Syracuse (3-3, 1-1 Atlantic Coast) kicks off with No. 2 Clemson (6-0, 4-0) at 7 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. The Tigers beat the Orange 54-0 last year in Death Valley. Clemson has not won an ACC game by fewer than 14 points and won at then-hyped Louisville 47-21.

Friday night’s SU-CU game will air on ESPN.

Tomer Langer (5-1)
Makes sense
Clemson 44, Syracuse 24

Earlier this week, quarterback Eric Dungey said he liked the fact that nobody thought they’d be able to beat Clemson. And while it would be a good story for Syracuse to win this game, I need to throw my hat in with the group of people who don’t think the Orange will pull it off. Clemson’s defense is just too tough for SU to consistently crack, and if the Orange can’t move the ball it’ll give the Tigers short fields on offense. I think Syracuse manages to score by aggressively going for it on fourth downs, but Clemson should pull away.

Matthew Gutierrez (4-2)
Eye of the Tiger
Clemson 45, Syracuse 17

The defending national champs prove to be too much for Syracuse, which only narrowly beat a fledgling Pittsburgh team last week. As head coach Dino Babers said this week, Clemson’s front is “O-M-G.” So is the rest of the team. Clemson has its way in the primetime matchup.

Joe Bloss (4-2)
As it should be
Clemson 31, Syracuse 20

Eric Dungey and this Syracuse offense can do some very nice things when they have the time. But that necessary time will not be granted against a Clemson defensive line that has accounted for 14.5 of the Tigers’ 22 sacks. It will occasionally get ugly. Feel free to look away when it does. A solid Syracuse defense won’t let up 54 points like it did a year ago, but it won’t be able to contain Kelly Bryant and his weapons to a score Dungey and Co. can match. As it has been in Syracuse’s losses thus far, the better team will win.

Published on October 13, 2017 at 1:16 pm