Syracuse football only team in country with top-5 scoring offense, defense

Three games into the 2023 season, Syracuse football has a unique and encouraging distinction across the national landscape.

Per statistics on the NCAA’s Web site, the Orange is the only team nationwide that at present has a top-five scoring offense as well as a top-five scoring defense. Some fans gripe about the level of competition so far for the ‘Cuse, and I readily acknowledge that the team’s first two foes, Colgate and Western Michigan, are sub-par.

However, this past Saturday night in a prime-time affair on NBC, Syracuse football traveled to a hostile environment and came away with a 35-20 victory at Big Ten Conference member Purdue.

Now, sitting at 3-0 and preparing to host Army this coming Saturday afternoon, the Orange is scoring 49.3 points per game, which is No. 5 nationally. On defense, the ‘Cuse is allowing just 9.00 points per contest, good for No. 4 overall.

Syracuse football is a national leader in various statistical categories through its first three games.

For some context, after the Black Knights head to the Hill this Saturday, the Orange will open up Atlantic Coast Conference competition by hosting Clemson, then traveling to North Carolina and Florida State.

So I’m the first to admit that we’ll see where the ‘Cuse resides in the stats department on a national basis following these upcoming conference clashes.

In any event, besides the Orange’s national placements in scoring offense and scoring defense, I’ve pasted below where the ‘Cuse is rated around the country in numerous other statistical departments.

•Tied for No. 1 with two defensive touchdowns

•Tied for No. 46 with 51 first downs made by its opponents

•Tied for No. 6 with eight turnovers gained

•Tied for No. 15 with a turnover margin of +1.33 per game

•No. 2 with 88 first downs made

•No. 36 in net punting, with 41.25 yards per punt

•No. 18 with 311.0 passing yards per game

•No. 48 with 198.7 passing yards allowed per contest

•Tied for No. 1 in red zone defense (3-of-7 attempts, or 42.9 percent)

•No. 14 with 77.0 rushing yards allowed per game

•No. 10 with 231.7 rushing yards per affair

•No. 7 with a 3rd-down conversion percentage of 57.1

•No. 24 with a 3rd-down conversion percentage defense of 31.2

•No. 33 with a team passing efficiency of 160.36

•No. 18 with a team passing efficiency defense of 102.98

•Tied for No. 27 with 3.00 sacks per game

•Tied for No. 35 with 6.7 tackles for a loss per contest

•No. 21 with total defense of 275.7 yards per game

•No. 5 with total offense of 542.7 yards per contest