. 5, 2013.
• The last meeting at Death Valley was contested until the final seconds. RB Travis Etienne ran for a score with 41 seconds remaining to put the Tigers up for good, 27-23.
• Syracuse remains the last team to defeat Clemson in a regular season game, having beat them 27-24 on Oct. 13, 2017. The Tigers have won 34-straight regular season games since then.

LAST TIME VS. CLEMSON
• Syracuse's defense intercepted Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence twice, but Clemson pulled away in the second half to win 41-6.
• DBs Trill Williams and Christopher Frederick recorded the picks.
• QB Tommy DeVito completed 15-of-26 passes for 172 yards.
• PK Andre Szmyt made field goals of 23 and 29 yards as Syracuse's two scoring drives.
• DE Kingsley Jonathan was credited with a pair of QB hurries and LB Mikel Jones had his first-career tackle for loss in the game.

AGAINST THE BEST
• Since the start of the Associated Press poll in 1936, the Orange have faced the AP's top-ranked team 12 times before and are 1-11 in those games.
• On Sept. 29, 1984, Syracuse upset No. 1 Nebraska 17-9 at the Dome for its only win against the nation's top team. The victory ended Nebraska's 23-game, regular-season winning streak.
• This is the third time 'Cuse has faced Clemson when the Tigers are ranked atop the poll, including the 2015 and 2019 meetings.

FIRST TIME STARTERS
• Thirteen different players have started their first collegiate game this season for Syracuse - the fifth hightest total for first-time starters in the nation.
• Navy and Texas State (22) are tied for the FBS lead, followed by Arkansas State (18) and East Carolina (15).

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Players Mentioned

Ja'Had Carter

Tommy DeVito

Aman Greenwood

Rob Hanna

Kingsley Jonathan

Mikel Jones

Jawhar Jordan

Steve Linton

Andre Szmyt

Stefon Thompson

Sean Tucker

Garrett Williams

Trill Williams

Syracuse University Athletics