Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Syracuse rides a two-game winning streak heading into its game against Florida State on Saturday. The Seminoles are SU’s first Atlantic Coast Conference opponent of the season, but they enter the week winless at 0-4. They are coming off a 31-23 home loss to Louisville, and also have recorded losses against Notre Dame, Wake Forest and Football Championship Subdivision opponent Jacksonville State. 

After FSU’s worst start since 1974, second-year head coach Mike Norvell said the team still put their all into the game. 

“If I was a fan, I’d be pissed off,” Norvell said in his Monday press conference. “Some of them stayed. Some of them didn’t. The ones that did got to see a team that came back and responded, and played their butts off until the end. Were we successful? No, it was a failure.”

Here’s everything to know about the Seminoles ahead of their matchup with the Orange on Saturday afternoon.

All-time series

Florida State leads 11-2.

Last time they played

Syracuse and Florida State met in Tallahassee, Florida, in 2019, and FSU running back Cam Akers ran for 144 yards and tied a school record with four touchdown runs in a 35-17 win. FSU took a 21-3 lead into halftime, and added two more touchdowns in the third quarter to take control of the game.

The game was a part of Akers’ junior season when he ran a total of 1,144 yards, made 14 touchdowns and collected second-team All-ACC honors. Akers became a second-round draft pick in the 2020 NFL draft, and he currently plays for the Los Angeles Rams. He dominated against the Orange, taking snaps from the wildcat formation and also completed two passes for 26 yards.

SU struggled to move the ball for most of the game. Quarterback Tommy DeVito finished with 20 completions for just 151 yards, and running back Moe Neal averaged only 3.7 yards per rush. Florida State linebacker Hamsah Nasirildeen totaled 17 tackles and a sack. 

But the Seminoles won just two more games the rest of the season, finishing 6-7 after a Sun Bowl loss. Their head coach, Willie Taggart, was fired just over a week after the game and replaced by interim coach Odell Haggins. FSU then hired Norvell from Memphis, who has gone 3-10 through his first 14 games as head coach. 

The Florida State report

The Seminoles’ offense is led by McKenzie Milton, who played quarterback at Central Florida from 2016-18. The Knights went 13-0 in 2017 and beat Auburn in the Peach Bowl. Milton suffered a serious knee injury in UCF’s regular-season finale against South Florida. After missing the last two seasons, Milton announced his transfer to Florida State, where he made his first appearance against Notre Dame. 

Milton has thrown for 548 yards and has a 62.4 completion percentage this season, but he also has more interceptions (4) than touchdowns (2) and has been sacked seven times. FSU’s offensive line, in general, has struggled so far this season. Milton hasn’t shown the same mobility and arm strength that he did during his years at UCF. His top receiver, Ontaria Wilson, has hauled in nine catches for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Sophomore running back Jashaun Corbin has taken 48 rushing attempts this season for 439 yards — an average of over nine yards per carry. At 6 feet and 221 pounds, Corbin has size to go with his speed, and he is a very patient runner. 

Norvell runs a spread offensive scheme that emphasizes run-pass options and opening up space for playmakers on the outside. At Memphis, Norvell was known for basing his offense around his personnel, with the concepts of the offense staying the same. Most of FSU’s run plays are zone runs to the inside and outside, along with sweep and counter plays that move the ball to the edges of the field. These go with the screen passes.

Defensively, Florida State is led by defensive end Jermaine Johnson II, who has 31 total tackles and 5.5 sacks. Defensive coordinator Adam Fuller is in his second season, and he uses either a 3-4 or 4-2-5 defense. The defensive scheme emphasizes using hybrid players and making the defense easy to play for the defenders on the field. So far, FSU has given up over 30 points three times, including 41 to Notre Dame.

How Syracuse beats Florida State

The Orange are entering Doak Campbell Stadium — a building they are 0-6 in — as underdogs despite the Seminoles being 0-4. Just like in its win over Liberty, SU will have to focus on running the ball and not turning it over. Against the Flames, Syracuse — led by Sean Tucker, who took 32 carries for 169 yards —  ran the ball 53 times. 

Garrett Shrader is expected to make his second-straight start at quarterback after DeVito started SU’s first three games. Shrader threw for just 77 yards against Liberty, but he ran for 53 and scored two touchdowns. Shrader will have to be more effective in the throwing game for a chance at an Orange win, but he will also have to make good decisions when head coach Dino Babers elects to use an option running attack.

Syracuse’s defense will have to contain FSU’s offensive playmakers, including Corbin and Wilson. While Florida State’s offensive line has struggled this season, SU’s defense picked up six sacks last week, and Cody Roscoe was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week. The Orange will again have to win battles at the line of scrimmage and pick up tackles for loss to come out of Tallahassee with the win.

Stat to know: 47

That’s how many years it’s been since Florida State opened a season 0-4. The Seminoles were one of the ACC’s dominant teams after joining in 1990, and they have picked up three national championships and 15 ACC titles since joining the league. But since head coach Jimbo Fisher departed for Texas A&M in 2017, FSU has compiled just a 14-24 record and have had three different head coaches. The Seminoles’ demise has hit a low point this season, especially after the loss to Jacksonville State in week two . 

“I’m pissed off that we’re 0-4, and we can bring up how many years it’s been,” Norvell said in the press conference. “I can’t control that. I can control this team at this moment and right now with the opportunity. So we’re going to work our butts off to go get better, and we’re going to do it the right way.”

Player to watch: Jashaun Corbin, running back

Two of the ACC’s top-three rushers yards-wise will be featured on Saturday. Tucker leads the conference with 536 yards. Corbin is close behind with 439 and three touchdowns, despite the 35 fewer attempts than Tucker has received. Corbin even recorded an 89-yard touchdown run against Notre Dame, displaying his ability to break tackles and speed away from defenders.

Published on September 29, 2021 at 8:37 pm

Contact Connor: csmith49@syr.edu | @csmith17_