I give all the credit in the world to Syracuse football for hanging close with Florida State over the weekend down in Tallahassee. The Orange was seeking its first-ever win at FSU, but the ‘Cuse came up just short when the Seminoles kicked a last-second field goal.
Unfortunately for the Orange, things don’t get any easier in the team’s next encounter. The ‘Cuse allowed 33 points to a previously winless FSU squad last Saturday afternoon, and now the Syracuse football defense faces an even greater task. A significantly larger test, I might add.
This Saturday afternoon on the Hill, the Orange (3-2) will take on No. 19 Wake Forest (5-0), which leads the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Atlantic division and boasts one of the nation’s premier offenses.
Just this last weekend, the Demon Deacons piled up more than 500 yards of total offense in a thrilling 37-34 victory over Louisville in Winston-Salem, N.C.
According to a press release from the Wake Forest athletics department, the Demon Deacons tallied 324 passing yards and 177 rushing yards in besting the Cardinals.
The Syracuse football defense will go toe to toe with a prolific Wake Forest offense.
According to stats provided on the ACC Web site, the Demon Deacons are currently No. 2 within the conference in scoring, at 38.4 points a game. That average also puts Wake Forest at No. 15 nationwide, in a tie with Oklahoma, per NCAA.com. Pretty good company, if you ask me.
To date in the 2021 campaign, the Demon Deacons have generated 42 points against Old Dominion, 41 points versus Norfolk State, 35 points in a 21-point win against FSU, 37 points in a 20-point trouncing of Virginia on the road, and 37 points versus the aforementioned Cardinals.
I acknowledge that not all of Wake Forest’s opponents are among the country’s elite, but still, the Demon Deacons are handling their foes.
To make matters more difficult for the ‘Cuse, Wake Forest is actually right ahead of the Orange in the ACC as it pertains to points allowed per contest on defense.
The Demon Deacons are No. 5, at 18.2 points allowed a game, versus Syracuse football checking in at No. 6, giving up 20.8 points per affair.
On the plus side, the ‘Cuse is allowing only 285 yards a game, which is tops in the ACC. Something may have to give when Syracuse football hosts Wake Forest, though, as the Demon Deacons average 444.6 yards per encounter in total offense, which is No. 5 in the ACC.
To me, it seems that the Orange will have a brutal time trying to outscore Wake Forest, particularly after news broke that its best wide receiver, Taj Harris, has entered his name into the transfer portal.
To prevail in this conference clash, the Syracuse football defense will have to produce some turnovers and, subsequently, short fields for the Orange offense to grab a few easy scores.
On the flip side, the ‘Cuse offense absolutely has to play a clean game against the Demon Deacons. If Syracuse football turns the ball over with frequency, the Orange isn’t going to emerge victorious.