5 Keys for Syracuse to Beat Virginia and Secure First ACC Win

The 2-2 Syracuse Orange hit the road for their third straight game to take on ACC rival Virginia Cavaliers, who are 3-2.

Syracuse comes off a 42-41 overtime thriller beating UConn and looks to start a win streak. Virginia is coming off a blowout loss to the Florida State Seminoles, 38-7.

Syracuse is looking for their first conference win since beating Clemson over a year ago. Here are the 5 keys to Syracuse beating the Cavaliers.

Rush The Passer

In their blowout loss to Florida State, Virginia's senior quarterback Beau Pribula was sacked 10 times, which contributed to the loss.

Syracuse's pass rush has been strong and played a role in their win over UConn, where they recorded three sacks.

Syracuse has recorded 11 total sacks this season, three and a half from senior linebacker Keyshawn Johnson and three from senior defensive lineman Tunmis Adeleye.

Syracuse's pass rush will play a big role in this game's outcome, so the Orange need to make Beau Pribula uncomfortable to win this week.

Amari Odom

In his first start of the season, Amari Odom showed coaches and fans he can run the offense efficiently and at a high level.

One trait Odom brings to this offense is his mobility, especially in the red zone.

This played a big role in last week's win against the Huskies, where he scored a rushing touchdown and the walkoff two-point conversion.

Odom also threw the ball downfield, with six throws of 20+ yards, three of them touchdowns.

Odom's dual-threat ability makes Syracuse tough to plan for, and if he continues this level of play against Virginia, he can lead Syracuse to its first ACC win of the year.

The Umari Hatcher Show

Umari Hatcher had a career day against UConn, finishing the game with 12 catches, 152 yards, and three touchdowns.

So far this year, Umari Hatcher is one of the best receivers in the ACC, being top 5 in multiple categories, including yards and touchdowns.

Virginia has the best pass defense in the ACC, which could be a problem for Orange. However, Hatcher is the best receiver the Cavaliers have faced so far this year.

Hatcher this year has been Syracuse's best offensive weapon and will be a big factor in the game, and we will see if Hatcher's elite play can overpower Virginia's passing defense.

Explosive Runs

Syracuse's run game has been a mix of great and alright, but this week could be an opportunity for the Orange to take a big step forward.

This year, Virginia is one of the worst run defenses in the ACC, giving up 149 rushing yards a game.

Last week in their loss to Florida State, they gave up 281 yards on 6.1 yards per carry and five touchdowns.

In their win against UConn, the Orange ran the ball very well. Sophomore running back Tylik Hill had 28 carries for 140 yards, averaging five yards per carry.

Syracuse's strong run gam, will make it easier for Odom to make plays with his arm and give Syracuse more scoring opportunities to beat Virginia.

Improved Kicking Game

Syracuse has had great kickers over the years, including all-time great Gary Anderson, who originally led the NFL in points scored. Also, current Cleveland Browns kicker Andre Szmyt hasn’t missed a kick this year and has helped the Browns' early 3-1 start.

For Syracuse, this year hasn’t been the best, with sophomore kicker Trip Woody currently 3-for-6 on field goals and 7-for-8 on extra points.

His misses haven't exceeded 49 yards, leaving a lot of points on the board. Escpecially in the loss against Cal, missing two field goals.

Building Woody's confidence and creating opportunities to score the Orange points will play a role in this game.

Syracuse can’t afford to leave points off the board in this game against Virginia.

Syracuse enters Saturday with a chance to build momentum after its dramatic overtime win over UConn and, more importantly, earn its first ACC win in more than a year.

Beating Virginia on the road will require another strong performance from Odom, a balanced rushing attack and continued pressure from the Orange defense. Syracuse also cannot afford to leave points on the field in a game that could come down to a few possessions.

After an up-and-down start to the season, a win over Virginia would move Syracuse above .500 and give the Orange their first conference victory of the season.

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