Syracuse-FSU: Five Things to Watch

If Florida State is going to win an ACC game at home this season, it will have to come on Saturday against Syracuse. The Orange, who come in at an even 4-4, have become a popular pick to invade Doak Campbell Stadium and leave with a victory.

Syracuse is two wins away from becoming bowl-eligible for the first time since 2013. FSU on the other hand, might be one loss away from missing a bowl appearance for the first time since 1981. As the Seminoles and Orange get set to do battle on Saturday, here are five things to watch for:

1. Eric Dungey
Syracuse junior quarterback Eric Dungey might be the best player in the ACC that no one talks about. Dungey has been productive since the first day, but this is the first season that he has been able to stay healthy. At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Dungey is a dual-threat who has passed for more than 300 yards on three occasions this year and rushed for at least 100 yards twice. Quarterback mobility from the likes of Louisville’s Lamar Jackson and Wake Forest’s John Wolford has been a problem for the Seminoles to defend this season.

2. Wide Receivers
The wide receiver position will be one to watch on Saturday. Syracuse has the top two players in the ACC when it comes to receptions while FSU isn’t sure who will be available. For the Orange, Steve Ishmael and Ervin Philips rank first and second in the ACC with 66 and 61 receptions, respectively. Ishmael, also the ACC’s leader in receiving yards, is a big body with the ability to stretch the field while Philips is more of a possession receiver who knows how to pick up the key first downs. They should provide a great challenge on the outside for the likes of Tarvarus McFadden, Stanford Samuels III, Levonta Taylor and Kyle Meyers.

For FSU, leading receiver Auden Tate, a junior, and sophomore Keith Gavin are both listed as questionable for Saturday’s game. George Campbell is already out for the year. If neither Gavin nor Tate are available to go, that would leave Nyqwan Murray, reconverted Ermon Lane, D.J. Matthews and Tamorrion Terry as the only available scholarship receivers. Murray has come into his own the last three weeks, but Matthews has been seldom used and Terry has yet to play this year. Lane, a senior, just moved back to wide receiver from safety last week.

3. The Battle in the Trenches
If ever there was a week where Florida State should be able to dominate up front, it’s this one. The FSU offensive line, which was manhandled at Boston College last week, will be facing an Orange defensive front that has the fewest sacks in the ACC with 10. Chris Slayton is a beast at defensive tackle, but is much more of a run-stopper than a pass-rusher. Defensive end Alton Robinson is the only player for Syracuse with more than one sack this season.

On the other side of the ball, FSU is facing a Syracuse offensive line that has yielded 25 sacks and that’s with a mobile quarterback. The Seminoles have seen a significant drop-off from last season when it comes to getting pressure with only 11 sacks, but this should be the week where defensive ends Josh Sweat and Brian Burns feast along with defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi.

4. Placekickers
Florida State’s three prior home games have been decided by just 13 points and there is a good chance that Saturday’s contest could come down to a kick. Saturday’s contest will feature two very good kickers in FSU’s Ricky Aguayo and Syracuse’s Cole Murphy. Murphy, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist, is 16-for-18 on field goals this season and 6-for-8 from beyond 40 yards.

Aguayo isn’t having as good of a season, but is 12-for-15 and has missed just one kick since the first half of the home opener. In FSU’s last home game, it was Louisville’s Blanton Creque that played the hero with a 34-yard game-winning field goal with five seconds left as the Cardinals topped FSU, 31-28.

5. FSU’s Effort
After three close losses and then a beatdown at the hands of Boston College, Florida State is a fragile football team and the motivation on Saturday will be a significant question. Most have written off the possibility of the Seminoles keeping the nation’s longest bowl streak alive. Syracuse is also a confident team after defeating reigning national champion Clemson earlier in the year and hanging tough with the likes of ranked LSU, N.C. State and Miami — all on the road.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson