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Clemson vs. Syracuse: Three keys to cooling the hot Orange
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- Clemson vs. Syracuse: Three keys to cooling the hot Orange
Two weeks ago, Syracuse was 2-4 and riding an 11-game ACC losing streak. The Orange won in overtime against a North Carolina team that went toe-to-toe with Notre Dame, then knocked off RANKED SMU with a touchdown in the final 17 seconds.
Syracuse is getting hot at the exact moment Clemson appears to find some life of its own. The Tigers left Tallahassee with a 36-24 victory after Tait Reynolds threw two touchdown passes, and the defense intercepted Ashton Daniels three times.
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It was Clemson 's best offensive showing in weeks, although the final quarter exposed some familiar problems. Florida State turned a 29-10 deficit into a five-point game before Reynolds escaped for a 79-yard touchdown on third-and-12, the longest run by a quarterback in Clemson history.
Clemson will be without leading rusher Gideon Davidson and starting center Harris Sewell, while left guard Elyjah Thurmon is not expected to play as he moves through concussion protocol.
Here are three keys to Clemson leaving the Dome with its second straight road victory.
Umari Hatcher needs to be contained
Syracuse has plenty of capable players on offense, but everything begins with Umari Hatcher. The fifth-year receiver has caught 60 passes for 952 yards and eight touchdowns through eight games, averaging nearly 16 yards per reception.
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For comparison, Hatcher has twice as many touchdown catches as Clemson has touchdown passes as a team. His 952 receiving yards are also 209 more than Bryant Wesco Jr. and Tyler Brown have combined this season.
In the Clemson FSU matchup, the Seminoles finished with 350 passing yards and generated eight completions of at least 15 yards, including three that gained more than 40. Florida State accumulated 195 yards in the fourth quarter alone as Clemson's secondary repeatedly surrendered space downfield.
Steve Angeli will search for Hatcher whenever Clemson loses track of him. Dabo Swinney actually called Hatcher a "Waldo-type guy" during his weekly press conference, meaning Clemson is required to locate No. 2 on the Orange before every snap. The Tigers have to force Syracuse's other receivers to carry the passing game instead of leaving its best player isolated in single coverage.
Ashton Hampton is the main factor in that matchup. He has excelled in man coverage, most notably against current Heisman Trophy third favorite Malachi Toney. Toney was clamped down, finishing with a season-low 40 receiving yards against Clemson, but Hampton was responsible for allowing only five of them.
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Do not give Angeli another chance to steal one late
Angeli's season numbers are not overwhelming. He has completed 57 percent of his passes for 1,187 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions, but Syracuse has looked different since he returned to the starting lineup.
He threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns during the overtime victory at North Carolina before leading the game-winning drive against SMU. Across the fourth quarter and overtime of those two games, Angeli completed 23 of 31 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns.
Clemson vs Florida State nearly had the exact same storyline. The defense controlled three quarters before allowing 173 passing yards and two touchdowns in the fourth, forcing Reynolds to rescue a lead thanks to record-breaking heroics.
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This is a big talking point specifically cause of those contrasting trends. Syracuse has clearly proved it can be an elite team late in games, and Clemson has recently shown that it can have a drop-off late into games. A Clemson win means that Reynolds' troops and the defense will have to pull through during the 4th quarter at the Dome.
Clemson has to find the right combination behind Davidson
Davidson has accounted for 528 yards and five touchdowns while averaging five yards per carry. Clemson does not have another running back who has produced anything close to that workload.
Jarvis Green is listed as the starter after rushing for 125 yards on 32 carries. Chris Johnson Jr. has 136 yards and two touchdowns on 35 attempts, while Jay Haynes has gained 25 yards since returning from his lengthy injury absence.
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Green made the strongest case at Florida State, gaining 37 yards on nine carries. Johnson received five attempts and finished with only three yards, although Dabo Swinney has made it clear that Clemson expects Haynes to become involved against Syracuse.
Green should be the first name in line for the Tigers. Reynolds has led the bunch in rushing during consecutive games, and his speed gives the offense an element nobody else in the available backfield has consistently shown.
Depending on another 79-yard escape would be asking too much. Two of Green, Johnson, and Haynes have to give Reynolds manageable downs before Syracuse can turn its pass rush loose.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson vs. Syracuse: Three keys to cooling the hot Orange
