Syracuse football didn’t look good in falling to Clemson on the Hill this past Saturday afternoon by 17 points, but the Orange doesn’t have much time to dwell on that setback.
Over the next two Saturdays, the ‘Cuse (4-1) travels to No. 14 North Carolina and No. 5 Florida State, both of which are 4-0 and among the top teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference to date in the 2023 season.
Understandably, some of my fellow Orange fans think that, after these next two conference clashes conclude, the ‘Cuse will reside at 4-3. If Syracuse football could go 1-1, though, that would mean the Orange would have beaten a ranked foe, and the team would sit just one victory away from reaching bowl eligibility for the second year in a row.
Earlier this week, in his weekly press conference on Monday, head coach Dino Babers said the players and coaching staff were disappointed in the squad’s loss to the Tigers, but they have to put that result in the rear-view mirror and focus on this Saturday’s challenge in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Syracuse football has a chance to beat a top-15 team on the road in week six.
Babers said against Clemson, the ‘Cuse played tight. “We did not play as loose as I thought we would play in that situation. I don’t know if it was the crowd. A lot of younger guys played young, but it was surprising that some of our older guys had some mishaps as well,” Babers said, according to comments provided by James Finneral of 247Sports in an article.
Prior to the affair with the Tigers, Syracuse football was among the best in the country in turnover margin. But last Saturday, the ‘Cuse lost in the turnover department to Clemson, 3-1. And while the Syracuse football Mob defense was relatively solid, it did have a couple of chances to make interceptions but failed to do so.
Additionally, the Orange committed nine penalties for 92 yards. The turnovers and the penalties have to get cleaned up if Syracuse football has any sort of realistic shot at stunning UNC on its own turf.
This Saturday, the ‘Cuse will square off versus one of the more potent offenses in the ACC, led by sophomore quarterback Drake Maye and sophomore running back Omarion Hampton, who are both among the best at their respective positions in the conference.
Maye likely has the professional ranks ahead of him in the coming years. Babers said of him, “This will be the best quarterback we play this year. Obviously, the guy last Saturday played extremely well, but this guy is different. He’s going to be an NFL guy and he’s what makes that team go on offense.”
"Undeniably, Syracuse football defensive backs and linebackers will be thoroughly tested by Maye and his receivers. Said Babers, “It’s going to be fun to see because they’re going to throw it deep and we’re going to cover them deep and we’re going to have to find a way to get that done, but that’s part of the game.”"
As I am noting in another column this week, North Carolina is a relatively large betting favorite at home against the ‘Cuse. I don’t think the Orange is going to win, but I do think that our boys will put forth a better showing than they did versus Clemson.
The loss to the Tigers is over and done with, and two consecutive daunting road games await Syracuse football. Regarding the Tar Heels, Babers said in part, “we still have a heck of an opportunity in front of us and we have a doggone good opponent.”
Well said, Coach.