Syracuse gets another primetime stage Saturday night, with Louisville coming to the JMA Dome for a 7:30 kickoff on the ACC Network. The Orange enter at 2-3, 0-3, while the Cardinals arrive at 3-3, 2-2.
If Syracuse is going to get this one to look anything like a win, the easiest path starts with slowing Louisville’s ground game. The Cardinals have already ripped off 43 runs of more than 10 yards, and the Browns - Isaac and Keyjuan - have combined for 17 carries of 15 yards or longer.
That’s the kind of explosiveness that can turn a routine snap into seven points in a hurry. For Syracuse, the assignment is simple in theory and brutal in practice: cleaner reads, better angles and sure tackling, or Louisville will keep cashing in.
The Orange need to make the Cardinals earn everything with long, grinding drives instead of letting them strike quickly.
That battle in the trenches should define the night on both sides. Louisville’s rushing attack has been the bigger weapon, but it’s not the only one causing headaches.
Three Cardinals backs are averaging 7.5 yards per carry or better, and Kienholz’s legs could also be a factor against Syracuse’s front seven. On the other side, Tylik Hill has only one touchdown this season, but he has still been one of the ACC’s most effective runners when he touches the ball.
With uncertainty around the quarterback spot, Hill may end up carrying the most important load for Syracuse’s offense by giving it some kind of foundation.
The other obvious swing factor is turnovers. Louisville has protected the football at one of the best rates in the country, with Lincoln Kienholz throwing just one interception in his first season as a starter.
The Cardinals have put the ball on the ground only three times all year. Syracuse has been just as careful, too, as one of seven teams in the country that has not fumbled.
Steve Angeli has thrown more interceptions this season than Louisville has total turnovers, and with Nelson and Odom likely doubtful, plus the uncertainty around Angeli’s status, Lauter will have to be clean with the ball if Syracuse wants any shot at pulling it off.
In Other News...
Syracuse Has A Kicking Problem Fran Brown Cant Ignore
Syracuses kicking game has become one of the clearest problem spots in a season where little margin already exists. The Orange have missed more field goals per game than anyone in the Football Bowl Subdivision this season, and the issue showed up again in a recent loss that included missed kicks and a botched punt. Fran Brown said after the game that the special teams struggles were part of what went wrong, and the staff is now trying to steady a unit that has repeatedly left points on the field.
Freshman Shay Barker has been named the starting kicker going forward, giving Syracuse at least some clarity at a position that has been in flux. Even with that decision, the bigger question is whether the Orange can turn enough of those scoring chances into points to change outcomes in close games. In a season where every possession matters, the kicking game has stopped being a side note and become something Brown cant afford to keep watching unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Heads Into Louisville With One Problem Nobody Trusts
The pregame conversation around Syracuses trip to Louisville has centered on two things that can tilt a college football Saturday in a hurry: quarterback stability and whether the Orange can keep up with a Cardinals offense that has earned plenty of respect. A panel of sports reporters and analysts leaned heavily toward Louisville in their predictions, and the concern for Syracuse was not just winning straight up but even staying close enough to cover the spread.
For Syracuse, that kind of consensus puts the spotlight on a problem that has lingered all season. The quarterback situation has been unsettled, and against a Louisville team viewed as dangerous on offense, every small mistake becomes a larger issue. It leaves the Orange heading into the matchup with little outside confidence and a lot to prove before anyone is willing to trust them in a game like this. [Read more 🡒]
Carmelo Anthony Just Gave Syracuse Fans Another Reason To Feel Close
Carmelo Anthony keeps finding ways to stay connected to Central New York, and his latest move feels especially personal. The former Syracuse star recently bought a nearly 60-acre property in Brookfield, New York, giving him a rural retreat that includes a farmhouse, cabins, a chalet and a large pond with recreational features.
Anthony shared a video giving fans a look at the place, and his son Kiyan said the purchase was meant to serve as a family retreat. For Syracuse supporters who still claim Carmelo as one of their own, it is another reminder that the bond between Anthony and the region has never really gone away. [Read more 🡒]