2020 SYRACUSE FOOTBALL 1959 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS // 5 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS // 18 CONSENSUS ALL-AMERICANS GAME INFORMATION SYRACUSE ORANGE (1-3, 1-3 ACC) AP/Coaches Rank: -/- Date ...........................................................Saturday, Oct. 17, 2020 Head Coach: Dino Babers (5th year) Location .................................................................... Syracuse, N.Y. Overall Record: 61-45 (.575) Stadium ...................................................... Carrier Dome (49,057) at Syracuse: 24-29 (.453) Kickoff ................................................................................12 p.m. vs. Liberty: 1-0 Series .................................................................Syracuse leads 1-0 vs Tickets ......................................................................................N/A (4-0) Television ......................................................................... ACC RSN LIBERTY FLAMES AP/Coaches Rank: -/RV Play-by-Play ................................................................Evan Lepler Head Coach: Hugh Freeze Analyst ............................................................... Charles Arbuckle Overall Record: 54-27 Reporter ......................................................................Abby Labar at Liberty: 12-5 Radio ..........Syracuse Sports Network from Learfield IMG College vs. Syracuse: 0-1 Play-by-Play ............................................................ Matt Park '97 Analyst ..................................................................Adam Terry '04 Reporter .............................................................Brian Higgins '04 OPENING DRIVE Student Radio .......................................WAER 88.3 FM (Syracuse) Satellite Radio ...................................................Sirius 132/XM 201 ORANGE CLOSE HOMESTAND VS. LIBERTY Live Audio ...................................................Cuse.com/TuneIn App • Syracuse will conclude its three-game homestand on Saturday with their lone non-conference Live Stats ........................................................................ Cuse.com opponent of the 2020 regular season in Liberty. Twitter ....................................................................@CuseFootball • It will be the second meeting with the Flames after 'Cuse defeated Liberty 24-0 in Lynchburg to Facebook ...........................................Facebook.com/CuseFootball open the 2019 campaign. Instagram ...............................................................@CuseFootball • The game will air on ACC Regional Sports Networks (YES Network locally), with Evan Lepler (PxP), Charles Arbuckle (analyst) and Abby Labar (reporter) on the call. 2020 SCHEDULE/RESULTS TURNOVER TALE Overall Record: 1-3 • ACC Record: 1-3 • Syracuse has not lost the turnover battle in 11-straight contests and has won the takeaway Home: 1-1 • Away: 0-2 • Neutral: 0-0 • Streak: L1 battle in 21 of its last 30 games (five of the remaining nine were even). • 'Cuse has ranked in the top-15 in turnover margin to conclude each of the past two seasons Date Opponent (TV) Time/Result and have started 2020 by posting +14 in turnovers gained, a mark that ranks first nationally. Sept. 12 at North Carolina * (ACC Network) L, 6-31 • The Orange have also turned the ball over just four times this season and are averaging a +2.5 Sept. 19 at Pittsburgh * (ACC Network) L, 10-21 turnover margin per game this year, which also leads the nation. Sept. 26 GEORGIA TECH * (ACC RSN) W, 37-20 • Since 2018, the Orange lead all FBS teams in takeaways with 70. Oct. 10 DUKE * (ACC RSN) L, 24-38 • LB Mikel Jones leads the Orange with three takeaways in 2020 (3 INT, 1 FR). Oct. 17 LIBERTY (ACC RSN) 12 p.m. • In 2019, the Orange committed 16 turnovers, while gaining 25 (+9), for an average margin of Oct. 24 at Clemson * 12 p.m. +0.75. That figure ranked 13th nationally. Oct. 31 WAKE FOREST * TBA • In 2018, Syracuse was even better. Led by a defense that recorded 31 takeaways, including 18 Nov. 7 BOSTON COLLEGE * TBA interceptions, the Orange tied Ohio for No. 5 in average turnover margin (+1.0). Nov. 20 at Louisville * (ESPN) 7 p.m. • Syracuse and Arizona State are only two FBS programs to rank in the top 15 of the statistic Nov. 28 NC STATE * TBA both of the last-two seasons. The Sun Devils tied for 11th in 2018 and ranked No. 6 in 2019. DC Dec. 5 at Notre Dame * (NBC) 2:30 p.m. Tony White was part of both defenses as he was at Arizona State before becoming the Orange's defensive coordinator this season. * - ACC game Home games in BOLD CAPS DEFENSE GETS YOUNGER All times Eastern • Syracuse has started five different freshmen (2 R-Fr. and 3 true freshmen) on defense this season. • The 'Cuse defense on the opening drive against Duke featured redshirt freshmen Garrett WHAT'S INSIDE Williams and Steve Linton and true freshmen Ja'Had Carter and Rob Hanna. • LB Stefon Thompson is a true freshman who started the first three games at LB before Linton Media Information ...............2 Player Notes ................. 17-20 got the start vs. Duke. Matchup/Series History........3 Game Summaries ......... 21-22 • The number of freshmen starters on the Syracuse roster ballons to seven when you include the Notes .............................. 4-10 Stats .............................. 23-37 offense, which has seen R-Fr. RB Jawhar Jordan and Fr. RB Sean Tucker start in the backfield. Team ...................................4 Long Plays ...........................32 • In total, Syracuse played 17 freshmen (redshirt and true) against Duke. That number ties Offense ........................... 5-6 Starting Lineups ..................33 Georgia Tech (vs. UCF) for the third in the ACC for most freshmen to play in an FBS game this Defense...............................7 Scoring Drives .....................34 season. Clemson (31 vs. Wake Forest) and Notre Dame (25 vs. USF) are the only two times more Special Teams .....................8 Conversions/TOP ................35 freshmen have played. Miscellaneous ............... 9-10 Red-Zone Stats ...................36 Dome ....................................9 Superlatives ........................37 NUMBERS TO KNOW On This Date .........................9 Last Time That .............. 38-40 Takeaways by the Syracuse Consecutive games with a defensive Overtime History ..................9 defense thus far – a mark that touchdown by the Syracuse defense. Orange in the NFL ..............10 14 leads the nation. 2 ACC Standings/Polls ............11 HC Dino Babers............. 12-13 Career field goals for PKAndre Assistant Coaches ...............14 Interceptions by LB Mikel Jones this Szmyt. He's eight away from Depth Chart ........................15 season, which ties for the ACC lead and 52 the Orange's all-time record, 3 second in the FBS. Start Chart ..........................15 held by Cole Murphy (2014-17). Roster/Pronunciations ........16 CUSE.COM // @CUSEFOOTBALL 1 MEDIA CONTACTS WEEKLY MEDIA SCHEDULE MONDAY • Dino Babers News Conference - 11:30 a.m. via Zoom SYRACUSE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS 1301 East Colvin Street, Syracuse, NY 13244 Office: 315-443-2608 | Web: Cuse.com 12 TYLER CADY TUESDAY • Student-Athlete Interviews - 6:45 p.m. via Zoom. Football SID • Game notes on Cuse.com Assistant Director/ Athletic Communications 13 (315) 443-2608 (O) (315) 941-6569 (C) WEDNESDAY • No media availability [email protected] 14 SUE EDSON THURSDAY • AmeriCU Dino Babers Radio Show Executive Sr. Associate AD/ Live from 7 to 8 p.m. on TK99/105 Chief Communications Officer (Credential Contact) 15 (315) 443-2608 (O) (315) 952-4787 (C) FRIDAY • No media availability [email protected] 16 PETE MOORE Director/ SATURDAY • Game #4 - Syracuse vs. Liberty (12 p.m., ACC RSN) Athletic Communications (315) 443-2608 (O) (315) 952-5011 (C) 17 [email protected] GENERAL MEDIA INFORMATION ACC COMMUNICATIONS 4512 Weybridge Lane, Greensboro, NC 27407 INTERVIEWS POSTGAME INTERVIEWS Office: 336-854-8787 | Web: theACC.com Interviews with all Orange student-athletes and All postgame media will be virtual this season. Coach Dino Babers MUST be arranged through the Coach Babers and select student-athletes will be Amy Yakola, Chief of External Affairs Syracuse Athletic Communications Department. made available after the game via Zoom. An email Kevin Best, Sr. Assoc. Commissioner (Football) Contact Tyler Cady, Football SID, via email at will be sent weekly to the football listserv asking Andy Fledderjohann, Assistant Commissioner [email protected] or by calling (315) 443-2608. Please for RSVPs to participate and a Zoom link will be Steve Phillips, Editorial & Content Manager give as much advance notice as possible when provided. An off-site moderator will open the Zoom Justin Wilson, Director requesting interviews. Personal phone numbers will meeting shortly after the conclusion of the game Tyler Beck, Assistant Director not be distributed to media and student-athletes and will field questions from the media. should not be contacted directly by phone, email SOCIAL MEDIA or social media to arrange interviews or answer ACC MEDIA PORTAL Join the conversation about all things Syracuse questions. The ACC and XOS Digital have partnered to provide across various social media platforms, including individual highlight packages from all ACC-controlled Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and CREDENTIAL REQUESTS regular-season football games to approved TV news Snapchat. Season and individual game requests for working affiliates for the 2020 season. Upon the conclusion press credentials