Syracuse Football: Early scouting report vs Western Michigan (Week 4)

We take an early look at the next opponent on the docket for the Syracuse football squad: Western Michigan. Here’s everything you need to know.

Syracuse football is 1-2 through the first three weeks of the season. They beat Liberty on the road but lost to both Maryland and Clemson.

The Orange will continue their homestand in Week 4 vs a very familiar opponent vs Western Michigan.

Early vegas line has Syracuse as a four-point favorite over the Broncos. Although according to the ESPN FPI Analytics, Western Michigan has the edge predicted to win this game 55.8 percent of the time.

While both squads are from different parts of the country, there’s a lot of connective tissue here.

Both of these squads squared off to kick off the 2018 season. Per Winsipedia, this was the first matchup between these two programs.

If you remember correctly, Syracuse opened up the game firing on all cylinders. The Orange opened up a 34-7 first-half lead and this one was over.

With such a large lead, Dino Babers decided to put the car in cruise control, he took Eric Dungey out of the game and inserted Tommy DeVito.

This was the first appearance by Tommy in a college football game. The 2017 season was a redshirt year to learn the offense.

Sadly that’s where the game turned, the Broncos scored 28 points in the third quarter and rallied back to make it a contest.

Suddenly Dino had to take the car out of cruise control and throw Eric Dungey back out there to win the game.

The Orange ended up walking away with the 55-42 victory although it should’ve been easier than Syracuse made it.

In one of the most unusual stat lines, you’ll ever see Dungey actually ran for more yards than he passed for. Eric had 200 yards on the ground (career-best) on 15 carries for 13.3 yards per clip and a touchdown.

This game was also a coming-out party for Jamal Custis who took over the No. 1 wide receiver role in this offense highlighted by one-handed catches and major production: six receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns (28 yards per reception).

Although let’s take a deeper look at who hurt Syracuse on the Western Michigan side.

The leading passer, rusher, and receiver are all still on this Broncos team from 2018.

Quarterback Jon Wassink threw for 379 yards and three touchdowns in 2018 and he’s continued that fiery pace in 2019.

Wassink is completing over 70 percent of his passes for over 10.6 yards per clip with a 7:2 touchdown to interception ratio.

While from a rushing perspective LeVante Bellamy tore up the Orange defense last season to the tune of 120 yards and two touchdowns.

This season he’s been fantastic: 289 yards rushing, six yards a clip, and four touchdowns.

2019 season to date.

Western Michigan is 2-1 on the season. They’ve beaten Monmouth and Georgia State, outscoring them 105-23.

Their lone loss on the season came via the No. 19 ranked Michigan State Spartans.

Although in Week 3, the Broncos displayed some historic offense vs Georgia State per the Associated Press:

"“Bellamy had 11 carries for 179 yards and 3 TDs at the half. Sean Tyler finished with 138 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Bellamy broke for a 60-yard touchdown sprint to start the scoring early in the first and added a 73-yard touchdown run to start the second quarter. Tyler broke for a 61-yard scoring scamper and added another for 30 yards in the second as the Broncos sprinted to a 43-10 halftime lead.”"

While you may say that’s Georgia State who cares? This is the same team that upset the Tennessee Volunteers in Week 1: 38-30. The Orange defense will have to be ready to stop the run in Week 4 or it could be a long day for Syracuse.