• Football
  • Syracuse Football Travels to Florida State to Open ACC Play in Tallahassee

Syracuse Football Travels to Florida State to Open ACC Play in Tallahassee

Details
Football

Syracuse hits the road to open ACC play for the first of eight-straight league games to close the year. Here's five things to know about the Orange as the team heads to Tallahassee.

1. Tucker Watch
Syracuse running back Sean Tucker is turning heads this season, ranked in the top-five nationally of seven different statistical categories in the NCAA.

Only one back in program history has more rushing yards through the first-four games of a season than Tucker's 536. Walter Reyes had 631 through the first four games of the 2003 campaign. He finished the season with 1,347, which is second to Joe Morris' record of 1,372 in a single season.

Tucker has been so productive in his young career, that in just 13 collegiate games, he enters Saturday's game at Florida State ranked 40th in career rushing yards in program history (1,162).

2. Roscoe Dash for the Sack
Despite the Orange defense not recording a sack in the season opener, the Orange defense has found itself atop the ACC and tied for second nationally with 4.5 sacks per game.

The effort has been led by ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week Cody Roscoe, who has 5.5 sacks on the year and five in the last two games alone. Roscoe, who transferred in from McNeese State prior to the 2020 season, has come on of late. He also ranks third nationally with eight tackles for loss.

3. Hot Start
A win Saturday would move 'Cuse to 4-1 and tie for the best start the Orange have posted under head coach Dino Babers. The Orange were also 4-1 in 2018, when the team finished 10-3 and won the Camping World Bowl.

In the last 25 years (1996-2021), Syracuse has started 4-1 or better on three other occasions. 2018 under Babers, 2010 and 1999.

4. Homecoming
Syracuse has heavily recruited Florida under head coach Dino Babers. With 11 players on the Orange roster from Florida, more players hail from the Sunshine State than any other state on the 'Cuse roster (Pennsylvania – 10; New York – 9; New Jersey - 9) are next.

Syracuse players Adrian Cole, Oronde Gadsden, Rob Hanna, Sharod Johnson, Mikel Jones, Isaiah Jones, Latarie Kinsler, Neil Nunn, Anthony Queeley, Ja'Vontae Williams and McKinley Williams will all head to their home state for the game this weekend.

5. Back in the Loud House
Syracuse returns home for two in a row, hosting Wake Forest and Clemson in the subsequent two weeks.