BattleGrounds: A Syracuse perspective for the Cavaliers-Orange duel

Ahead of Virginia's game with Syracuse, Christian De Guzman of NunesMagician previewed the contest from the Orange perspective. The visitors are 2-2 (0-2 ACC play), looking for a signature victory to reboot their season.

The Cavaliers are also in need of a rebound once again. Gather around the digital roundtable for a look at this game from the opposite angle.

XT: Steve Angeli did not start against UConn. What does Amari Odom, the likely starting quarterback against Virginia, bring to the table?

CDG: The most important thing that Amari Odom brings is health. It’s well documented that Steve Angeli suffered a torn achilles last year. He has maintained that he is fully healthy from that injury, but after a couple of big hits in Syracuse’s first game, Orange fans have come to the consensus that Angeli is still playing hurt in some way.

The most notable factor that Odom brings is running ability. He’s definitely not a primary runner, but his pocket mobility is key to extending some plays and providing different options for Syracuse. His decision making has, in general, seemed better than Angeli. Not perfect, but better.

What does Virginia need to do to beat the Orange?

First, wait to see if Syracuse beats itself. The penalties and turnovers are the biggest reasons why the Orange have lost games this season.

If that doesn’t happen, first up is leaning on the UVA strength. The Cavalier offensive line is tasked with blocking an Orange defensive line that is brimming with confidence. Shutting down the Syracuse pass rush will be key to nullifying the Orange defense.

On the other side of the ball, stopping the Orange early in downs will be key. Syracuse’s mistakes and stalled drives have come when the Orange are facing third-and-long situations. If Syracuse gets desperate to move the chains, the mistakes will be very easy to exploit.

Virginia and Syracuse have not played since 2022. What do you remember about that game?

So much has happened since Syracuse and Virginia played last. So while I don’t remember much of the game, I looked back through the archives to see what I wrote about the game. The game featured a Tony White-led defense that fans didn’t hate (Hi Florida State fans) and Andre Szymt, current hero of the Cleveland Browns.

The game also featured questionable Syracuse offensive line play and horrific red zone efficiency, something that Orange fans are far less happy to see has continued to this edition of Syracuse football.

What are Syracuse's strengths and weaknesses?

Fantastic question. Ask me this question during the first three games of the season, I’d say it is the Orange defense, without question. After that same defense played its part in blowing a 20-point lead against UConn… I’m much less confident. If there is a clear strength, it's that Syracuse seems to have a clear number one receiver that is overflowing with confidence. Umari Hatcher just got added to the Biletnikoff watch list this past week. He ranks in the top five in the ACC in receiving touchdowns, receiving yards and receptions per game.

The clear weakness, by far and away, is Syracuse itself. What do I mean by that? The Orange is the worst team in the FBS when it comes to penalties. And I’m not saying any hyperbole there. Syracuse has committed the most penalties per game (11) and most penalty yards per game (103.25) in the FBS this season. It has been frustrating to watch the Orange this year.

How will the Orange attack Virginia's 4-2-5 defense?

Odom is key here. Syracuse’s offense is a RPO heavy offense. His running ability is important to open up another option for offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon. Tylik Hill will also be important. Syracuse’s lead running back is excellent at picking up extra yardage after first contact. With an offensive line that has not been impressive this season, any extra yards, creativity and deception that Hill and Odom can create will be key to unlocking the run game.

What happened in Syracuse's 0-2 start to ACC play?

Alright ladies and gentlemen, start a fire and get the marshmallows. This might take a while.

To keep this as short and as simple as possible, there are some key areas that the Orange have struggled with that have shown up in its three games against FBS opponents. The first and most notable has been penalties. See my answer above, and I really don’t need to say more.

The second is red zone efficiency. Syracuse has left points on the board by getting to the red zone but stalling out and not finding the end zone. The Orange have only scored 13 touchdowns in 23 red zone trips this season.

The third, which ties in well here, is kicking. Syracuse is 5-10 on field goal attempts this season, and I’m pretty sure many football fans saw Tripp Woody’s horrific shanked field goal attempt against Pitt. Woody made all 12 of his field goals last season but he’s already missed three kicks this year. He’s lost the kicking job to freshman Shay Barker.

The fourth has been Steve Angeli. Orange fans loved Angeli last year, especially after leading Syracuse to a win at Clemson last year and leading the nation in passing yards before he got injured in said Clemson game. This season, Angeli threw a combined five interceptions in Syracuse’s two losses, which led to his benching for Odom.

The fifth, and final one that I’ll talk about here, is the offensive line. The Orange haven’t allowed an egregious amount of sacks, but Syracuse fans don’t like the look of a line that didn’t receive much help in the transfer portal. For those who are nerds like us at TNIAAM, Syracuse ranks worst in the ACC in PFF team run blocking grade and third worst in the ACC in team pass blocking grade.

There’s a lot more. But I’ll spare you guys this from continuing to be a novel. Your marshmallow is burnt, by the way.

Who are one offensive player and one defensive player Virginia should look out for?

Don’t think that Virginia can just shut down Hatcher and completely nullify the Orange passing attack. Justus Ross-Simmons is an equally explosive wide receiver for Syracuse with similar traits and attributes to Hatcher. He’ll use his height to try and bully his way to some improbable catches. Hatcher and Ross-Simmons complement each other really well.

Syracuse’s pass rush last season was woeful at best. It is much better this year with an improved defensive line. My favorite player on that defensive line is Keyshawn Johnson. He was a FCS All-American last year and is Syracuse’s third-highest ranked player on defense according to PFF grades. In fact, the majority of Syracuse’s top defenders according to PFF are on the defensive line. The matchup against Virginia’s monster offensive line should be great to see for the football nerds.

From an outsider perspective, what is your take on Virginia's season so far?

I’m just confused. Virginia looked great against NC State, but the other two comfortable wins aren’t against the best competition. The loss to Florida State concerns me. I don’t think anyone likes how the Seminoles look in general over the past couple of seasons. So to lose in convincing fashion makes me question if Virginia can repeat its performances from last year.

How has conference expansion gone for the ACC?

Unfortunately, the ACC are clear losers when it comes to the dust settling after conference realignment. All that really matters in this day and age of college is football, and the Orange didn’t really move the needle with the additions of Cal and Stanford. The SMU addition is nice, but it’s not the big additions that the Big Ten and SEC made. We’re much closer than casual fans realize to the ACC collapsing soon.

How hot is Coach Fran Brown's seat with a loss, or a win Saturday?

Given how Syracuse’s season has gotten, Brown’s seat is hotter and hotter by the day. If you asked me before the season, I would’ve said that failure to make a bowl would start to heat up Brown’s seat, and next year would determine a lot. Now? I think Brown is in high danger of getting fired if the Orange do not make a bowl. I like Brown, especially because of the recruiting spark he’s given Syracuse. However, other than the 2024 season, Brown is not passing the eye test.

Most people don’t know this, but Syracuse has a new athletic director, Bryan Blair . He recently said in an interview that the next two to three years are crucial for Syracuse to maintain its status at the top of college sports. A losing season may mean that Blair moves off Brown quickly to find the person he wants to make sure the Orange are in the right position to succeed.

Who wins this game?

Syracuse needs this win badly. The Orange are ending a 35-day road trip with this game against Virginia. Syracuse needs some momentum to convince the fans to come back to the JMA Wireless Dome to watch the Orange in primetime against Louisville. However, the Orange keep getting in their own way. Until Syracuse stops beating itself, it’s hard to see the Orange being competitive with the mid-to-top teams in the conference. Virginia can enjoy a 31-21 win.

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