Taking it Away
9/17/2020 3:27:00 PM | Football
Junior defensive back Andre Cisco coming away with a takeaway is becoming somewhat of a routine for the Syracuse football team. The AP Preseason First Team All-American picked off his FBS-leading 13th-career pass in last week's season opener and is his fourth-straight game with an interception.
The numbers are eye-popping. Just one game into his junior season – which is his 23rd game played at SU – Cisco now ranks fourth in career interceptions at Syracuse, one behind Anthony Smith, who played at Syracuse from 2002-05. The lone two in front of Smith are Tommy Myers (1969-71) and Markus Paul (1985-88). Paul played in 44 career games to reach his SU record of 19 interceptions. At Cisco's current pace, he'd reach that total by the end of his junior campaign at 'Cuse.
Cisco's performance headlined a Syracuse defensive unit that stymied No. 18 North Carolina for three quarters, holding the Tar Heels to just 10 points through 45 minutes of action. In addition to Cisco's pick, Mikel Jones intercepted his first collegiate pass in the opener.
While the Orange debuted a new 3-3-5 defense against North Carolina, the turnover success that has been a hallmark of the 'Cuse defense in each of the last three seasons. The Orange ranked 13th nationally in turnover margin last season (+0.75 per game) and ranked fifth in 2018 at an average of +1.0 per contest.
'Cuse will have its defense put to the test again in a week two battle with Pittsburgh. The Panthers scored 55 points in the opener, which was the fifth-most points nationally in the first week of action. Kickoff between the longtime rivals is set for Noon on ACCN.
The numbers are eye-popping. Just one game into his junior season – which is his 23rd game played at SU – Cisco now ranks fourth in career interceptions at Syracuse, one behind Anthony Smith, who played at Syracuse from 2002-05. The lone two in front of Smith are Tommy Myers (1969-71) and Markus Paul (1985-88). Paul played in 44 career games to reach his SU record of 19 interceptions. At Cisco's current pace, he'd reach that total by the end of his junior campaign at 'Cuse.
Cisco's performance headlined a Syracuse defensive unit that stymied No. 18 North Carolina for three quarters, holding the Tar Heels to just 10 points through 45 minutes of action. In addition to Cisco's pick, Mikel Jones intercepted his first collegiate pass in the opener.
While the Orange debuted a new 3-3-5 defense against North Carolina, the turnover success that has been a hallmark of the 'Cuse defense in each of the last three seasons. The Orange ranked 13th nationally in turnover margin last season (+0.75 per game) and ranked fifth in 2018 at an average of +1.0 per contest.
'Cuse will have its defense put to the test again in a week two battle with Pittsburgh. The Panthers scored 55 points in the opener, which was the fifth-most points nationally in the first week of action. Kickoff between the longtime rivals is set for Noon on ACCN.
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