Northwestern @ Syracuse preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 19, 2009 ) Northwestern 34, Syracuse 37

Northwestern shoots for its seventh straight season-opening victory Saturday when it visits the Carrier Dome to take on Syracuse. The Wildcats are also looking to extend their school-record streak of bowl games to five straight seasons while the Orange, playing their final year in the Big East Conference, hope to rebound from a 5-7 campaign that ended with a five-game losing streak after a 5-2 start. Northwestern and Syracuse will be meeting for the third time since 2008 as each team has won at home - Northwestern 30-10 in 2008 and Syracuse 37-34 in 2009.

TV: 12 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Northwestern -1.5

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (2011: 6-7): Junior quarterback Kain Colter leads the Wildcats' attack. The dual threat player has spent most of his career as a wide receiver, but started the first three games at QB last season. He is the leading returning passer (673 yards), receiver (466) and rusher (654) for Northwestern and accounted for 12 touchdowns last year. Northwestern averaged almost 29 points per game and led the Big Ten in passing in 2011. The Wildcats return five starters on offense and six on defense. Northwestern is 19-5 in non-conference games under coach Pat Fitzgerald. The Wildcats lost to Texas A&M in last year's Meineke Car Care Bowl.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (2011: 5-7): The Orange return three-year starting quarterback Ryan Nassib, a nominee for the Johnny Unitas Award given annually to the nation's top senior QB. Nassib passed for 2,685 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2011. Nassib's top target from last year, Alec Lemon, also returns after catching 68 passes for 834 yards and six scores. Syracuse returns five starters on offense and seven on defense. Syracuse has been picked to finish seventh in the Big East preseason poll. Junior kicker Ross Krautman ranks third among active FBS kickers in field goal accuracy, hitting 87 percent of his kicks (33-for-38).

EXTRA POINTS

1. This will be the 10th meeting - Syracuse leads 5-4. The teams play again next season at Northwestern.

2. Syracuse is 1-6-1 all-time in season openers against Big Ten teams.

3. Northwestern is one of 16 FBS teams that did not have any changes on its coaching staff.

PREDICTION: Northwestern 31, Syracuse 27