Syracuse Football: Game time, TV, Radio and more vs North Carolina
By Josh Peelman
Syracuse Football takes on North Carolina in their season opener Saturday afternoon on the road. Here’s all the info needed to watch and listen to the game.
Syracuse Football is back and roaring to go for their 2020 season. With mounting concerns about the coronavirus pandemic in recent months, the fact that the Orange still have a season is actually pretty incredible. Whether it finishes its season is still to be determined, but at least we have football in the meantime! Up first, a trip to Chapel Hill to take on North Carolina (UNC) on the road in the season opener.
North Carolina comes in with high hopes and a talented roster, while Syracuse looks like it’s in a semi-rebuild, but then again it has for a while now, with 2018 being the one exception. The Orange had talent last year at pretty much every position, as they will again this year, but never seemed to be able to put it all together except on the road against Duke late in the season.
In that game, Syracuse’s offensive line held up, allowing the offense to flow and giving the defense time to rest and make stops. That will be key again this year if the Orange want to have a good season against mostly ACC opponents.
North Carolina was 7-6 (4-4 ACC) last year and won the Military bowl over Temple, according to GoHeels.com, while the Orange finished 5-7 (2-6 ACC), according to Cuse.com, and did not make a bowl game, but did win their season finale against Wake Forest in dramatic fashion.
How do these teams match up?
2019 Total yards per game: Syracuse 394.6 yards, North Carolina 474.0 yards, per GoHeels.com
2019 Points per game: Syracuse 28.3, North Carolina 33.1
2019 Points Allowed per game: Syracuse 30.7, North Carolina 23.69
2019 Yards Allowed per game: Syracuse 464.1 yards, North Carolina 373.2 yards
The good news is it’s a new year, and Syracuse’s 2019 lackluster campaign is behind us. The bad news is this season’s Orange team isn’t much changed, while North Carolina is more improved. The fact that North Carolina checks in at No. 18 overall in the nation prior to the season lets you know what experts think their potential is.
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The fact the Orange failed to beat North Carolina in any of these categories from last year is not a promising sign. The one glimmer of hope is that the offensive line seems a little improved after late adjustments to the positions on the line late last year, which will give starting quarterback Tommy DeVito more time to throw and feel less under pressure. That hopefully will really help a passing offense that has weapons like Taj Harris, Nykeim Johnson, Aaron Hackett and Luke Benson.
A better passing game leads to a better offense, and usually more points and yards which keeps the opposing team’s offense off the field. If the Orange can find a way to at least be average and not an eyesore on offense this year, the defense can hold their own better than most.
The last time these two played in 2018 in the Carrier Dome, the Orange won in a thriller. Tommy DeVito’s long pass to Nykeim Johnson helped the Orange rally back to tie the game in regulation, before ultimately winning in double overtime with a strike over the middle to former tight end Ravian Pierce, 40-37. If this year’s game is anything like that one, especially with North Carolina being ranked this year, it could be quite a start to the year for the Orange.
For those who like point spreads, ESPN is favoring North Carolina at home by 22 points. They also give UNC an 85.4% chance of winning with Syracuse at 14.6%. So the odds don’t look good for ‘Cuse in this one, but hey, the season is what they make it and this could easily swing the other way.
So when is the game and where can I watch it?
The game starts Saturday, September 12th at 12:00 p.m. ET and will be shown on ACC Network, according to Cuse.com. In addition, every week Orange Football games can be heard on the IMG Sports Network on TK 99/105 FM, WAER 88.3 FM, or on Cuse.com. The game will be played at North Carolina’s Kenan Stadium and there will be no fans in attendance due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Syracuse.com, which may make the game feel very weird. Imagine this with no fans:
Also, you may be able to watch this game and more at FuboTV by using this link. For everything else, check out the game info below. As always, Let’s Go Orange!
Next. Syracuse Football: Ahead of season opener, four top UNC players to watch. dark
Game Info:
Who’s Playing: Syracuse (0-0, 0-0 ACC) and #18 North Carolina (0-0, 0-0 ACC)
Rivalry: 3-2, Syracuse leads series, according to Sports-Reference.com
Where: Kenan Stadium
Game time: Saturday, September 12th at 12:00 p.m. ET
TV Channel: ACC Network
Online Stream: WatchESPN/WatchESPN app (as long as you have a cable or streaming service subscription that has ACC Network as well)
Radio: 99.5 FM (TK-99), WAER 88.3 FM
Up Next for Syracuse Football: The Orange will once again be on the road and will play at Pittsburgh next Saturday, September 19th at 12:00 p.m. ET.