(Photo Credit: Dennis Nett/Pool Photo/USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
RB Sean Tucker, WR Taj Harris, WR Anthony Queeley, OC Carlos Vettorello, OG Dakota Davis, OG Darius Tisdale, OT Matthew Bergeron, OT Airon Servais, DE Josh Black, DE Kingsley Jonathan, DE Cody Roscoe, NT McKinley Williams, , LB Geoff Cantin-Arku, LB Stefon Thompson, LB Mikel Jones, LB Marlowe Wax, FS Aman Greenwood, RS Ja’Had Carter, RS Rob Hanna, KR Trebor Pena, and PK Andre Szmyt.
Key Players Departing:
WR/KR Nykeim Jonhson, TE Aaron Hackett, FS Ifeatu Melifonwu, NB Trill Williams, and PT Nolan Cooney.
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: CB Duce Chestnut (Camden, New Jersey), OT Enrique Cruz (Villa Park, Illinois), WR Umari Hatcher (Woodbridge, Virginia), QB Justin Lamson (El Dorado Hills, California), WR Oronde Gadsden (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida), DE Jatius Geer (Honea Path, South Carolina), S Malcolm Folk (Newtown Square, Pennsylvania), DT Terry Lockett (Springfield, Massachusetts), and LB Malik Matthew (Bronx, New York).
2020 Results:
G01 at #18 North Carolina L 6-31
G02 at #25 Pittsburgh L 10-21
G03 GEORGIA TECH W 37-20
G04 DUKE L 24-38
G05 LIBERTY L 21-38
G06 at #1 Clemson L 21-47
G07 WAKE FOREST L 14-38
G08 BOSTON COLLEGE L 13-16
G09 at Louisville L 0-30
G10 NC STATE L 29-36
G11 at #2 Notre Dame L 21-45
Misc. Team Information:
2020 Record: 1-10 (15th in ACC)
Home: 1-5
Away: 0-5
Neutral: 0-0
ACC: 1-9
Non-AAC: 0-2
Head Coach: Dino Babers
Syracuse: 24-36
Career: 61-52
Bowls: 2-0
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Tommy DeVito (48-96, 593 yards, 50.0%, 6.2 avg., 4 TD, 2 INT)
Rushing: Sean Tucker (137 car., 626 yards, 4.6 avg., 4 TD)
Receiving: Taj Harris (58 rec., 733 yards, 12.6 avg., 5 TD)
TDs Scored: Taj Harris (5)
Sacks: Geoff Cantin-Arku (4)
Tackles: Mikel Jones (68)
Tackles For Loss: McKinley Williams (8)
Interceptions: Mikel Jones (4)
Pass Deflections: Garrett Williams (9)
Forced Fumbles: Mikel Jones (2)
Kick Returns: Trebor Pena (7 ret., 225 yards, 32.1 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Drew Tuazama (1 ret., 16 yards, 16.0 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Andre Szmyt (9-11 fg/fga., 82%, 23-24 xp/xpa., 50 pts.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 13 Tommy DeVito (RS JR)
RB: 34 Sean Tucker (FR)
WR: 14 Anthony Queeley (RS SO)
WR: 82 Damien Alford (FR)
WR: 3 Taj Harris (JR)
TE: 5 Chris Elmore (SR)
LT: 60 Matthew Bergeron (SO)
LG: 57 Dakota Davis (RS JR)
OC: 52 Carlos Vettorello (RS SO)
RG: 67 Chris Bleich (RS SO/TR)
RT: 68 Airon Servais (SR SR)
KR: 29 Trebor Pena (FR)
PK: 91 Andre Szmyt (RS JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 85 Josh Black (RS SR)
NT: 00 McKinley Williams (RS SR)
DE: 9 Kingsley Jonathan (SR)
LB: 3 Mikel Jones (SO)
LB: 31 Geoff Cantin-Arku (SO)
LB: 27 Stefon Thompson (FR)
CB: 14 Garrett Williams (RS FR)
CB: 20 Darian Chestnut (FR)
BS: 11 Ja’Had Carter (FR)
FS: 26 Aman Greenwood (RS FR)
RS: 34 Eric Coley (RS JR)
PR: 29 Trebor Pena (FR)
PT: 98 James Williams (FR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: C
Schedule:
09/04 at Ohio Bobcats | Syracuse leads the series 2-0. The Orange won (38-0) the last meeting between schools in 1921.
09/11 RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS | Syracuse leads the series 30-12-1. The Orange lost (15-23) the last meeting between schools in 2012.
09/18 ALBANY GREAT DANES | First meeting between schools.
09/24 LIBERTY FLAMES | The series is tied 1-1. The Orange lost (21-38) last season’s meeting between schools, and won (24-0) the first meeting between schools in 2019.
10/02 at Florida State Seminoles | Syracuse trails the series 2-11. The Orange are 1-6 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series win (30-7) was in 2018.
10/09 WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS | Syracuse leads the series 6-4. The Orange are 6-3 since renewing the series in 2011, and their last series win (39-30 OT) was in 2019.
10/15 CLEMSON TIGERS | Syracuse trails the series 2-7. The Orange are 1-7 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series win (27-24) was in 2017.
10/23 at Virginia Tech Hokies | Syracuse leads the series 10-8. The Orange won (31-17) the last meeting between schools in 2016, and their last series loss (7-51) was in 2003.
10/30 BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES | Syracuse leads the series 32-22. The Orange are 4-4 since renewing the series in 2013, and their last series win (42-21) was in 2018.
11/13 at Louisville Cardinals | Syracuse trails the series 7-12. The Orange are 2-7 since 2011, and their last series win (54-23) was in 2018.
11/20 at NC State Wolfpack | Syracuse trails the series 2-12. The Orange are 2-6 since 2013, and their last series win (51-41) was in 2018.
11/27 PITTSBURGH PANTHERS | Syracuse trails the series 32-41-3. The Orange are 2-8 since 2011, and their last series win (27-24) was in 2017.
Predictions:
Home: 2-4
Road: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
ACC: 1-7
Non-ACC: 2-2
Overall: 3-9 (7th in ACC Atlantic)
gridironpredictions.net 