The Syracuse Orange (2-4, 0-2 ACC) returns home to the Carrier Dome this weekend to face fellow conference opponent, No. 17 ranked Virginia Tech Hokies (4-1, 2-0 ACC). This Saturday's matchup will be the first time the Hokies will be playing in Syracuse since the 2002 season.
The Orange and the Hokies could not be coming off of more different weekends. While Syracuse is still reeling from a very disappointing loss to Wake Forest, falling 28-9, Virginia Tech is sitting pretty on top of the ACC Coastal Division with their 34-3 victory over the former No.17 ranked North Carolina. If that's not having a good day offensively and defensively, I'm not sure what is.
With Amba-Etta Tawo and Eric Dungey coming off of record-breaking games three weeks ago against Connecticut, both Etta-Tawo and Dungey look to lead the Orange to their first conference victory this season against Virginia Tech. In last Saturday's game, neither Dungey nor Etta-Tawo took the leadership position the Orange desperately need on the field. The Orange took the lead early in the first quarter by scoring a safety, and then came back in the second quarter with a touchdown by Dontae Strickland, but the Orange wouldn't score again for the rest of the game. With the first six games out of the way, Syracuse has proven to under perform in the second half, losing four of their last five games.
"From the first half to the second half, we can't tell you what it works and why it happened not the other half. We do not have a lot of depth, but again at half-time we have a huge break. They get treated really nice at half-time," says head coach Dino Babers on the Orange's second half performance. "They should be as fresh as starting the opening of the game, minus the number of plays they played in the first half. So I would really not like to say it's fatigue."
If the Orange is going to try to pull out a victory over the Hokies on Saturday, they must find a way to stop wide receiver Isaiah Ford. As of now, the Virginia Tech junior is on track to finish as the school’s all-time leader in every major statistical category. Last season Ford became the first 1,000-yard receiver in the history of the school and has logged 24 receptions, 376 yards and four touchdowns in the team’s first five games this season. Ford left the game over North Carolina early last week with a sprained ankle and although head coach Justin Fuente told media that he could have returned, the real test will be when he steps onto the field on Saturday.
Virginia Tech Defensive Coordinator Bud Foster's D-line, currently ranked No.3 overall, will also look to give Syracuse a hard time in the Dome. Virginia Tech's defense was the key to their win over North Carolina last weekend, forcing the Tar Heels to have four turnovers and holding them only to three points in the game. Meanwhile, with such a young and inexperienced Syracuse defense, the Orange currently rank among the the worst defenses this season.
"Yea, it's gonna be a great game. I mean Virginia Tech's defense is, I mean they're really good. The front six and front three, those guys can rush so it's gonna be a tough game, but I'm looking forward to being back in the Dome," comments quarterback Eric Dungey on his thoughts for facing the Virginia Tech defense this Saturday.
Syracuse will need to pull out all the stops this weekend if they are to beat No. 17 Virginia Tech and gain their first conference victory of the season. They will need to find a way to put a stop to what seems to be unstoppable Isaiah Ford and the No.3 defense in the country. The Orange's schedule doesn't seem to let up much in the coming weeks, heading back on the road for two weeks, so picking up a win at home this weekend will be crucial.
SU vs. Virginia Tech Saturday @ 3:45 PM. Countdown to kickoff 3:15 PM on WAER 88.3