Another top 25 opponent awaits
The Syracuse Orange (3-1, 1-1) hit the road for the first time in 2024 to take on the #25 UNLV Rebels (4-0) of the Mountain West. It’s a 9:00 kick on FS1 from Allegiant Stadium in Vegas.
Here’s what we’ll be watching for on Friday night as the Orange look for their 2nd win over a ranked team this season:
Kevin: Turnover battle
UNLV is off to a 4-0 start thanks in part to a defense that has forced 10 turnovers while the Rebels offense has only committed two turnovers. The Orange have a -1 turnover margin through four games and if they can’t take care of the ball, it will allow the Rebels to dictate their offensive game plan, which is focused on running the ball. Syracuse has to know where linebacker Jackson Woodard is because he’s the guy who keys the UNLV defense (3 sacks and an interception this season).
Max: Stop the run
The Rebels run the ball a ton on offense (72% of plays, fourth in the country), and they’re pretty good at it (209 rushing yards per game, 20th). Quarterback Matthew Sluka is still the leading rusher despite leaving the program, but his backup, Hajj-Malik Williams, scampered for 119 yards in his first start under center last week. Holding UNLV to short runs on first and second down is crucial for Syracuse’s defensive front, which has looked suspect so far.
Mike: Will Special Teams Show Up?
Issues on the third unit creeped in to start the season but made themselves painfully obvious last week, with one blocked kick and two more missed field goals. While Jack Stonehouse at least took care of business on his end, SU cannot afford to leave points off the board against an opponent with the most explosive offense they’ve faced so far. Fran hinted that Offensive Coordinator Jeff Nixon has the green light to expand four down territory, so expect aggressiveness if kicker confidence isn’t there tomorrow night.
Dom: Resilience on the road
In another critical moment for Fran Brown’s first year, Syracuse is set to play its first true game of the year and versus a pretty tough non-con opponent. Outside of being away from the Dome for the next month, we’ve witnessed Syracuse falter before from a long stretch away from the 315. There will be plenty of Syracuse fans representing in Vegas, but the environment is clearly different. Can the Orange bounce back from a drive that flames out or a defensive miscue to make the necessary plays to stay in this one?
Christian: Orange is the New Fast
No, I’m not talking about tempo. One of the big reasons why Syracuse defeated Georgia Tech was scoring first and staying ahead of the Yellow Jackets. Against Stanford, it took a bit of time for the Orange momentum to get going and it felt like game plans got drastically shifted because of the game states. It’s clear that this Syracuse team is miles more comfortable when ahead in games, but it will also affect UNLV. As Max pointed out, the Rebels like to run the ball. I doubt the Rebels will be so keen to keep the rock on the ground if the Orange jump out to an early lead. That’ll play right into Syracuse’s hands.
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What are you watching for in this one?