Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Following a 5-1 start, Syracuse posted an abysmal performance last Thursday night against then-No. 19 Pitt. Though SU only allowed 217 total yards of offense, quarterback Kyle McCord had his worst performance of his college career, throwing five interceptions and three pick-sixes.

The flurry of turnovers resulted in a blowout 41-13 loss. While entering the contest just outside the AP Top 25 Poll, Syracuse received no votes in the latest poll, setting it further outside the rankings and in the middle of the pack in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

After going 2-1 on their 35-day road trip, the Orange return to the JMA Wireless Dome to take on Virginia Tech. The Hokies have won three straight games and possess the most sacks in the conference (26).

“Each week has its own differences,” SU head coach Fran Brown said Monday. “So we just want to be able to handle when they do try to put pressure on (McCord), being able to just make the throws.”

Here’s everything you need to know before Syracuse’s (5-2, 2-2 ACC) noon kickoff against Virginia Tech (5-3, 3-1 ACC) Saturday:

All time series

Syracuse leads 11-9.

Last time they played …

In the fourth game of a five-game skid, SU traveled to Blacksburg for a Thursday night bout with the Hokies on Oct. 26, 2023. Both teams entered off the bye week, but under the lights, Syracuse faltered.

Quarterback Garrett Shrader totaled just 137 yards through the air and the Orange had zero yards on the ground. The Hokies dominated in all facets, sacking Shrader eight times while rushing for 318 yards — the most the Orange allowed in any game last year. VT never trailed, leading 30-3 at halftime and holding on for a 38-10 win.

The Hokies report

In the third year under head coach Brent Pry, Virginia Tech has built its identity around his specialty — defense. Pry moved from Vanderbilt to Penn State with James Franklin in 2014, serving as the defensive coordinator from 2016 to 2021. Pry helped turn the Nittany Lions’ defense into one of the best in the country, and the trend has continued with the Hokies.

VT allows 20.4 points per game, the third-fewest in the ACC. The catalyst for the Hokies’ unit is its defensive line. Led by defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles and edge rusher Antwaun Powell-Ryland, the Hokies have allowed just 34 points across their last three games. Powell-Ryland has been stellar, ranking second in the nation with 11 sacks and on pace to tie the ACC single-season record of 16.5.

Offensively, Virginia Tech is a run-heavy bunch with quarterback Kyron Drones leading the charge both in the air and on the ground. Drones ranks second-to-last in the conference in passing with 180.9 yards per game but is the third-most effective running quarterback, rushing for 324 yards and six touchdowns. Paired with Drones in the backfield is Bhayshul Tuten, an explosive back. The senior currently ranks fifth in the nation in rushing yards with 951.

VT started the season with three losses through its first five games but since then, it’s turned it around with a +60 scoring margin in its last three games.

Ilana Zahavy | Position

How Syracuse beats Virginia Tech

Syracuse can bounce back by fending off the Hokies’ pass rush and giving McCord a clean pocket. Troubles under pressure were a large reason why McCord struggled and was eventually pushed away from Ohio State.

Per Pro Football Focus, he had a 31.3 offensive grade when pressured and a 67.5 grade when blitzed last season. Entering the Pitt matchup, he improved those numbers to 77.9 under pressure and 92.2 when blitzed. However, against the Panthers blitz-heavy scheme, the performance drastically dipped his totals.

The Hokies’ four-down linemen could be the best pass rush Syracuse faces all season — ranking 11th in the nation in pass rushing, per PFF. VT has four players grading over 80 in the area, with safety Kaleb Spencer leading the way at 90.8 and Peebles (86.1) and Powell-Ryland (81.8) close behind.

Halting the ferocious pass-rushing unit will allow McCord some time to deliver, and could push the Orange past the Hokies for the first time since 2021.

Stat to know: .241

November was a month of horrors for Syracuse under Dino Babers. The former head coach went 7-22 during November, notching just a .241 winning percentage. Following the dismissal of Babers on Nov. 19, 2023, the Orange won their final game of the month under then-interim head coach Nunzio Campanile.

Under Babers, Syracuse went over .500 in the month just once — in 2018 when it finished with 10 victories. SU was winless in November four times with Babers at the helm. VT is Syracuse’s first November matchup under Brown, and could play as a key sign of whether the Orange can flip the switch on their past woes.

Player to watch: Bhayshul Tuten, running back, No. 33

While Drones is a dual-threat, the Hokies’ offense runs directly through Tuten. Following two years at North Carolina A&T to begin his college career, Tuten emerged for Virginia Tech in 2023, totaling 12 touchdowns and 1,652 all-purpose yards.

After his stellar junior season, Tuten’s senior season has been remarkable. As of Tuesday, Tuten had a boot on but was listed as “probable” for the matchup. The Paulsboro, New Jersey, native leads the ACC in touchdowns, finding the end zone 14 times — 12 rushing and two receiving. Tuten is second in the conference in rushing yards per game at 118.8.

Published on October 30, 2024 at 11:59 pm

Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky