Syracuse (4-4, 2-2 Atlantic Coast) travels to Death Valley to take on No. 3 Clemson (8-0, 5-0) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The last time these two teams played (2015), SU lost by 10 in the Carrier Dome.

Here’s how our beat writers forecast the game will unfold.

Tomer Langer (3-2)
Sticks and stones
Clemson 41, Syracuse 27

This game can go one of two ways. If the Clemson that shows up against Troy and North Carolina earlier this year is the one SU faces on Saturday, it should have a chance. If it’s the Clemson that Louisville saw, it’ll be a long night for the Orange. I’ll go with the latter, and while I do think SU will find a few scoring opportunities, the Tigers will come away with the victory.

Chris Libonati (6-2)
Elementary, my dear (Deshaun) Watson
Clemson 49, Syracuse 21

Clemson will not blow the 3-1 lead it has over Syracuse in the all-time series. Deshaun Watson makes throwing the ball look easy against the Orange in this one. Syracuse has improved from the beginning of the season, just not enough to beat Clemson. Only caveat I’ll add to this is I think the Tigers are coming off a physical game, and Clemson hasn’t always shown up against inferior opponents this season (the Jekyl and Hyde of the North Carolina State and Boston College games comes to mind). Does #Clemsoning make a comeback this week? I don’t think so, but it’s always possible.

Jon Mettus (6-2)
David and Goliath
Clemson 52, Syracuse 27

Syracuse is David and Clemson is Goliath. Despite SU head coach Dino Babers asking for a slingshot and a rock though, this one won’t turn out quite like the biblical tale. The Tigers outmatch Syracuse at probably every position on the field. Realistically, the Orange just needs to try to survive this battle with a college football behemoth. Who knows what Babers cooked up during his meetings with the team over the last two weeks, but it’ll still take some sort of a miracle for SU to pull off another upset win.

MORE COVERAGE:

• What to know about Clemson
• How Syracuse can make a bowl with five wins
• Dino Babers on ACC teleconference
• Dabo Swinney on ACC teleconference

Published on November 4, 2016 at 7:05 pm