Orange Seek 3-0 Start vs. Purdue Saturday

SYRACUSE VS. PURDUE
Game Details: 12 p.m. | Saturday, Sept. 17
Location: Syracuse, N.Y. | JMA Wireless Dome
Tickets: Get Tickets
Game Links: Watch | Listen | Live Stats
Game Program: Here
Television: ESPN2
Radio: Syracuse Sports Network from Learfield
Twitter: @CuseFootball | @Cuse
Syracuse Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Notes
Purdue Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Notes

GAME INFORMATION
• It's faculty and staff appreciation day. In addition to the $10 tickets for SU faculty and staff (which can still be purchased online via the University provided link), the first 500 faculty and staff members with a faculty or staff Syracuse University I.D. to visit the University's pregame Faculty and Staff Appreciation tent on the Shaw Quad will receive a game day gift and a $5 concession coupon.
• There will be a food drive to benefit the Salvation Army on Saturday as well. University's Office of Community Engagement will collect non-perishable food items for the Salvation Army of Syracuse's emergency pantry as part of its Food Insecurity Awareness Week. Drop-off barrels will be placed at 11 locations approaching the JMA Dome that morning, including at the faculty and staff appreciation tent on the Quad. Volunteers for the Salvation Army will also collect monetary donations at various red kettles stationed around the JMA Dome.
• Dick Murphy, a player on the 1964 Sugar Bowl and 1966 Gator Bowl teams and longtime member of the Varsity Club, will be honored with this year's Zunic Award during an in-game presentation.
• Members of Syracuse's 1970, 1971 and 1972 teams will be in attendance on Saturday for a 50-year reunion of their time at 'Cuse.
• The Quad opens at 9 p.m. and gates will open at 10 p.m.
• Tickets are still available at Cuse.com/Tickets

ORANGE START FOUR GAME HOMESTAND AGAINST PURDUE
• Syracuse begins a stretch of four-straight home games when it hosts Purdue on Saturday. It marks the Orange's longest homestand of the season.
• The game will air on ESPN2, with Brian Custer (PxP), Dustin Fox (analyst) and Lauren Sisler (reporter) on the call.
• The Orange will try to start the campaign with three consecutive victories for the first time since 2018. 'Cuse began that season with four-straight wins and went on to a 10-3 record and a win in the Camping World Bowl.

SHRADER ON THE MARK
• QB Garrett Shrader has been one of the most accurate passers in the nation through the first two weeks of the season.
• He has completed 38-of-48 passes (.792) this season and ranks third in the nation in completion percentage, and is ninth in the nation in points responsible for.
• Shrader enjoyed one of the most productive days of his career in the win against UConn. He was 20-of-23 for 292 yards and three touchdowns. He set career highs in completions and passing yards and tied his career high in passing TDs.
• His .870 completion percentage against the Huskies ranks third in the FBS among quarterbacks who have completed 20 or more passes in a game this season (6th total).
• Shrader was also graded as Pro Football Focus' top quarterback in the power five in week one with a 94.1 passing grade and was the top offensive player regardless of position in week two.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
• RB Sean Tucker became the 13th player in program history to surpass 2,300 rushing yards in Syracuse's victory against UConn.
• Tucker rushed for 112 yards against the Huskies to increase his career total to 2,334 yards. He climbed to 13th place on the Orange's career rushing leader list, passing Kyle McIntosh (2,250). Next on his list to pass is the legendary back and 1961 Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis, who sits 52 yards ahead of Tucker entering Saturday's game.

ORANGE IN THE RED ZONE
• Syracuse is the only FBS school that has converted on all of its red zone chances while not allowing a score from the red zone. The Orange are one of only nine schools to be perfect in the red zone with 10+ scores this season.
• Syracuse was perfect in the red zone against UConn, converting on all six of its trip inside the Huskies' 20.
• It marked the second-straight game that the Orange scored on every opportunity in the red zone. Overall, 'Cuse is 10-for-10 inside the red zone this season.
• Conversely, Syracuse's defense has not allowed a score from inside the red zone. The opposition has only had one opportunity, which the Orange ended on a fourth-and-goal at the two-yard line.

SERIES HISTORY
• Syracuse and Purdue will meet for just the second time and the first time on the Orange's home field.
• The Boilermakers won the only previous contest between the two schools.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
• Syracuse is one of 11 teams without a turnover this season.
• The Orange rank fifth in the FBS in turnover margin (+5).

TAKETH AWAY
• Syracuse recorded two takeaways against UConn, increasing its season total to five, a mark that ties for 12th nationally (2.5 per game).
• The Orange are two caused turnovers away from equaling their total from a year ago.
• 'Cuse has registered at least one takeaway in 42 out of 51 games, dating back to the 2017 season finale against Boston College.
• In all, Syracuse has gained 92 turnovers (42 fumble recoveries, 50 INTs) during that time, an average of 1.8 per contest.
• The Orange had the third-most takeaways in the FBS in 2020, with 24, finishing in the top-12 nationally in the statistic for the third-straight season after ending up third in 2018 (31), 12th in 2019 (25) and third in 2020 (24).

A WIN WOULD …
• Give Syracuse a 3-0 start for the first time since the 2018 season and just the ninth time since 1942.
• Give Syracuse its 744th all-time victory (includes 11 wins from 2004-06 that were vacated by the NCAA). The Orange currently rank 22nd on the FBS ledger of winningest programs. Syracuse is one of 31 FBS schools to have accumulated 700+ wins.

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Players Mentioned

Garrett Shrader

Sean Tucker

Syracuse University Athletics