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Syracuse heads to Louisville after its bye week, coming off back-to-back wins for the first time since 2019, while the Cardinals have lost their past two games. SU is one win away from bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018.

Led by Sean Tucker, who is almost 100 yards away from breaking Joe Morris all-time rushing record, Syracuse (5-4, 2-3 Atlantic Coast) faces Louisville (4-5, 2-4 ACC). The Orange are looking for revenge against the Cardinals after last season, when Louisville defeated SU 30-0 — the first and only shutout for Syracuse last year.

Here’s what our beat writers expect when Syracuse faces Louisville:

Roshan Fernandez (5-4)
Something about Louisville…
Louisville 35, Syracuse 32

Syracuse has played notoriously poorly against Louisville during recent years. The SU defense folds and the Orange have lost six of the last seven matchups by 20-plus points (the exception being a win during 2018 when SU made a bowl game). This year’s team has clearly proven it’s not the same as last year’s unit that lost 30-0 to the Cardinals in November, but something about playing Louisville throws the Orange off.

SU’s defense successfully contained Liberty’s dual-threat quarterback Malik Willis but couldn’t reproduce the same results against Florida State’s Jordan Travis. Saturday in Kentucky, dual-quarterback Malik Cunningham’s speed will be the most crucial test thus far for this Syracuse defense. The Cardinals rank fifth in the conference in rushing defense, a stat that shouldn’t prove problematic for Tucker and Garrett Shrader, but the Orange offense is still very one-dimensional. Syracuse desperately needed the bye week to rest, but a part of me thinks that week could throw this team out of rhythm. With the Orange’s final two matchups against AP Top-25 teams, the Cardinals will deal a heartbreaking blow to SU’s bowl chances.

Connor Smith (4-5)
Time to bowl
Syracuse 30, Louisville 27

Saturday’s game is Syracuse’s last legitimate chance to earn bowl eligibility, which the Orange haven’t done since 2018. SU’s next two games after this one are against NC State and Pittsburgh, two of the ACC’s top teams, and both are ranked in the AP Top 25 poll.

But to pick up that critical sixth win, Syracuse’s defense will have to contain Cunningham, who has the most touchdowns in the conference. Babers compared Cunningham to Liberty’ Willis, who led the Flames into the Carrier Dome back in September. But in that game, SU’s defense stepped up, registering six sacks and making Willis uncomfortable throughout the 24-21 win.

On Saturday, the Orange will extend their win streak to three games behind another bend-but-don’t-break defensive effort and the fresh legs of Shrader and Tucker who’ve had two weeks to rest after a bye week. A win will require strong special teams play (something SU has lacked throughout the season), but kicker Andre Szmyt will step up, and Syracuse will leave Kentucky with that ever-important sixth win.

Anish Vasudevan (6-3)
The battle of rushing quarterbacks
Syracuse 30, Louisville 25

This game is a duel between the two best dual-threat quarterbacks in the ACC — Shrader and Cunningham. Cunningham has held the position as one of the best running quarterbacks in college football since last season, while Shrader has slowly been working up to that pedestal this season. And the Orange will face the Cardinals at the jersey retirement of Lamar Jackson — one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in college football history.

But Syracuse’s defense has shown that it’s able to stop running quarterbacks, dominating Willis and somewhat stopping Travis this season. On the other hand, Louisville’s defense has struggled overall, only allowing less than 20 points twice this season. Mikel Jones and the rest of the linebacker unit will need to use QB spy’s again to stop Cunningham and make sure that rushes are stopped at the second level. Coming off the bye week, the Orange should be rested enough to hand Louisville its fifth conference loss, sending themselves into a bowl game.

Published on November 10, 2021 at 7:59 pm