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Eleven games into its first season under Fran Brown, Syracuse has produced eight wins. The mark is the most the Orange have notched since their 10-3 season in 2018 and makes Brown just the third first-year coach to win eight or more games for SU since 1925.

While Brown’s first season has been historic, it was quarterback Kyle McCord who rewrote the record books in Syracuse’s win over UConn. Leaning heavily on sophomore Darrell Gill Jr., McCord totaled a career-high 470 yards through the air while surpassing Ryan Nassib’s 2012 mark for single-season passing yards.

The Orange now face No. 8 Miami in their final regular-season game. The Hurricanes are led by Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward and are in a win-and-in scenario to make the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship.

Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse (8-3, 4-3 ACC) will fare against No. 8 Miami (10-1, 6-1 ACC) on Saturday:

Aiden Stepansky (7-4)
It’s all about the U
Syracuse 38, Miami 45

This may go down as an instant classic. The meeting of the top two passers in the country means an absolute shootout in my eyes. McCord has been nothing short of exceptional at SU, and his final game at the JMA Wireless Dome will be yet another strong performance. However, this is the first game in which McCord won’t be the best single-caller on the field.

Ward is unlike anything the Orange defense has seen this season. His entrance to the Dome is up there with the best quarterbacks in recent memory — Lamar Jackson in 2016 and Trevor Lawrence in 2019. Both led their teams to comfortable wins in Syracuse. I see Ward solidifying his season Saturday, but not in the same comfort those future first-rounders felt.

Based on everything we’ve seen from SU’s offense in 2024, I have no reason to believe they won’t put up a fight. The Hurricanes post the second-best passing defense in the ACC, allowing just 194.3 yards per through the air. Miami, though, has had several slip-ups, with four games of 297 or more passing yards against.

In Saturday’s clash, I see McCord spreading the ball like normal and reaching his usual totals. But I’d be surprised if Syracuse’s defense can halt Ward’s production enough. It will be close and maybe come down to the final six minutes, but the ‘Canes will have one more big play than the Orange, escaping with the victory and moving on to Charlotte.

Cooper Andrews (6-5)
Out with a bang
Syracuse 34, Miami 43

Unless McCord opts into SU’s bowl game, Saturday versus the Hurricanes is likely his final appearance with the program. The Orange won’t win. But I think McCord and the offense will go out with a bang, engaging in a shootout with Miami.

Saturday will feature McCord against Ward in a battle between the country’s top-two passing yards leaders — an unprecedented matchup for a program like Syracuse. The Hurricanes may be in line for a College Football Playoff spot, though their offense is virtually the same as SU’s. Each unit has a vast array of playmakers, clever offensive schemes and a gunslinger who captains the operation.

The difference in Saturday’s game will come down to two things: turnovers and Syracuse’s shorthanded secondary. With the amount of volume McCord is handed on a weekly basis, he will be tasked to play a near-perfect game. Against a Miami defense that’s totaled 32 sacks and led by cornerback Mishael Powell, who is third in the nation with five interceptions, McCord won’t be flawless.

I envision McCord throwing at least one pick, maybe two, which will be enough for Miami to win. The Hurricanes may score on every single possession if they pass outside the hash marks to target SU’s weaker secondary players rather than Marlowe Wax and Justin Barron over the middle. Syracuse’s defense has been inconsistent this year, and it won’t find a rhythm against this Miami squad. It all comes down to McCord and Co. matching Ward’s offense — a highly unrealistic feat.

Justin Girshon (5-6)
Heartbreaking shootout
Syracuse 37, Miami 41

When I looked at Syracuse’s schedule in the preseason, Miami was the only game I confidently thought the Orange would lose. While I still think SU will fall, what it’s done this season is probably around its 85th-90th percentile. Eight wins. The program’s best season in six years. National attention. One of the best quarterbacks in the country.

While there were some bad losses mixed in, the Orange showed they’re capable of getting on the field with any team, any given Saturday. This week is the ultimate test. Like my fellow scribes, I see Syracuse getting into a shootout with the Hurricanes but falling just short.

Ward is simply too good of a passer and playmaker for SU’s defense and depleted secondary to contain. When the game is on the line, and Syracuse’s defense needs to notch a stop, I don’t see them getting off the field. Meanwhile, McCord is facing probably the best defense he’ll face this season.

I think a turnover or two is almost inevitable with how frequently the signal caller drops back, and that will be the difference between Syracuse winning its ninth game this season and Miami practically securing its spot in the College Football Playoff.

Published on November 27, 2024 at 1:09 pm