Syracuse (3-3, 1-1) hits the road again this weekend as the orange travels down to Atlanta to play Georgia Tech (3-3, 2-2). SU comes into the game fresh off its first ACC win and a road win against North Carolina State.
The Orange faces a Yellow Jackets team that ranks 6th in the nation in rushing yards led by the two-headed monster of senior running back, David Sims, and sophomore quarterback, Vad Lee. The two have combined for 635 yards on the year and the team as a whole has more than 1,700 yards on the ground.
Georgia Tech runs the ball three times as much as it throws the ball this season and that is not uncommon for a Paul Johnson team. Under Johnson, Georgia Tech has run the “triple option” offense and Syracuse head coach, Scott Shafer, needed to refesh himself on Johnson’s unique scheme.
“I've got a lot of respect for Paul Johnson and what he's done down there… It's been a lot of years since I’ve seen (the triple option) and not as a coordinator,” the SU head coach said.
However, Shafer’s Syracuse defense has been very solid against the run this season. The orange is ranked 25th in the nation in rush defense and has allowed less than 800 yards on the ground in 6 games this season.
The Georgia Tech run game isn’t the only ground threat in this one. Syracuse has rushed for more than 300 yards in its last two games, including Jerome Smith and Prince Tyson Gulley combining for 273 in the orange’s last game against North Carolina State.
Which run game will prevail? You can tune into WAER’s coverage on Saturday at noon with Countdown to kickoff and the game beginning at 12:30. You can find us at 88.3FM in Syracuse or www.waer.org.