Syracuse Football: Orange Out for what? It’s Cuse versus Clemson week

September is almost over and the Syracuse football team is closing out the month in style. The 2-2 Clemson Tigers come into the JMA Wireless Dome on what is also an Orange Out and homecoming/Orange Central weekend to face the undefeated Syracuse Orange.

Syracuse football is 4-0, fresh off a slow start but a 29-16 victory nonetheless against an Army team who fought hard. Can Syracuse football close out September undefeated in back-to-back seasons?

Clemson is coming to the Dome off a 31-24 overtime loss to Florida State at Clemson. And yeah, they’re 2-2 and while they’re not the undefeated powerhouse they’ve been in previous seasons, the Tiger will be coming into the Dome hungry looking to avoid a losing record. And don’t let the record fool you, this is still a team with talent and able to play with anyone on any given Saturday.

This game is going to be physical and will test everyone’s desire to win and depth too, especially Syracuse football wide receivers already dealing with numerous injuries. Clemson is going to try to come into the Dome and try to smack Syracuse around and prove they’re still the “big dog” in the ACC.

And while the games have mostly been closely contested battles in the Dino Babers era, Syracuse has only beaten Clemson twice out of 11 meetings ever (one being a bowl game in 1995).

Syracuse football will host a Clemson team hungry for a win this Saturday afternoon.

Can Syracuse football beat Clemson? Absolutely but it’s going to take bringing their best effort to the field on Saturday. The key to this game might be more reliant on the defense more than the offense.

Yes, they’ll need to score points to win but this is the opportunity for those defensive players to shine. The Orange defense will have to get to Clemson QB Cade Klubnik early and often and do their best to contain running back Will Shipley, who likely will be playing on Sundays soon.

And this matchup last season is credited by Coach Babers to being where Syracuse football senior quarterback Garrett Shrader took a beating and started to struggle physically the rest of the season. So another key to this game and the season in general if this team wants to contend for a high-quality bowl game or more is to escape it without repeating that.

Can sophomore running back LeQuint Allen Jr. have a big game to relieve some of that pressure and can the receivers get open, not leaving Shrader in the pocket too long and make the catches necessary to move the ball?

In his weekly press conference leading up to the game, Coach Babers has stated this team has the “right attitude” heading into the game and I trust him. And that’s the million-dollar question right? Is this team one that can destroy the Davids but fall to the Goliaths or will they stand up and show they’re willing to hang with the Goliaths?

Can Syracuse football finally show the doubters that they’re ready to prove they can be consistently good and not just occasionally great? This fan says yes! I believe this team has talent, this team has depth and they have the coaching staff ready to succeed.

Having said that though, have your Tums handy because this feels like another Syracuse/Clemson game that will come down to the final minute to determine a winner and the fate of both teams in 2023. So grab your Orange and pack the Dome and let’s all contribute together to making this season one for the books.