The Syracuse Orange hit the road to face the Clemson Tigers in an ACC Atlantic showdown in Week 9.
The Clemson Tigers will host the Syracuse Orange in a Week 9 ACC matchup. The Tigers are riding high on a four-game winning streak after beginning the year 1-2. They've won two straight games by just one score, rallying in the second half in both.
The Tigers outlasted Boston College last week after running back C.J. Davidson ran for a 32-yard score with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter to put the Tigers ahead for good at 17-13.
On the other side, Syracuse has lost four of its past five games after starting the year 2-0. All four of those losses have been by at least 16 points, and the Orange have struggled to be even competitive in their games. It won't get any easier this week when they face a hot Clemson team in Death Valley.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 7 p.m.ET
TV: ESPNU
Radio: Clemson Radio Network | Syracuse Radio Network
Online streaming:Watch ESPN
The numbers
Rankings and records: The Tigers are 5-2 overall and ranked 21st in the latest AP Poll. They're sitting in second place in the ACC Atlantic Division with a 4-1 mark in conference play. The Orange are unranked at 3-4 overall and tied for fourth-place in the ACC Atlantic with a 1-2 mark in conference play.
Vegas: Clemson is a 14.5-point favorite at home with an over/under of 47.5, according to OddsShark.
Weather forecast: High of 75, low of 55 and a 0 percent chance of rain.
Two things at stake
The Tigers must win this game to have any hope of winning the ACC Atlantic Division. Florida State leads the division and has a head-to-head win over Clemson, so the Tigers can't afford another conference loss.
The Tigers are also holding onto hopes of playing in a top-tier bowl if they win out. Lose to Syracuse, and there's no chance that happens.
One big matchup
Syracuse pass defense vs. Clemson pass offense: The Tigers rely heavily on their aerial attack, which ranks 22nd in the nation at 303.3 passing yards per game. On the other side, the Orange are giving up 230.6 pass yards per game, ranking 64th in the county. The Tigers will try to expose the Orange through the air early and often, and how well Syracuse slows Clemson down will determine how long the Orange able to hang with the Tigers.
Further reading
For more info on Clemson, check out Shakin' the Southland. As for Syracuse, check out Troy Nunes is an Absolute Magician.