Orange, Clemson Meet Saturday in the Dome

Syracuse has started the season with four-straight wins for the second-consecutive season. It's the first time the Orange have accomplished the feat since the 1959 and 1960 campaigns. And now Syracuse faces its toughest test yet.

The Clemson Tigers come to town for a noon kickoff in the JMA Wireless Dome in front of a national audience on ABC. Clemson is coming off a 31-24 overtime loss to No. 5 Florida State. The Tigers enter Saturday's game with a 2-2 mark, including a 0-2 record in ACC play. But don't count out the Tigers. Clemson has been one of the top teams in college football for the past seven years. During that span, the Tigers have won seven ACC titles, competed in the College Football Playoff six times and won two national titles.

"I think they are still a championship caliber team," head coach Dino Babers said. "They were six or 12 inches from winning the game this week (against Florida State). Beat them in every statistical category. They beat Duke in every statistical category. This is what they are. This is a championship, big-time football team coming in."

Fans can purchase tickets to Saturday's game at Cuse.com/tickets. Syracuse is hosting Orange Central/Homecoming this weekend, and Saturday is an Orange Out in the JMA Dome. Between now and Tuesday, Syracuse Athletics is also offering a flash sale, with 40-percent off tickets.

"First of all, excited about having the opportunity to get that win [against Army]," Babers said. "Excited about our next opponent, obviously, Clemson. Orange Out, Homecoming – all the same weekend. We're expecting a huge crowd and I know they will be in the right frame of mind for the Clemson Tigers."

Four of the last six meetings between the two teams have been decided by six points or less, including last season's contest on the Tigers' home field that come down to the final possession. Syracuse last beat Clemson in 2017 in the JMA Dome by a score of 27-24.

"We like playing those guys," Babers said. "We know they're the best. It gives you an opportunity to go against the best.

"It's the physicality," Babers continued when asked about his team's close games against the Tigers. "If you don't match their physicality, you can't compete with them. It comes at a huge cost. There's going to be pain and you're going to have to battle through it."

Saturday's game is the ACC opener for Syracuse. The Orange are one of six ACC teams that are undefeated through the first four weeks of the season. That total is the most for any conference in the nation.

"I've said it many times, I'll say it again: coaches in this league – people underestimate them," Babers said. "That's why they leave this league, and they go to the SEC. They leave this league, and they go to the Big 10. They underestimate the value of the coaches in this league."

Syracuse will open conference play at home for the second-straight year. Last season, the Orange defeated Louisville, 31-7, in the season opener. Babers to repeat that success again on Saturday.

"It gives us an opportunity to be 1-0 in conference," Babers said. "These guys are the same champions that they've always been. There's a reason why they've won so many championships and they've been in final fours. Their athletes are different, their amenities are different. I'm sure they're going to come in here and they're going to bring a bunch of fans. There's going to be two types of orange in the Dome, hopefully it's more our color than theirs."

Syracuse University Athletics

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