The No. 20 Syracuse football (6-2 overall, 3-1 in the ACC) is hitting the road this weekend seeking to pick up its first win against the Pittsburgh Panthers (4-4 overall, 1-3 in the ACC) away from the Hill in 21 years at 3:30 pm eastern time.
The Orange are looking to pull things together, following a tough loss, 41-24, to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish last Saturday in the JMA Wireless Dome.
These are three key players to watch for Syracuse football against the Panthers.
Quarterback Garrett Shrader
Shrader was injured in last week’s game against the Irish. He was able to throw for one touchdown and one interception before he left the game and was replaced by redshirt freshman Carlos Del Rio-Wilson in the third quarter. Should head coach Dino Barbers put in Shrader, we will have to see how he performs under pressure, thinking with his hands and feet, and creating opportunities for those downfield.
Running Back Sean Tucker
Tucker will need to be one of the many factors in this game against the Panthers. Tucker only ran for 60 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown against Notre Dame. Sean Tucker will need to find the holes in the Panthers’ defense, using his field vision to find holes to run through against a defense that brings pressure to the offense, using his speed to break free from chasing defenders, and getting into the end zone is critical for him in this game.
Linebacker Mikel Jones
Jones is one of the many leaders on the Syracuse Orange defense, and he leads the team in tackles with 69 on the season. Jones will need to attack the offensive line of Pittsburgh with his speed and agility to get to Kedon Slovis, Pittsburgh’s quarterback, and create an opportunity to bring the Orange offense back on the field.
Watch these three players and the rest of the Syracuse Orange football team, as they take on the Pittsburgh Panthers on the road at 3:30 pm eastern time on the ACC Network.