The Syracuse Orange and the Virginia Tech Hokies will face off in an ACC clash at 7:30 p.m. ET on October 26th at Lane Stadium/Worsham Field. Syracuse is limping into the match on a three-game losing streak.
Syracuse gave up the first points and the most points last Saturday. They took a serious blow against Florida State, falling 41-3. Syracuse was already down big by the end of the third quarter and they stayed that way after failing to score in the fourth.
Despite the defeat, Syracuse got a solid performance out of LeQuint Allen, who rushed for 110 yards.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, the Orange weren't very productive in the air and finished the game with only 137 passing yards. They were dismantled by their opponents in that department as Florida State passed for 344.
Meanwhile, Virginia Tech didn't have too much trouble with Wake Forest at home last Saturday as they won 30-13. The win was just what Virginia Tech needed coming off of a 39-17 defeat in their prior game.
Virginia Tech's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Jaylin Lane, who picked up 102 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and Kyron Drones, who threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 11.1 yards per attempt. Lane's longest reception was for an incredible 75 yards. John Love did his part by putting the 'special' in special teams, booting in three field goals and three extra points.
Virginia Tech's defense stepped up as well, laying out the QB seven times. Leading the way was Antwaun Powell-Ryland and his four sacks.
The opposite results left the teams with opposite records: Virginia Tech's win pushed their record up to 3-4, while Syracuse's defeat dropped theirs down to 4-3.
Syracuse will be fighting an uphill battle on Thursday as the experts have pegged them as the three-point underdog. This contest will be their fourth straight as the underdogs (so far over this stretch they are 0-3 against the spread).