5 Things to Know: Syracuse vs. Purdue
9/13/2023 3:34:00 PM | Football
The Orange hit the road for the first time this season, seeking a 3-0 start. Here's five things to know ahead of the matchup.
1. It's Been A While
Syracuse jumped out to its best start since 1987 last year with a 6-0 opening to the season that vaulted the team inside the top-15 of the national rankings. A win Saturday would move the Orange halfway to last year's mark, but give them 3-0 starts in back-to-back campaigns.
While there have been plenty of hot starts to a season over the years, starting 3-0 in back-to-back years is a bit of a rarity for the Orange. The last time 'Cuse strung 3-0 starts together in back-to-back years came in 1959-60, when Syracuse won the National Championship and started 5-0 the year after – part of a national best 16-game winning streak at the time.
A win on Saturday would add a fitting touch to next week's game against Army, as the coach of those teams, Ben Schwartzwalder, will be officially enshrined into the Syracuse Athletics Ring of Honor against Army next weekend.
2. B1G Opportunity
Saturday's game against the Boilermakers is the third of four non-conference games on Syracuse's slate. A win would guarantee 'Cuse a winning-record out of conference. Under head coach Dino Babers, the Orange have finished .500 or better in out of conference play in every season that a full non-conference slate was played. A win would guarantee extending their stretch of winning records (3-1 or better) vs. non-conference foes to five straight seasons in which the team played multiple non-conference games (excludes 2020, when there was only one non-conference opponent on the COVID adjusted schedule).
3. Road Test at Ross-Ade
Syracuse hits the road for the first time this season on Saturday, when the team travels to Ross-Ade Stadium. It'll be the Orange's first trip to West Lafayette in nearly 20 years, when the 2004 squad opened the season there.
The Orange are looking to break a two-game trend in the series. Both previous times the schools faced off, the home team came away with the win.
Saturday's game will likely feature a hostile environment. Ross-Ade Stadium didn't have permanent lights installed until 2017. While there were select games in the school's history where temporary lights were brought in for games, Purdue has hosted less than 20 night contests in their history.
4. Both Sides Showing Off Thus Far
'Cuse and Oklahoma are the only two teams in the country that have their offense and defense ranked in the top-10 of their respective total offense and total defense categories in the nation thus far. Syracuse enters week three with the nation's No. 1 scoring defense (3.5 points per game), the offense ranks third nationally in scoring offense (56.5 points per game).
5. Back Home Next
The Orange will close the month of September with two more games in the JMA Wireless Dome after Saturday's trip to Purdue.
Partial plans and individual game tickets are now on sale at Cuse.com/Tickets. Fans can also purchase group tickets, hospitality packages and tailgate packages.
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1. It's Been A While
Syracuse jumped out to its best start since 1987 last year with a 6-0 opening to the season that vaulted the team inside the top-15 of the national rankings. A win Saturday would move the Orange halfway to last year's mark, but give them 3-0 starts in back-to-back campaigns.
While there have been plenty of hot starts to a season over the years, starting 3-0 in back-to-back years is a bit of a rarity for the Orange. The last time 'Cuse strung 3-0 starts together in back-to-back years came in 1959-60, when Syracuse won the National Championship and started 5-0 the year after – part of a national best 16-game winning streak at the time.
A win on Saturday would add a fitting touch to next week's game against Army, as the coach of those teams, Ben Schwartzwalder, will be officially enshrined into the Syracuse Athletics Ring of Honor against Army next weekend.
2. B1G Opportunity
Saturday's game against the Boilermakers is the third of four non-conference games on Syracuse's slate. A win would guarantee 'Cuse a winning-record out of conference. Under head coach Dino Babers, the Orange have finished .500 or better in out of conference play in every season that a full non-conference slate was played. A win would guarantee extending their stretch of winning records (3-1 or better) vs. non-conference foes to five straight seasons in which the team played multiple non-conference games (excludes 2020, when there was only one non-conference opponent on the COVID adjusted schedule).
3. Road Test at Ross-Ade
Syracuse hits the road for the first time this season on Saturday, when the team travels to Ross-Ade Stadium. It'll be the Orange's first trip to West Lafayette in nearly 20 years, when the 2004 squad opened the season there.
The Orange are looking to break a two-game trend in the series. Both previous times the schools faced off, the home team came away with the win.
Saturday's game will likely feature a hostile environment. Ross-Ade Stadium didn't have permanent lights installed until 2017. While there were select games in the school's history where temporary lights were brought in for games, Purdue has hosted less than 20 night contests in their history.
4. Both Sides Showing Off Thus Far
'Cuse and Oklahoma are the only two teams in the country that have their offense and defense ranked in the top-10 of their respective total offense and total defense categories in the nation thus far. Syracuse enters week three with the nation's No. 1 scoring defense (3.5 points per game), the offense ranks third nationally in scoring offense (56.5 points per game).
5. Back Home Next
The Orange will close the month of September with two more games in the JMA Wireless Dome after Saturday's trip to Purdue.
Partial plans and individual game tickets are now on sale at Cuse.com/Tickets. Fans can also purchase group tickets, hospitality packages and tailgate packages.
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