Here are our full crystal ball predictions ahead of the Syracuse football vs Clemson Tigers matchup. Can the Orange pull it off? Here are the details.
The Clemson Tigers are expected to walk into the loud house undefeated and leave undefeated. ESPN FPI Analytics suggest the Syracuse football squad have a 3.4 percent chance of pulling out the dub.
While that translates to quite the vegas spread: 27.5 points the Tigers are laying in this one. Also, consider Syracuse is at HOME in this game.
Consider this, part of the reason the spread is so large is that Syracuse laid an egg vs Maryland in Week 2 by a score of 63-20. Which not only took the wind out of the sails for Syracuse but from College GameDay (who skipped out).
The last time Clemson visited the Carrier Dome, the Orange pulled off one of the biggest upsets in program history, could we be in store for another one?
We have your full crystal ball predictions ahead of this monumental matchup in the ACC that could decide the power balance in the ACC entirely for 2019. Go through the following slides, check out our opinions then share your own in the comments down below!
Paul A. Esden Jr, Site Expert (1-1)
We’ve finally made it to game day! While the Maryland lost did take some wind out of the sails a bit, the Orange have forgotten about that and have rebooted for the Clemson game.
Doing a deep dive analysis on this game, several things seem evident.
If the Orange want to compete, they have to trade blows with the Clemson Tigers.
It won’t be easy, but I don’t see any other way where Syracuse wins this game. The past two matchups have both been sub-30 scores (27-24, 27-23), but the Tigers offense is so much better than each of those teams.
The Tigers have a Heisman candidate at quarterback, running back, and at both wide receiver spots. That’s not hyperbole, that’s accurate.
Syracuse and Brian Ward are going to have to deliver a rock star performance in this one. It’s not necessarily going to be stopping this Clemson offense, but more so containing it, forcing turnovers, and getting that critical stop at the end of the game.
If you remember, in the Syracuse vs Clemson game last year, the narrative was the Orange defense ran out of gas. In this one, Syracuse will be ready for the moment.
The x-factor is Tommy DeVito.
He can’t play “not to lose” and hope the elite special teams and defense can carry the Orange to victory, that’s not realistic. If Syracuse is going to win this game, DeVito is going to have to make some plays.
Call me crazy, maybe I’ve been drinking the Kool-Aid, but I have the Orange winning 54-51 over the Clemson Tigers in an instant ACC classic we’ll remember for many years to come.
Neil Adler, Contributor (2-0)
The Syracuse football squad attempts to regain its footing after a disastrous showing this past weekend when the Orange hosts No. 1 Clemson on Saturday night.
The ‘Cuse (1-1), in one of the biggest surprises in all of college football so far in the young 2019 campaign, got absolutely crushed by Maryland, 63-20, in College Park last Saturday. It’s not that Syracuse lost on the road to a solid crew that’s a bitter disappointment.
In fact, I, unfortunately, guessed correctly in picking the Orange to fall to the Terrapins. The concerning element is how Maryland simply dominated the ‘Cuse in virtually every facet of the game.
Now Syracuse must regroup for a prime-time affair at the Dome against the top-ranked Tigers (2-0), a group that most recently handled then-No. 12 Texas A&M, 24-10, at home. This encounter will commence at 7:30 pm on ABC.
Currently, odds-makers in Las Vegas are anointing Clemson as a 26.5-point favorite, while ESPN’s Football Power Index says that the Orange possesses only a 3.4 percent chance to prevail. Keep in mind that, two seasons ago, the ‘Cuse pulled off a massive upset of the Tigers in Central New York, and Syracuse nearly won at Clemson in the 2018 stanza.
So to completely write off the Orange is probably not a smart move. Still, given how lowly the ‘Cuse looked versus the Terrapins, I can’t foresee a scenario where Syracuse emerges victorious. Hopefully, the Orange keeps things close. Ultimately, I project a 45-24 conquest by the Tigers.
Chris Queripel, Contributor (1-1)
Syracuse football heads into Week 3 on the heels of a disastrous 63-20 defeat against Maryland. There’s no way to tiptoe around last weeks game for the Orange. It was an ugly game on all fronts. The positive for ‘Cuse fans is that it’s only Week 2.
So there’s a lot of games left to play. However, they will face their toughest opponent when Clemson comes to the Loud House on Saturday. Head coach Dino Babers has a lot of adjustments to make but not a lot of time to make them before facing the No. 1 ranked Tigers.
Syracuse opens up as a 24 point underdog at home. All signs are pointing to a major blowout in favor of the visiting squad. But is there a major upset alert on the horizon? No.
Let’s go back to focus on Syracuse’s first two games. In Week 1 Syracuse defeated Liberty 24-0 on the road. In the end, the Orange got a win. However, 24 points against Liberty is nothing to write home about.
Syracuse displayed their weaknesses against the Flames, and Maryland brutally exploited those same weaknesses in the next game. Those same holes need fixing, so Clemson doesn’t embarrass the Orange in those facets this week.
My X-factor for Syracuse is their offensive line play.
Tommy DeVito has shown his flaws early this year, and much of it is due to inexperience. However, a large portion could be chalked up to the offensive line. The injury of center Sam Heckel has caused one significant hole upfront. This injury has forced veteran Airon Servais to take over the snapping duties. This change created a domino effect that created gaps in an inexperienced O-line. Carlos Veterello has to play now left tackle instead of right, which is his primary position. On top of the position swap, he has only started two games. For ‘Cuse to have any chance in the passing game, the O-line needs to work more cohesively as a unit.
Clemson has looked sharp as an overall squad in their first two games. They most recently knocked off No. 16 Texas A&M in a 24-10 victory. The Tigers defense is going to put a lot of pressure on ‘Cuse and force a few big mistakes. Look for the defensive playmakers to create turnovers in this game. Either way, the offense is still going to be the focal point.
My X-factor is Travis Etienne. The running back already has 313 yards from scrimmage this season and three touchdowns. He’s going to be an effective weapon that looks to carve up the ‘Cuse defense.
Saturday nights matchup will be the first football sellout in the Dome since 1998. Needless to say, the crowd will be electric. Hopefully, this will boost the Orange to a major upset win. However, I don’t see it happening. Clemson is No. 1 for a reason, and they’ve proven that already this season. Syracuse is still a work in progress and hasn’t looked sharp at all through the first two weeks. Clemson will put up a large number in this game and hold Syracuse to just a couple touchdowns.
My final prediction is a 45-17 road victory for Clemson.
Ryan Lee, Contributor (1-1)
Syracuse football has its biggest game at the Carrier Dome, or just “The Dome,” Idk whatever, in a long time. The defending National Champions are 2-0 and coming off an impressive defensive performance against the then12th ranked Texas A&M. The Orange are listed at 1-1 but I cannot recall what happened last weekend. *sigh*
Well, let’s get to business.
Syracuse, to have a hope against the Tigers, need to be flat out better especially on the defensive side of the ball. Even with a Clemson team who has not really hit a stride yet behind Heisman hopefuls Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne.
Tigers also have freaky skilled receivers on the outside as well with Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross, that give me nightmares and I don’t play in a secondary that has to face them. Yet Lawrence has only found the endzone twice this year through the air but has given it away with three picks.
There are so many different matchups to look for on Saturday. Can the Orange secondary play zone against the likes of Ross and Higgins and fix the breakdowns that occurred against Maryland? Can the offensive line stand up to a team with the pass-rushing depth the Tigers possess, especially if Syracuse falls behind?
I am tempted to name the biggest matchup as the offensive line against Clemson’s defensive front, even with Sam Heckel’s injury proving to be the biggest injury on the team so far, but there is one more that can decide if Syracuse can get any stops against the ferocious Tigers.
That matchup is SU linebackers against the run and play-action game. Andrew Armstrong, Lakiem Williams, and company will have their hands full on Saturday. Early against Maryland, Williams and Armstrong were sucked in on numerous play-action looks from the Terrapins leading to gashed in the passing game down the middle of the field.
This led to confusion for the rest of the contest, and 63 points given up on the heels of a shutout. Being sucked in on play-action wasn’t the only SU flaw.
They gave up over 300 yards on the ground and with a back like Etienne, who gashed Cuse a year ago, the linebackers will be called on to fill their assignments and gang tackle to keep the chains from moving.
I have touted this Syracuse defense as the best they have had this century, and talent-wise I still believe it. Performing up to these lofty expectations however is its own story. After last week I cannot change on my preseason pick and go with the Syracuse Orange.
I am picking the National Champions to avenge the 2017 loss. I hope the dome remains packed with a sellout crowd late into the game but certainly has run away potential in it. Clemson doesn’t score 63 but a 45-24 win will still be worrisome but that is my pick.
Joe Arrigo, Contributor (1-1)
Well Syracuse, it’s time for the game we have all been waiting for since the schedule was released. The great and powerful Clemson Tigers are coming to the Dome.
All I have heard this summer is how this is the year Syracuse knocks off Clemson not just in this game, but in the ACC Atlantic. In fact, Syracuse has been so focused on beating Clemson, the Orange didn’t even show up for the Maryland game last week.
It cost Syracuse their top 25 rankings, and a visit from the most popular college football show in the country, College GameDay. Last week was one of the most disappointing early season losses that I can remember, but the Orange need to move on immediately.
When it comes to this game, expect Syracuse to actually show up and play with way more energy then they did last week. Tigers’ quarterback Trevor Laurence was knocked out of the Syracuse game last year, and I think that is going to motivate him a lot to have a great game on Saturday. I am much more concerned with what Laurence will do to the Orange than Clemson’s strong running game led by star running back Travis Etienne.
Syracuse is not going to get blown out because Dino Babers will make sure his players are ready to go.
However, if Syracuse loses this game, how does the rest of the year play out?
Their main goal of beating Clemson will not get accomplished, and they won’t be able to contend for the Playoff or a New Years Bowl because of the Maryland game. I have a feeling this season could become really ugly if Syracuse loses this game.
As for my prediction, I think Syracuse plays a really good first half, but by the time the middle of the 4th quarter comes around, Clemson will pull away for a 10-14 point victory. Final Score- Clemson 41 Syracuse 30.
Mat Mlodzinski, Contributor (1-1)
Clemson – 35, Syracuse – 24.
I think this game will be closer than most think, especially the disgraceful Vegas line. Right off the bat, I know the Orange will be ready.
Part of me doesn’t want to know what Dino Babers said in the locker room after the Maryland game. However, part of me really wants to know, because I bet it’s something amazing.
Regardless of his message, I would be willing to bet that Tommy DeVito and co. not only took it to heart but will show that on the football field. However, past that, the Orange have now been practicing at almost full strength for a few weeks now, besides a few smallish injuries.
Given that, I believe the offense will be a lot better, albeit, against a stifling Tiger defense. The real difference-maker in this game will be Clemson running back Travis Etienne against the ‘Cuse linebackers.
The Orange secondary has enough speed and strength to battle the Clemson wideouts. Alton Robinson and Kendall Coleman didn’t have great games against the Terrapins and should be a lot better in a game where they will be counted on to apply pressure to Trevor Lawrence.
However, Etienne was the difference-maker last year, and against the weakest part of the Syracuse, defense might just rush for 200 yards plus. I can see a one-possession game in the fourth quarter, and I won’t rule the Orange out based on the past two seasons, but my gut says Clemson by two scores.
Josh Peelman, Contributor (1-1)
Prediction: Clemson beats Syracuse 42-24.
As much as I’d love to say Syracuse will win this game against Clemson or at least make it close, I’m just not feeling it this time around.
Syracuse was gashed on defense both against the pass and against the run last week at Maryland who was thought to be a cellar dweller squad in the Big 10 this year. The defense showed no signs of their dominance or experience that was thought to be the class of the ACC or close to it.
Now with the Orange taking on the Tigers, the No. 1 team in the nation, the Orange will have to respond and make adjustments or be blown out at home. My gut tells me they will be more prepared but just not match up: hence the point differential in my prediction.
The Orange are capable of winning this game. They have the talent to be successful on both sides of the ball. They will have a sellout of over 50,000 fans in the stands creating the ultimate home-field advantage in The Loud House.
They will also have a team hungry to show last game against the Terrapins was an anomaly and that fans can have faith in the future and direction of this program. However, will those things be enough to stop maybe the best program in college football? Hard to say.
The real X-factor to me is really two-fold.
One: The Orange need to bring heart, passion, and determination into this game. Everything about this game should be hard for the Orange. and they’ll really have to battle to pull off the victory.
Running the offense with a quarterback in his third college start, running against a talented defensive line when you’re own offensive line has its’ issues, and playing against two Heisman candidates in Travis Etienne (RB) and Trevor Lawrence (QB) are all things the Orange may struggle within this game.
How well the Orange get past those will go a long way in telling if the Orange pull off the upset or get blown out.
The second x-factor in this game is the hometown crowd of 50,000+ in attendance.
It may seem silly to suggest it, but a crowd can have a huge impact on a game, especially in The Loud House. If you start playing well, the crowd gets behind you and it really builds your confidence.
In addition, in the Dome which isn’t open to the air, that loud noise from screaming, cheering, yelling, clapping and jiggling keys is that much more amplified making it almost impossible to hear plays coming in.
I’ve been in games at the Dome where 30,000 or so were attendance and it got loud and the opposing quarterback had trouble calling plays and create audibles at the line of scrimmage. I’ve also been a game with over 40,000 a few years back where the defense literally had to call timeouts from time to time because they couldn’t hear the coach on the sideline.
That, in turn, led to a lot of runs being called since the quarterback had trouble communicating with his receivers about the play they were calling. So imagine 50,000 now being there and that will give you an idea of just how hard it may be on Clemson if Syracuse does well to start and gets the crowd behind them.
That can really be the 12th man in the field and the game. All this considered, I still don’t think the Orange bring enough heart and don’t get the crowd behind them early enough in this one to get the win.
I see Clemson feeling right at home early and thus realizing our biggest fears and torching us right from the get-go, both on the ground and in the air. Unfortunately, that leads to a slight blowout in Syracuse’s first home game of the year. DeVito may still have a decent 200-300 yard passing game and be the star for the Orange in this one, but it won’t be enough as the running game never really finds success stalling multiple drives that had the potential to be more.
I hope I’m wrong and I’m rooting heavily for the Orange, but this one seems like a long shot. Then again, we’ve said this before, so who knows?
Paul A. Esden Sr. Contributor (1-1)
I know my adoring fans wait all week for this so I will not disappoint you. How did the Clemson Tigers get their name you ask? In 1896 Coach Walter Merritt Riggs took the name from his alma mater Auburn University. Yikes so in a defacto way the Clemson mascot is an illegitimate child of Auburn.
Now that may sound bad (and it does) but it is a shade better than their previous mascot ‘the Southern Gentlemen’; which was a student wearing a purple suit matching top hat and cane.
But I digress ….
Now let’s talk about Saturday night’s game.
The insider information on this game is not that the Orange is the New Fast is 28 point underdogs at home or that they are coming off a beatdown at the hands of a mud turtle.
No, what the Orange accomplished last week was almost inconceivable prior to the game. They gave Clemson a reason to overlook them. Any coaching staff watching game film of last week would struggle to have areas for concern, especially on defense.
Now this is significant as we all know Syracuse has put the team from Death Valley into a tizzy the past two years in a row. Winning 119 out of 120 minutes, winning one of those games and both times knocking out their starting quarterback. In summary, after last weeks game, the Orange have nothing to lose and can go out and let it all hang out.
Insights:
- Lost in the visual of Tommy DeVito looking indecisive and lost at times versus Maryland was the fact that his completion percentage was 71.8 percent, he threw for 330 yards and a touchdown. Marring these flashes of brilliance was moments of throwing the ball away without a real attempt to keep the play alive that we all saw at the end of the game. Bottom line this kid has talent but needs some blocking and playcalling help.
- The defense needs to step up and wrap up, back to basics.
- Dome intangibles, Orange Nation and Otto need to rock the Loud House.
Onto the prediction.
Good news is there is nowhere to go after last week but improve. The bad news is this is the undisputed No. 1 team in the nation for many reasons. I think the Dome works its magic and makes this a win over the top team in the country in a barn burner. I have this one 56-55. Be Loud, Be Proud, Be ORANGE!