#3 Clemson Vs Syracuse :  Preview & Prediction

NO. 3 CLEMSON .                 (4-0, 2-0 ACC) vs.  SYRACUSE (4-0, 1-0 ACC) 
SATURDAY, SEPT. 29          NOON ET 
MEMORIAL STADIUM      (81,500)

CLEMSON, S.C. 

TELEVISION:                         ABC (Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge, Holly Rowe) 
RADIO:                   Clemson Tigers Network (Don Munson, Rodney Williams, Reggie Merriweather) 
                                                                  **Sirius 98, XM 193, Internet 955** 

CLEMSON/SYRACUSE SERIES HISTORY: 
– OVERALL: Clemson leads series, 4-2 – HOME: Clemson leads series, 2-0
- ROAD: Clemson leads series, 2-1
- NEUTRAL: Clemson trails, 0-1 
– LAST MEETING: Oct. 13, 2017 (27-24, L) – STREAK: Syracuse, Won 1 

 

 

Clemson, SC

Clemson 3rd ranked in the nation and 4-0/1-0 (ACC) ,  takes to the hill on Saturday and entertains ACC divisional foe Syracuse inside of Memorial Stadium at 12 noon in front of a national television audience live on ABC Sports.  The Tigers who are trying to go to 5-0 for the 6th time (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017) of the Dabo Swinney’s coaching tenure.  Clemson also looks to avenge last years lone regular-season loss to the Orange. Clemson will also be going for its 11th win in a row inside “Death Valley” dating back to the November 25th, 2016 win over South Carolina (56-7). 

 

When Clemson Has the Ball : 

Clemson starts freshman phenom Trevor Lawrence for the first time in his young career. With this move expect the offense to increase in both efficiency and explosive plays.  Lawrence’s ability to stretch the field with his the downfield passing game will “loosen up the box”… the safeties and line-backers will not be able to creep up and “stack the box”.  Thus allowing the Clemson run game to flourish as these back-end defenders play a guessing game as the Tigers  “Run Pass Options”  will have them wondering all day long… what next?  

Clemson running backs should find plenty of lanes as this will allow the Tigers to run from spread formations and utilize their numbers advantage.  If Syracuse does decide to come down in the box and leave Corners on Islands and blitz their line -backers. Look for the Clemson “screen game” to crank up with wide receivers, and play action passes to attack the seam and over the top for big plays.  Syracuse does not match up very well with the Clemson skill talent. Look for Clemson to unleash Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross at the same time giving the defensive backfield fits as they try and “pick their poison” among the Clemson wide receiver corps.  Look for Etienne to again get 12-15 carries on the day and surpass 100 yards for a third straight game.   

 

 

 

When Syracuse Has the Ball: 

Syracuse comes into this game rolling on offense, averaging over 50 points a game so far in the 2018 season. Syracuse quarterback  Eric Dungy has led the Orange as they worked their way to a 4-0 start and come into Clemson on a wave of confidence.  Look for the Orange quarterback to pepper the sidelines with horizontal passes to the boundary.  This offense runs super fast and does not waste a second of time.  The biggest issue with defending Syracuse is just getting lined back up and getting calls into the defense before the Orange and Dungy can snap the ball.  Christian Wilkins and crew will be looking for a different outcome from this game,  2017’s contest was this defenses worst performance of the season.

The Tigers and defensive coordinator Brent Venables will look to press coverage on the boundary wide receivers and force the Syracuse quarterback to look downfield for his options in the passing game.  By keeping this offense from the quick pass game,  the Tigers will force the Orange to the  Clemson strength.  The Clemson defensive line unit will have more time to pressure the quarterback and contain him in the pocket, allowing  Clelin Ferrell and company to use their speed rush and pressure Dungy all afternoon. 

 

Syracuse players to watch :

#2QB Eric Dungy  #10WR Sean Riley   #94DE  Alton Robinson 

 

 

How we see it :

Clemson will go back and forth with the Orange in the first quarter and this game could be pretty tight even into halftime as the Tigers look to get newly named starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence comfortable in his new role.  Dungy the savvy veteran from Syracuse has great feet and is always a threat in the zone read scheme they employ and is very accurate when given the time in the pocket to maneuver and find open receivers.  On this day the Clemson defense finds a way to curtail all the recent offensive success experienced but the school from upstate NY and the heir apparent to the Clemson program, Lawrence shows in this game why the “hype” was surrounding the 6’6″ Lawrence upon his arrival back in January. 
Syracuse will play hard and Dungy will make some plays, their offense dangerous when it gets rollng and can be very potent. Clemson on this afternoon, on defense will take a few moments and drives to acclimate to the speed of the Orange, eventually, on the offensive side of the ball depth comes into play and the Tigers will wear down the Orange.  Tigers roll in this one. 

Prediction:

Clemson 45  Syracuse 20 

 

 

 

 

Courtesy ACC Network:

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