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Syracuse marched to a surprising week one win against Louisville behind two interceptions from the defense and a dominant offensive effort led by the newly installed passing game. Garrett Shrader threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns, while Atlantic Coast Conference Running back of the Week Sean Tucker garnered 184 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. 

The Orange now head to UConn, igniting an old Big East rivalry with the Huskies, who enter without their starting quarterback and top receiver. Here’s how our beat writers think Syracuse will fare in its first road game of the year:

Alex Cirino (0-1) 
Could it be?
Syracuse 45, UConn 10

Syracuse easily handled conference rival Louisville in Week 1, and it should do the same against UConn. Putting the Huskies’ quarterback situation aside, this game should be another blowout for the Orange. Garrett Shrader proved he can become a reliable dual-threat quarterback in SU’s new offensive scheme, going 18-for-25 — with the seven incompletions including three poor drops — against the Cardinals and rushed for 94 yards. 

UConn doesn’t have anyone close to a Heisman Trophy candidate on its roster, and Sean Tucker should be able to run all over the Huskies on Saturday (and should be fully fit after his Week 1 injury scare). This is a big chance for the Orange to put themselves just four wins away from bowl game contention with a stacked schedule in the second half of the season. With this in mind, a win over UConn is extremely necessary for a seemingly improved SU team.

Connor Smith (0-1) 
Big dogs 
Syracuse 38, UConn 14

Syracuse surprised all of us with a dominant win over Louisville last weekend. The Orange looked good in almost every area. Even after losing veteran fullback Chris Elmore and key linebacker Stefon Thompson to season-ending injuries, expect SU to keep rolling in Hartford. The Huskies have been one of the nation’s worst teams over the last few years, winning just five games since 2018 (though they didn’t play any games in the 2020 COVID season), and not playing in a bowl game since 2015. A loss in this game could be the worst of Dino Babers’ tenure at Syracuse. 

Don’t expect that to happen, though, because Syracuse will have an advantage in every area of the game. Connecticut gave up 38.5 points per game last year, good for seventh-worst in the country, and scored just 15.6 — second-worst nationally. Sean Tucker should easily surpass 100 yards on the ground, and expect Garrett Shrader to connect on a few more deep balls than he did last week. UConn also starts a true freshman under center in Zion Turner, and the Orange should have no problem making him feel uncomfortable for four quarters, just like they did with Malik Cunningham. The end result of this game should never be in doubt, and Syracuse will return home to face Purdue with a squeaky clean 2-0 record. 

Anthony Alandt (0-1) 
A new hope
Syracuse 40, UConn 17

Alright Dino, I heard you loud and clear. Respect to you, the stellar defense and Robert Anae’s offense for proving us wrong. That surprising win over Louisville gave me some optimism in this team, and what better way to really flex your muscles than against the worst team in the FBS, starting a true freshman backup quarterback. If the defense can show up against Malik Cunningham and the Cardinals, Syracuse can certainly show out against the Huskies.

I’d expect some regression, though. Don’t expect a stellar pick from Derek McDonald. But Garrett Shrader should easily be able to find more open receivers and ensure Sean Tucker dominates throughout. For UConn, running back Nathan Carter could give the defense some troubling possessions, but with a lackluster quarterback under center, it should be more than easy to stuff the box when necessary. Syracuse returns home 2-0 to face a reeling Purdue with… hope?

Published on September 7, 2022 at 9:00 pm