Sep 193 min read

Stanford vs Syracuse: Cardinal Begin ACC Era

ACC | Stanford Cardinal — © Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Kicking off Week 4 for the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Stanford Cardinal (1-1) will travel to Syracuse to take on the Orange (2-0) on Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. EST at the JMA Wireless Dome. It’s Stanford’s first-ever ACC game. Syracuse is favored at -9.5.

Stanford: Tougher Competition Awaits

In its lone matchup this season against an FBS school, Stanford lost to TCU (2-1) at home, 34-27. The Cardinal followed that up with a 41-7 win over FCS school Cal Poly (1-2) before its bye week. After their tilt against Syracuse, two of Stanford's next three games are against Top 25 schools in Clemson (1-1) and Notre Dame (2-1). The Cardinal hope to earn some added confidence in themselves before those tests.

Syracuse: Keep the Momentum Going

The Orange come into this matchup undefeated after an opening win against Ohio (2-1) and an impressive victory against then-ranked Georgia Tech (3-1). Like Stanford, they also had a bye after their first two games.

Key Players: Stanford

ACC | Stanford QB Ashton Daniels — © Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Offense: Ashton Daniels, QB

Against TCU, Daniels had a hard time getting the ball down the field via the air. He finished just 17-of-35 passing with a first-half interception. However, he led his team in rushing during that game with 87 yards on the ground on 17 carries.

It will be interesting to see how he will fare against a Syracuse defense that has struggled with mobile quarterbacks. Through two games, the Orange allowed Ohio’s Parker Navarro to rush for 40 yards and Georgia Tech’s Haynes King to rush for 67 yards.

Defense: Collin Wright, CB

Wright, a junior cornerback from Missouri City, Texas, has Stanford’s lone interception of the year so far (against Cal Poly). He will look to add to his totals against a Syracuse offense that likes to air it out with quarterback Kyle McCord at the helm.

Key Players: Syracuse

ACC | Syracuse QB Kyle McCord — © Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Offense: Kyle McCord, QB

The Syracuse signal-caller, who spent three years at Ohio State before transferring to Syracuse, is 59-of-85 passing with 8 touchdown passes in two games with the Orange. In a league heavy on transfer quarterbacks, McCord has stood out. He faces a Stanford defense that was ranked 129th last season in total defense and still faces questions this season, especially through the air.

Defense: Derek McDonald, LB

McDonald, a junior from Georgia, leads all linebackers in tackles with 14 so far this season. He will be looked to help stop the aforementioned run threat that Ashton Daniels poses. Syracuse allowed 262 rushing yards against Ohio and 112 against normally pass-heavy Georgia Tech.

X-Factor: Stanford’s Special Teams

In Stanford’s win over Cal Poly, special teams played a major role. They blocked a field goal attempt, successfully executed a fake punt and returned a punt for a touchdown, courtesy of Tiger Bachmeier. Was this a case of a team flexing its muscles against far inferior competition, or a unit that is ready to make a serious difference throughout the season?

Bottom Line on This ACC Game

With both teams coming off early byes and looking to build momentum, this matchup between Stanford and Syracuse has the potential to set the tone for their seasons. Stanford is eager to prove themselves in their inaugural ACC game, while Syracuse seeks to maintain their undefeated start.

Fans tuning in should expect an exciting game as each team tries to make a statement moving forward in the season.