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Syracuse will travel south to face the No. 1 team in the nation on Saturday, just one week after losing to Liberty. The Orange (1-4, 1-3 Atlantic Coast), who have lost two consecutive games and four of five this season, will compete with Clemson (5-0, 4-0 ACC) at 12 p.m. 

SU last defeated Clemson at the Carrier Dome in 2017, losing to the Tigers in the two years since. Clemson, last year’s College Football Playoff runner-up, toppled Syracuse by 35 points in 2019. 

Here’s what you need to know about Clemson:

Betting odds: Clemson is favored by 45.5 points, with a total points spread of 61.5, according to DraftKings.

All-Time Series: Clemson leads the series 6-2. 

Last Time They Met: The Tigers defeated the Orange 41-6 in front of a sold-out Dome in 2019. SU entered the season with high hopes after a 10-win season in 2018, but the team struggled to stop the Tigers and quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the now-junior signal caller who tallied 395 passing yards and three scores. 

While the Orange entered the half only down 11, they failed to score in the second half, as a dominant Clemson defense smothered Trishton Jackson and Taj Harris to just two combined catches. 

The Clemson Report: 

Clemson is expected to compete for a College Football Playoff berth. They tout a potential No. 1 NFL Draft pick in Lawrence and “the best running back in the country” in Etienne, according to SU defensive lineman Josh Black. The Tigers are undefeated, having beat Virginia, Wake Forest, The Citadel, Georgia Tech and then-No. 7 Miami, by 35 points. 

The Tigers allow just 12 points per game, with a defense headlined by plenty of new faces. Isaiah Simmons, A.J. Terrell and Tanner Muse are gone, and in their place are safety Nolan Turner, true freshman pass rusher Myles Murphy and cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. 

The only consistency comes from defensive coordinator Brent Venables, the defensive coordinator of nine years. Venables has developed various first round picks, including Dexter Lawrence, Clelin Ferrell and Vic Beasley. 

Head coach Dabo Swinney is a two-time National Champion, six-time ACC winner and three-time Bear Bryant Award winner. He hasn’t lost a regular season game in three years  — Syracuse was the last team to beat the Tigers — and he has made the College Football Playoff every year, except its initial season in 2014. 

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How Syracuse beats Clemson: 

The Orange will need a lightning strike of luck to leave Death Valley victorious. With such an injured and young team, SU is lacking the talent and depth to defeat a team of future NFL starters. 

If the Orange want to keep it close, they need to dominate the defensive line. They need to pressure Lawrence and force him into quick throws, getting the ball out of his hands before receiver’s routes develop. Even then, Lawrence is so talented that he can adjust the play at the line of scrimmage and find an open receiver. 

On the other side of the ball, SU must dominate on the ground, controlling the clock and keeping its short-handed defense off-the-field. Running back Sean Tucker has impressed, with two 100-yard games in the last three, but this front-seven will be his toughest test. 

Player to watch: Amari Rodgers, wide receiver, No. 3

Outside of the obvious choices in Lawrence and Etienne, Rodgers is Clemson’s best receiver. He’s had five touchdowns through five games and averages over 85 yards per game. Orange fans may remember his 87-yard touchdown in the Dome last season, but Rodgers has become a go-to-reciever for the Tigers.

With Justyn Ross missing the 2020 season due to a spinal injury, Rodgers has shown his versatility as an inside receiver. He can serve as a checkdown receiver on shallow crossing routes, beat cornerbacks with a sprint and make spectacular catches on the sideline. He’s caught 10 more passes than the next receiver and averages five per game.

Versatile Syracuse defensive back Trill Williams will likely cover Rodgers. The Yonkers native missed the first half against Liberty due to an injury but returned in the second. Known for his highlights, Williams may be facing his toughest test of the season.

Published on October 21, 2020 at 8:58 pm

Contact Adam: adhillma@syr.edu | @_adamhillman