The Syracuse Orange (3-6, 1-5) head on the road to face the #18 Miami Hurricanes (6-2, 2-2) in a matchup where both teams are looking to break losing streaks. Kickoff is at 3:30 on ESPN and here’s what
we’ll be watching for in this one:
Kevin: Gameplan for Bain
Ruben Bain might be the best college football player in the country. The defensive end can dominate games and despite only having two sacks on the season, he’s the player the Orange have to identify. If Syracuse tries to leave their tackles alone with Bain, he’s going to disrupt any chance of a passing game getting on track in this one. I’d like to see the Orange use screens/draws/counters to use Miami’s aggressiveness against them.
Max: Stick with the run
It’s not easy running on this Hurricanes defense, which allows the third-fewest rush yards per game (79.2) in the NCAA. Despite those impressive numbers, the Orange just can’t afford to abandon the run early in the game, especially with a massive question mark at quarterback. If Fran Brown wants to make this final score respectable, he’ll have to try to defy the odds by establishing the ground game, most likely with runs up the gut (avoiding Bain).
Augie: Play with your Hair on Fire
At this point in the season, there is nothing to lose. After the defeat against North Carolina last week, it does not feel like the season can get any worse. With that in mind, the Orange should pull all of the tricks out of the bag both offensively and defensively. When heading down to Coral Gables, I want to see Fran Brown and the entire Syracuse staff dial up blitzes, attempt some double passes, and maybe even draw up a fake punt at some point. As four touchdown underdogs, Syracuse can head down south and understand they have nothing to lose. If some bounces go their way, who knows what can happen.
Dom: Capitalize on Beck’s mistakes
Hurricanes fan here (for better or worse): November has arrived and you know what that means for the ‘Canes. Jokes aside, Syracuse’s offense doesn’t stand a chance against Miami’s defense. This is 2025, not 2024. That said, the two games The U has lost have mainly come from Carson Beck throwing an interception at absolutely the worst time ever. If ‘Cuse has any chance, it comes down to the Orange’s defense getting a few freebies from Beck, and the offense taking advantage. If Syracuse is at its own 20, it will not be able to go down the field for 80 yards unless there’s big chunk plays, and those have been a rarity for weeks.
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What will you be watching for in this one?
