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Syracuse Without Three Starters vs Florida State

Taj Harris, James Williams and Ja'Had Carter did not travel with the Orange.
Mike McAllister|
Syracuse Without Three Starters vs Florida State
Syracuse Without Three Starters vs Florida State

Syracuse is without three starters against Florida State, according to Matt Park, the voice of the Orange. Wide receiver Taj Harris, punter James Williams and safety Ja'Had Carter did not travel with Syracuse were therefore unavailable against Florida State. Reasons for their absences were not immediately given, but Harris and Carter have both dealt with injuries this season. 

The loss of Harris, Syracuse's top threat at wide receiver, means more snaps for reserve wideouts including Courtney Jackson and Damien Alford. Alford has flashed this season, including with a 73 yard touchdown catch against Albany. He also had a catch last week against Liberty. Harris tweeted "I know my worth" on Thursday, though it is unclear if that is at all related. 

The loss of Williams is also significant. His backup is walk-on Colby Barker, who has only had one punt so far this season. It was a very short shanked punt against Rutgers in the home opener. 

Ja'Had Carter is a talented young safety. The loss of Carter likely means more action for reserve defensive backs Eric Coley and Justin Barron. 

The news is not all bad for Syracuse, however. Fullback/tight end Chris Elmore warmed up with the team and is expected to make his return. Elmore missed the first four games due to undisclosed reasons not related to discipline or injury. In addition, tight end Luke Benson was also warming up with the Orange, suggesting he will be good to go against the Seminoles. 

Syracuse enters Saturday's game 3-1, while Florida State is 0-4. 

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Mike McAllister
MIKE MCALLISTER

Title: Publisher All Syracuse Education: Roberts Wesleyan College Location: Syracuse, New York Expertise: Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting.  EXPERIENCE Mike McAllister has been covering Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting for more than a decade. Mike's career started with his own free blog as a way to vent following sporting events. Shortly thereafter, a network of basketball sites called Coast 2 Coast Hoops asked him to run their Syracuse site. That site was called Nation of Orange, and Mike quickly established it as a go-to for Syracuse fans.  After running Nation of Orange for several months, a position with the Syracuse site on the Scout network became available. After one year as the recruiting expert with Cuse Nation, he was named the publisher. Mike oversaw the transition from Scout to 247Sports, and ran the site on that network for years.  Presented with the opportunity to join one of the biggest names in the sports journalism industry, Sports Illustrated, Mike jumped at the chance. All Syracuse was started from scratch by Mike and the Fan Nation team. It has now become a staple for Orange fans of various sports.  Mike has broken news on recruiting, Syracuse basketball and football team information and has established himself as the top recruiting inside in the market. He has appeared on local radio shows, television broadcasts, national radio shows and much more. Mr. McAllister has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Information Management from Roberts Wesleyan College. 

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