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After Syracuse’s 38-21 loss to Liberty last season, the Flames did a lot of “extra stuff after the game,” defensive lineman Kingsley Jonathan said. Liberty players stayed on the Carrier Dome field taking photos after handing head coach Dino Babers his worst loss since taking over the program. And they sang “New York, New York” in the locker room before heading back to Lynchburg, Virginia, coaches and players said in press conferences.

Jonathan, among other players, said last year’s loss was “personal.” And following a 62-24 win over UAlbany last weekend, the Orange are heading into this year’s matchup against the Flames with an over .500 record.

Here’s what our beat writers predict will happen when the Orange face the Flames in the Carrier Dome on Friday night:

Roshan Fernandez (3-0)
Taller task
Liberty 24, Syracuse 14

Liberty earned 56 votes in the latest AP Top 25 poll, and it ranked No. 17 in the nation when last season ended. The Flames have a future first round NFL draft pick in quarterback Malik Willis, too. When asked how Syracuse could replicate playing against him at practice this week, Babers just shook his head. Syracuse’s defense has played well, but it can only do so much against a player of Willis’ caliber. SU’s offense is a whole different issue. Against its only Power Five opponent thus far this year, Syracuse put forth an ugly offensive performance that led to seven points. The Orange won convincingly against Ohio and UAlbany, but Liberty will prove to be a far taller task. Syracuse lost 38-21 against Liberty last year, and though this year’s SU team might be an improved one, the end result will be the same.

Connor Smith (2-1)
Hit from the blind side
Liberty 35, Syracuse 17

Coming off a blowout win against UAlbany, the Orange and their offense will be feeling good heading into Friday night’s game. Liberty is an independent team that broke into the AP Top 25 in 2020 in just its third season in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Last year, Syracuse took the Flames for granted and lost by 17 at home. Willis will likely finish this season as one of the top quarterbacks in the country and is a strong runner and thrower.

SU, meanwhile, still has an ongoing quarterback battle between Tommy DeVito and Garrett Shrader, and running back Sean Tucker has carried the offense so far this season. Going against a quarterback who recorded six touchdowns last week will prove too tough for the Orange, who lack a go-to signal caller. Liberty’s head coach, Hugh Freeze, is a former Ole Miss head coach who also coached Michael Oher and is featured in the book and film “The Blind Side.” In the Carrier Dome on Friday, Syracuse will be hit from the blind side and fall to 2-2.

Anish Vasudevan (3-0)
Flames bring the heat
Liberty 30, Syracuse 16

While Syracuse won one game last season, Liberty did exactly the opposite, finishing the season 10-1. The Flames even defeated Coastal Carolina in the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium, the same venue for the Orange’s last bowl appearance in 2018. Syracuse is currently at its best start since that season, heading into this weekend with a 2-1 record. The Orange’s defense has worked with scout teams all week preparing to face Willis, but he’s on a hotter streak than DeVito or Shrader. This will most likely be a competition between offenses, and SU’s defense is the best unit it currently has. On the other hand, Syracuse’s offense has been flustered with the shuffling of quarterbacks, and this game will serve as another evaluation period for Babers. This will probably disrupt SU’s rhythm, while Willis and the Flames go to work on the Carrier Dome turf.

Published on September 22, 2021 at 7:29 pm