The Atlantic Coastal Conference has put together a number of exciting matchups early in the college football season. Week 9 of college football is no different, as the Syracuse Orange travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Panthers in conference play. And on Thursday, October 24, the clash between ACC titans begins.
Syracuse sports a 5-1 overall record, being 2-1 in conference play. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh still remains undefeated at 6-0 with two conference wins. Can the Orange pull off the upset in Pittsburgh? Let’s dive into this critical ACC matchup in Week 9.
Syracuse Orange vs. Pitt Panthers Football History and Game Excerpts
If the Orange wishes to upset Pitt, they have an uphill road to do so.
I was not alive the last time Syracuse won in Pittsburgh. I was 2 the last time Syracuse beat a Pittsburgh team with a winning record. Syracuse has won 3 games vs Pitt since then https://t.co/1iV7kfGqlN
— Barstool Pitt (@StoolPitt) October 23, 2024
Currently, Syracuse holds a 33-43-3 record against the Panthers. Although the Orange won their last matchup against Pitt, they are 2-7 overall in their last nine matchups. And, the last time they won in Pittsburgh was during the 2001 season. With that said, anyone’s beatable on any given day on the gridiron, and the Orange have a real chance to pull off the upset.
Speaking to the press on Monday, Pitt HC Pat Narduzzi heaped praise on Syracuse’s quarterback, Kyle McCord.
Pitt HC Pat Narduzzi on SU's Kyle McCord:
"If you're not a Pitt fan, if you're not a Syracuse fan, you should get your tickets now because that guy's going to play in the NFL…he will be the best quarterback that's walked in to face us in this stadium in a while." pic.twitter.com/xtxKYdU8Kl
— Ashley Wenskoski (@AshleyWenskTV) October 21, 2024
Speaking to the press, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown acknowledged the spotlight that comes with playing on Thursday night on ESPN. Coach Brown also stated that the team could be without star wide receiver Trebor Peña.
Peña currently paces Syracuse with five touchdowns, while his 458 receiving yards are second on the Orange football team. If he’s unable to go, it would be a huge loss to the Syracuse passing attack.
Key Players for Syracuse
For Syracuse, establishing the run is going to be critical for the offense to have success in this matchup. Running back LeQuint Allen has been serviceable this season, running for 458 yards with four touchdowns. However, the Orange is an inconsistent run-blocking team; whereas Pitt boasts the 39th-graded run defense in the country, per PFF.
While the passing attack should stay humming against Pitt, Allen has the burden of succeeding as a rusher to further open the air raid of the Orange.
Another key player for the offense is Oronde Gadsden II. Between Gadsden and Jackson Meeks, the big-bodied tight end should play a more critical role within the Syracuse offense. If there’s one area where the Panthers are exploitable, it’s through the utilization of the tight end.
A couple of weeks ago, we saw Cal Golden Bears tight end Jack Endries surpass 100 receiving yards in their loss to Pitt. Because of the Panthers’ reliance on their 4-3 zone defense, the burden is on their linebackers to be good in coverage. If Gadsden can create a similar mismatch as Endries did, it’ll be a long day for the Panthers defense.
Defensively my eye is on safety (in the “star” position) Devin Grant. Grant has been a versatile player for the Orange, and Syracuse will need him to step up again in this football game. This year, Grant has a forced fumble, sack, and interception while tacking on six TFL’s, three pass breakups, and two quarterback hits.
Pitt’s freshman quarterback Eli Holstein has played well this season, but is susceptible to making errors when facing disguised coverage. If Grant can continue to be utilized versatilely and be disruptive for Syracuse, it’ll open the door for the rest of the defensive players to step up with an opportunity.
Key Players for Pitt
On offense, a key player for the Panthers will be running back Desmond Reid. Reid has been a grinding presence at times for the Panthers. However, there are times where he can struggle. Thankfully for him, the Syracuse defense has had issues bringing down ball-carriers this season.
With a 52.5 tackle grade, the Orange defense is ranked as the 16th-worst tackling unit in the FBS. Syracuse has six defenders with a missed tackle percentage of 15 or higher, per PFF (min. 85 defensive snaps). If Reid is able to break arm tackles and fight for additional yardage, he may be able to break the Orange defense in the fourth quarter.
On defense, the spotlight shines on linebacker Kyle Louis. The do-it-all linebacker has been dominant for the Panthers this season.
Louis is has been a defensive standout for Pitt, totaling 54 tackles (8.5 TFL’s), three sacks, two interceptions and eight quarterback hits on the year. Not only will he have to help contain the Orange rushing attack, but he’ll likely be tasked with defending Gadsden throughout the game. The Panthers defense will go as far as Louis takes them in this ACC matchup.
Syracuse Orange – Keys to the Football Game
On offense, Syracuse has to take care of the football. McCord will likely be tasked with trying to pick apart the Panthers defense. It’s a doable task, as McCord has put together a nice season since transferring to the Orange.
McCord being able to play a clean game will be vital to the success of the Orange. In conjunction with playing mistake-free football, McCord and the offense must put drives together. The Panthers have a good defense, but keeping them on the field will eventually wear on the unit. Sustaining drives, controlling time of possession, and putting up points in any form will be critical for Syracuse in this football game.
Defensively, Syracuse needs to clean up their missed tackles. The Pittsburgh rushing attack won’t be forgiving if the Orange isn’t able to bring them down.
The Panthers have proven their ability to wear down defenses late in games. Securing and following through on their tackles is key in this matchup. While containing Reid is pivotal, it will also force pressure on Holstein to play mistake-free football.
If Syracuse is able to take care of the football, control the time of possession, and eliminate missed tackles, the opportunity is there for the Orange to win their first football game in Pittsburgh since 2001.
