Syracuse Football: Tough Game Ahead for Dino Babers’ Orange

Syracuse football head coach Dino Babers is trying to rebuild the program and a win against USF could expedite that process.

Usually teams try to exercise voluntary amnesia after blowout losses. Louisville embarrassed the Orange in their ACC opener. And if Dino Babers and the Orange have any aspirations of ending this three-game homestand with a winning record, they ought to be thinking ahead because another solid opponent awaits in the University of South Florida.

The Bulls’ offense has averaged 52 points per game in the two victories over Towson and Northern Illinois. And the defense has done its job surrendering just 18.5 points per contest. They haven’t exactly played against top-notch competition thus far, but this isn’t a team Syracuse can take lightly.

Another dual-threat quarterback makes his way to the Loud House in the form of junior Quinton Flowers. Last year was his first full season behind center and he eclipsed the 2,000 yard mark passing and just missed 1,000 yards rushing (991). And through two games in this year’s campaign, he has excelled while taking care of the football. Flowers has eight touchdowns (two rushing) and just one turnover.

So it’ll be a tall order for the Orange defense, as it looks to stop Flowers from blossoming and putting up huge numbers the way Lamar Jackson did just last weekend. Louisville’s Heisman hopeful, Jackson, led the Cards to an ACC record 845 total yards.

The Orange lost every phase of the game. The Cardinals defense forced two turnovers that led to 14 points. Jackson had more rushing yards (199) than the entire Syracuse team (121).

Unfortunately for the Orange, Marlon Mack is listed as “probable” for this game after not playing against Northern Illinois. Mack left the season opener and has been in the concussion protocol ever since.

Last year, the talented running back was a thorn in the side of the Orange. He had his second-best game of the year in that 45-24 victory for the Bulls, rushing for 184 yards and two touchdowns.

Though USF might not be as formidable as Louisville, it would behoove Syracuse to come into this game with a sense of urgency. It’s only the third game of the season so a loss wouldn’t send the team into panic mode, but it’s an important game. Getting blown out in back-to-back games at home is a bad optic. You’d at least want this to be competitive in the fourth quarter.

Everything that could possibly go wrong for the Orange in that first quarter against the Cards did go wrong. Before fans could blink, the Orange were down 21 points. Syracuse played catch up the rest of the way. Following the loss, Babers acknowledged his team had defensive struggles but expressed more disappointment in the offense.

Dungey is coming off a game where he threw for three touchdowns, which is great. But his numbers overall were less than stellar. The second-year player went just 25-for-51 with 255 yards and that’s not really the recipe for Orange success. Expect him to be much more efficient in the passing attack.

South Florida looked like a win for Syracuse going into the season. And if the Orange somehow pulled this off, they’d be that much closer to a Bowl game. Now it’s time for them to show the world this isn’t “same ol’ Syracuse.”