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

Following its second bye week, Syracuse travels to Acrisure Stadium to face No. 19 Pittsburgh. The Orange suffered their only loss this season — versus Stanford — after their first bye week, but bounced back with three straight wins over Holy Cross, UNLV and NC State to put them just outside the AP Top 25 Poll.

While it seemed SU could’ve had injured star linebacker Marlowe Wax return versus the Panthers, he’ll return to the field next week against Virginia Tech. Meanwhile, breakout wide receiver Trebor Peña’s status appears to be up in the air after he suffered a late injury versus the Wolfpack.

The matchup marks the end of the Orange’s three-game road stretch, as they’ll return to the JMA Wireless Dome next week against Virginia Tech.

Here’s everything to know about No. 19 Pittsburgh (6-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) before it hosts Syracuse (5-1, 2-1 ACC) Thursday night:

All-time series

Pitt leads 43-33-3.

Last time they played…

The Orange traveled to Yankee Stadium, losers of their previous five games, on Nov. 11, 2023, to face the Panthers. With quarterbacks Garrett Shrader and Carlos Del Rio-Wilson each dealing with injuries, it was unclear who would line up under center for SU.

Syracuse attempted just nine passes because of its quarterback limitations and mainly ran its offense out of the wildcat formation, which worked to perfection. Quarterback-turned-tight-end Dan Villari rushed for a career-high 154 yards while LeQuint Allen Jr. tacked on 103 en route to the Orange running for a season-high 392 yards in a 28-13 win.

The victory got Syracuse back to .500 and its new offensive identity helped spark a second straight season where it reached a bowl game.

The Panthers report

In the ACC Preseason Poll, Pitt was predicted to finish 13th, one spot behind Syracuse. But after the Panthers started the season with four consecutive nonconference wins before defeating North Carolina 34-24, they were ranked No. 22 in the AP Poll — the program’s first ranking since 2022.

Since then, Pitt narrowly defeated California 17-15 before its bye week, helping it climb to No. 19. Following their worst season this century, notching just three wins, the Panthers have been one of college football’s biggest surprises in 2024. A big reason why is their much-improved quarterback play.

Pittsburgh netted Alabama transfer Eli Holstein to take over under center. Thus far, the redshirt freshman has completed 63.5% of his passes for 1,697 yards and 15 touchdowns. Additionally, transfer running back Desmond Reid has become Pitt’s top offensive weapon.

Along with a revitalized offense, Pittsburgh’s defense has thrived, as its 83.3 Pro Football Focus defensive grade is the fifth-best in the ACC. Pitt’s 116 rushing yards allowed per game allowed is the 30th-best mark among Football Bowl Subdivision teams, but its 244.7 passing yards allowed per game ranks 104th.

How Syracuse beats Pitt

Playing in what should be an electric environment, getting off to a hot start is crucial for the Orange. For much of the season, SU’s offense has gotten going early. Syracuse has struggled to play a complete game, however.

In the Orange’s first ranked win this season against then-No. 23 Georgia Tech, they came out of the gate strong before nearly blowing a 17-point fourth-quarter lead. Coming off its first bye-week, Syracuse was vastly inconsistent throughout its loss to Stanford. While SU bounced back with an overtime win over then-No. 25 UNLV, it was a game of runs that saw neither side protect a lead.

Cole Ross | Digital Design Director

For Syracuse to take the next step toward enriching itself in the ACC’s upper echelon and inch toward potential College Football Playoff conversations, it must show it can dominate a game from start to finish. Doing so against Pitt would carry the Orange into November with unforeseen momentum, which they lacked in the Dino Babers era.

Stats to know: 3, 3 and 3

If Syracuse defeats Pittsburgh, it’ll be bowl-eligible for the third consecutive season. The last time the Orange made three bowl games in as many seasons was when they played in five straight from 1995-99.

Additionally, a win would mark SU’s third win over an AP Top 25 team this season. Syracuse last had as many such wins in 1998, when Donovan McNabb was a senior. A victory would also give the Orange a 3-1 record in conference play, tying their best start (2022) in ACC play since joining it in 2013.

Player to watch: Desmond Reid, running back, No. 0

After accumulating 2,216 all-purpose yards across two seasons at Western Carolina, Reid transferred to Pitt ahead of the 2024 season. The shifty 5-foot-8 weapon has continued his success with the Panthers, rushing for 494 yards while notching 341 receiving yards and seven total touchdowns.

Across the Panthers’ first six games, Reid has run for over 100 yards three times and has two games with 100 or more receiving yards. PFF marks him with a 75.7 running grade and an 82.3 receiving grade midway through the season. Reid’s play earned him the AP Midseason “ACC’s Most Surprising Player” honor.

Published on October 23, 2024 at 10:57 pm

Contact Justin: justingirshon@gmail.com | @JustinGirshon