Syracuse football game day: What to know about the Miami matchup
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Take a seat on the bench and soak in everything you need to know about Syracuse ahead of its date with Miami, including key facts and players.
Syracuse (4-3, 2-1 Atlantic Coast) will look to upset its second consecutive top-10 opponent in No. 8 Miami (5-0, 3-0) on Saturday at 3:30 at Hard Rock Stadium. The Orange is coming off a massive upset over Clemson, while the Hurricanes edged Georgia Tech last week. An SU win would be its first-ever stretch of back-to-back top-10 wins.
Here are answers to your gameday questions and pregame reading.
How can you watch the game? The game will air on ESPN.
How good is Miami? Very. The Hurricanes run a balanced offense and have one of the best defensive lines in the country. Here’s a full scouting report on the Hurricanes, as well as a conversation with a Miami Herald beat writer about what to expect.
Who will win the game? On swagger and speed, two of our three beat writers predict another major upset for Syracuse.
What’s fueled Syracuse’s improvement this year? The defense, not the offense, is the new fast, argues one beat writer.
Specifically, Chris Slayton has shined. Syracuse head coach Dino Babers said the defensive lineman is a future NFL player and at the core of the SU defense.
Want to stop Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey? Well, one way may be to contain him, intentionally, because Syracuse head coach Dino Babers said Dungey has been so accurate on the run this year. Dungey has refined his accuracy amid a record-breaking season.
“We wouldn’t have won without him,” Babers said of senior kicker Cole Murphy. With 9:41 on the clock against Clemson, Murphy kicked a 30-yard field goal to give SU a three-point lead in the win. He leads the ACC in made field goals and sits only seven field goal makes away from breaking the all-time Syracuse record.
Who leads the country in catches? It’s still senior receiver Steve Ishmael, who was named Tuesday to AP’s midseason All-America Second Team.
Who’s out? In the Week 7 Syracuse injury report, sophomore defensive linemen Kendall Coleman and Josh Black are questionable and doubtful, respectively. Cornerback Scoop Bradshaw is ruled out, while Miami’s star running back Mark Walton is out for the year.
Who could give Syracuse fits on Saturday? There are several players, including Braxton Berrios. He grew up a Miami fan and now fulfills his lifelong dream playing for UM.
Published on October 21, 2017 at 11:04 am
Contact Matthew: mguti100@syr.edu | @MatthewGut21
