Syracuse @ Rutgers preview
High Point Solutions Stadium
Last Meeting ( Nov 21, 2009 ) Rutgers 13, Syracuse 31
After a tough conference loss, Syracuse is right where it needs to be this week. On the road.
The Orange visit Rutgers on Saturday looking to improve their bowl chances and keep their slim Big East Conference hopes alive after another disappointing effort at the Carrier Dome.
Syracuse (6-3, 3-2 Big East) has suffered both of its conference losses at home. The Orange were manhandled by conference-leading Pittsburgh 45-14 on Oct. 16 and are coming off a 28-20 loss to Louisville last week.
The Cardinals were playing without their starting quarterback and were also without running back Bilal Powell, who ranks fifth in the nation in rushing, but the Orange were outgained 303-256 and outscored 14-3 in the second half.
Needing just one more win to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2004, Syracuse hits the road for the final time this season. All three of the Orange’s conference wins have come on the road, including a 19-14 win over a ranked West Virginia squad two weeks ago.
Rutgers (4-4, 1-2) has lost two straight and has had tough luck in some close games.
The Scarlet Knights have really only been out of one game so far this year, a 20-point loss to Pitt. Other than that, Rutgers has had a chance to win every other time out and its three other losses have come by a total of eight points.
Rutgers is coming off a 28-27 loss to South Florida.
The Scarlet Knights are banged up on defense and have allowed five 100-yard rushers in the last month, so look for Syracuse running back Delone Carter to get plenty of opportunities to exploit Rutgers’ defensive front.
The Scarlet Knight offense could help the defense with some big plays and that means true freshman quarterback Chas Dodd will have to look down field.
Dodd set a Rutgers single-game record for completion percentage against South Florida, completing 19 of 22 passes (86.4 percent) but for only 139 yards or just 6.32 yards per attempt.
If Dodd does make some plays down the field, chances are sophomore wide receiver Mark Harrison will be involved.
Harrison has a touchdown reception in four straight games. Over that span, Harrison has hauled in 16 receptions for 303 yards — an average of 75.8 yards per game and 18.9 per reception.
Syracuse leads the series with Rutgers 29-10-1, including a 13-6 edge since Big East Conference play began in 1991. The Orange won last season’s meeting 31-13 snapping a four-game losing streak to the Scarlet Knights.