Syracuse @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 5, 2009 ) Minnesota 23, Syracuse 20

Syracuse heads to Minnesota coming off its first win in eight games, a drought dating to last season. After a slow start, the Orange defense held run-heavy FCS foe Stony Brook to just 50 yards of total offense in the second half. Against Minnesota, however, Syracuse may have to focus more on its secondary play. With Gophers dual-threat quarterback MarQueis Gray doubtful due to a high ankle sprain, sophomore Max Shortell is expected to get the nod. Shortell filled in for Gray midway through Minnesota’s 28-23 win over Western Michigan last week and looked sharp doing it. He completed 10 of 17 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns. Syracuse senior quarterback Ryan Nassib ranks second in the nation with 1,139 yards and is tied for fourth with nine touchdowns through three games. Given that neither team has scored less than 28 points in a game yet this season, a high-scoring scoring affair is to be expected.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Syracuse -1

ABOUT MINNESOTA (3-0): The Gophers started the season with an exciting triple-OT win over UNLV on Aug. 30 and haven’t looked back. Running a near-perfectly balanced offense, Minnesota has 658 passing yards and 629 rushing yards through three games. Redshirt sophomore tailback Donnell Kirkwood leads the Gophers with 262 yards, averaging 4.9 per carry, while the injured Gray has 234 rushing yards and two touchdowns to go with 260 passing yards and another five scores. Defensively, Minnesota has allowed 19 points per game while forcing two turnovers per contest, but Nassib and Co. are far more potent than the likes of UNLV, New Hampshire and Western Michigan.

ABOUT SYRACUSE (1-2): The Syracuse offense has turned in three sharp performances. Nassib’s favorite target, senior wide receiver Marcus Sales, is also among the nation’s leaders. Sales is tied for fourth with 350 receiving yards and tied for second with four touchdown receptions. Tailbacks Jerome Smith (44 carries, 175 yards) and Prince-Tyson Gulley (27 carries, 134 yards) have shown consistency running the ball while dynamic freshman Ashton Broyld is breaking into the rotation. Broyld picked up 81 total yards and scored his first career touchdown on a 22-yard dash in the second quarter. Two weeks ago, the Orange allowed six touchdowns to Matt Barkley and Southern California. While Shortell is no Barkley, the Syracuse secondary will be relied on for a strong outing.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Minnesota has outscored opponents 35-7 in the second quarter this season.

2. Sales has recorded 100 receiving yards and one touchdown in each of his last four games.

3. The Gophers’ last 4-0 start was in 2008.

PREDICTION: Syracuse 38, Minnesota 34