Syracuse football is a massive underdog in week nine, as the Orange looks to snap a three-game losing streak by upsetting No. 7 Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Saturday afternoon.
A lot of things will have to go right - and be improved upon - for the 'Cuse to hand the Yellow Jackets their first defeat of the 2025 season. Sure, quarterback play is front and center, but there are other facets where the Orange must be great for the team to shine in week nine.
Here is the roadmap for Syracuse football to win at No. 7 Georgia Tech on Saturday.
Score some freaking points
Duh. Over the Orange's last three games, it has scored three points, 18 points and 13 points. That's an average of 11.33 points per contest. This is a captain obvious statement, but the 'Cuse won't beat Georgia Tech scoring 11 or 12 points. If Syracuse football's offense remains sub-par, both in the run game and in the passing attack, then the Orange has to manufacture points in other ways. Namely, that would be the 'Cuse defense getting takeaways, and scoring off them, or at least providing the team with short fields on the offensive side. It's easier said than done, as Georgia Tech has the No. 4 scoring offense and defense in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Establish the run game
In the squad's home loss to Pittsburgh last Saturday, Syracuse football only managed 76 total rushing yards, and a mere 2.5 yards per carry. But the Panthers are No. 1 in the conference in rushing yards allowed per contest. The Yellow Jackets, on the other hand, are dead last in the ACC in rushing yards allowed per game, at 155.0. The Orange establishing some sort of rushing attack will help it sustain drives more effectively. It will also prevent Georgia Tech from completely sitting back on defense and trying to make life hard for redshirt sophomore quarterback Rickie Collins in the passing game. The 'Cuse has to keep the Yellow Jackets' defense honest. To that end, for Syracuse football to succeed on offense, the team's offensive line has to be better.
Win the turnover department
This could be the single most-important area of Saturday's affair. The Orange can ill-afford to get beat in the turnover game. On the season, Syracuse football has lost five fumbles, to three for its foes. Orange opponents have 10 interceptions, compared to five for the 'Cuse. Those are fairly large disparities (15-8 overall in favor of Syracuse football's foes).
Set up Rickie Collins to play better
Head coach Fran Brown said earlier this week that Collins is the guy at quarterback. So set him up for success as best as possible. Short and intermittent throws, and maybe not a lot of deep passes. Also, Collins is good with his legs. Maybe the Orange offensive staff could employ some designed runs for him.
Get off to a fast start
For several reasons, the 'Cuse will want to get off to a quick start on the road. Syracuse football must take the home crowd out of this game as much as possible. Plus, when you have a struggling quarterback, you don't want to play from behind. Additionally, Georgia Tech is adept at winning close encounters in 2025. Of the Yellow Jackets' seven victories to date, four have come by fewer than 10 points. However, when one plays a lot of tight contests, it's possible that eventually things won't pan out, and maybe if the Orange can keep things close in Atlanta, Syracuse football can steal a triumph.
Make life uncomfortable for QB Haynes King - if possible
Georgia Tech's dual-threat quarterback is a nightmare for opposing defenses. His ability to evade would-be tacklers has resulted in the Yellow Jackets only allowing three sacks through seven games. That also means the Georgia Tech offensive line is doing a solid job. Conversely, in 2025, the Syracuse football defensive tackles and edge rushers haven't been stellar in getting pressure up front to contain foes' rushing attacks. That's an issue. Georgia Tech is No. 2 in the ACC in rushing yards per contest, at 228.4. On the flip side, the Orange is next-to-last in the league in rushing yards allowed per game, only ahead of those Yellow Jackets. If the 'Cuse doesn't get some pressure on King, a redshirt senior, and somewhat contain Georgia Tech's run game, it will likely be a long Saturday afternoon for Syracuse football.