Syracuse (3-3, 1-1 Atlantic Coast) welcomes No. 2 Clemson (6-0, 4-0 ACC) to the Carrier Dome Friday for a 7 p.m. matchup. The Orange looks to build on last week’s 27-24 win over Pittsburgh while the Tigers aim to remain on track in its chase for a second consecutive national championship.

The Daily Orange chatted with The Post and Courier’s Clemson reporter Grace Raynor to learn a bit more about Dabo Swinney’s team. 

The Daily Orange: While this Clemson team is obviously very good, it’s not exactly the same as last year’s national champion. Who and what has changed?

Grace Raynor: You’re right in that this is a very different Clemson team — one that had many question marks heading into 2017. Of course the biggest difference is a new era without Deshaun Watson, and that was the primary storyline of Clemson’s fall camp. Not only was the quarterback competition wide open, but how Kelly Bryant would perform once he won it was also an area of interest. Bryant has been better than advertised, which is why this Clemson team is having so much success. Additionally, Clemson lost wide receivers Mike Williams and Artavis Scott, running back Wayne Gallman and center Jay Guillermo. All four of those guys were elite in their roles supporting Watson. Now, the running back position has become more of a “by-committee” group, while Ray-Ray McCloud, Deon Cain and Hunter Renfrow have taken on larger roles as receivers. Justin Falcinelli is the new center and has made a smooth transition into it. I guess the bottom line is that while Clemson’s personnel on offense changed significantly, so far the product has been just as good.

The D.O.: Clemson is 6-0 and the only game where the Tigers have come close to losing was a 14-6 win against Auburn. So what, if there is one at all, is its weakness?

G.R.: When I look at Clemson and its weaknesses, it’s not so much that appears to be one glaring area that stands out as much as there is this notion that Clemson just wants to clean up the little things each week. When you look at Clemson’s penalties over the season, the Tigers have 31 penalties already for 244 yards, which is one more penalty and 14 more yards than their opponents. Last week against Wake Forest, Clemson had nine penalties for 79 yards. With the elite teams, the little things matter and Clemson wants to be consistent with that. The Tigers are at a disadvantage in that they lost their starting kicker for the year and they also haven’t had a big, dramatic punt return or kick return yet. But backup kicker Alex Spence has slid in well and I think it’s only a matter of time until Tavien Feaster or Travis Etienne breaks loose.

The D.O.: Have the Tigers appeared or sounded focused this week? Is there anything that might hint at them overlooking Syracuse?

G.R.: I think the natural tendency from the outside is to assume that Clemson will roll into Syracuse, have little-to-no issues and be on its merry way into the bye week. But Dabo Swinney doesn’t let his team like that and rightfully so. This is a Syracuse team that held its own against LSU and N.C. State and Clemson is well aware of that. Their schedule has been a little different this week because of the short week, but the focus and preparation has remained the exact same. Dabo Swinney is a huge fan of Dino Babers and knows what he’s capable of.

The D.O.: Syracuse is of course led by Eric Dungey and a pass-heavy offense. What’s the outlook of Clemson’s secondary and what’s been the key to besting them so far this season?

G.R.: Clemson’s secondary has sort of had a unique ride this year, in that it doesn’t get a ton of attention, but it is one of the deepest units on the team. Of course all of the glitz and the glamour goes toward Clemson’s behemoth defensive line, complete with Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence and Austin Bryant. But Clemson’s secondary has held its own. An early foot injury in Week 2 to cornerback Marcus Edmond forced the Tigers to get creative, but because that unit is so deep, Trayvon Mullen slid right in and there has been no drop off. Mark Fields also plays a large role. If there is a way to really give this secondary a run for its money, it has to be with a quarterback just like Dungey, who does throw the ball extremely well on a consistent basis. Clemson also experiments with some younger faces in the secondary, so any mental miscues there could be a way for Dungey and Co. to pounce.

The D.O.: It would be an upset of epic proportions, but I have to ask: What needs to happen for Syracuse to win?

G.R.: A Syracuse win this week would no doubt be the Orange’s best win of the year and perhaps the biggest upset of the season in the sport. But hey — it’s college football. Anything can happen. I think if Syracuse has any shot at coming away with a win, it would just have to be one of those nights where literally everything clicked for the Orange and everything fell apart for Clemson. It would have to be a scenario where Kelly Bryant did not play and his backups weren’t up to the task and the Orange were just lights out. Clemson has been so laser-focused all year long, especially on the road. And the Tigers have been very precise in practice this week, looking to “sprint” into the bye week, not “limp” into it. It would certainly shock college football if Clemson came unprepared.

Published on October 12, 2017 at 9:13 pm

Contact: jtbloss@syr.edu | @jtbloss