What to Know: FSU at Syracuse

For the first time in 2018, Florida State will be the road team. The Seminoles are in Upstate New York to take on Syracuse in a high noon EST contest at the Carrier Dome.

FSU will look for its first ACC win of the season as it takes on the Orange. Syracuse is off to a 2-0 start, although the competition has been suspect to this point. Willie Taggart looks to be the first FSU head coach to win his first road game since Larry Jones in 1971.

The Match-Up

Who: Florida State Seminoles (1-1, 0-1 ACC) at Syracuse Orange (2-0)
Where: Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York
When: 12 p.m. EST
Network: ESPN
Spread: Florida State -3*
Last Week: FSU defeated Samford, 36-26; Syracuse topped Wagner, 62-10.

Key Players

For Florida State
Deondre Francois, QB (R-Jr.): 53-for-81 passing, 553 yards passing, 3 TD, 3 INT
Brian Burns, DE (Jr.): 7 tackles, 2 TFL, 1.5 sacks
Kyle Meyers, CB (Jr.): 8 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 INT, FF

For Syracuse
Eric Dungey, QB (Sr.): 30-for-49 passing, 402 yards passing, 7 TD, INT, 244 yards rushing, 9.4 YPC, TD
Jamal Custis, WR (R-Sr.): 11 catches, 209 yards receiving, 3 TD
Evan Foster, S (Jr.): 16 tackles, 2 TFL

Series History

All-Time Series: Florida State leads 10-1
Last Meeting: Florida State won in Tallahassee, 27-24 (Nov. 4, 2017)
Last Meeting in Syracuse: Florida State won, 45-14 (Nov. 19, 2016)
First Meeting: Syracuse won at home, 37-21 (Nov. 12, 1966)

Notable Contests

The only match-up of top-10 teams came in Tallahassee in 1991 as No. 1 Florida State handled the 10th-ranked Orangemen, 46-14. Syracuse led 14-7 after a quarter thanks to two long touchdowns — one receiving and one kickoff return — from Qadry Ismail. FSU scored the game’s final 39 points behind 347 yards passing and three touchdowns from quarterback Casey Weldon.

Florida State won the 2014 contest in the Carrier Dome, 38-20. In that game, tight end Nick O’Leary set the school-record for most receptions by a Florida State tight end. Wide receiver Rashad Greene also set the school’s all-time reception record, surpassing Ron Sellers.

In FSU’s last trip to the Carrier Dome, running back Dalvin Cook’s 41-yard rush on his second carry of the game set a new career record for rushing yardage at Florida State. The record had previously been held by Warrick Dunn. Cook finished the day with 225 yards rushing and four touchdowns in a 45-14 victory.

What’s at Stake

For Florida State: FSU looks to avoid starting 1-2 for a second straight season and 0-2 in ACC play for a second time in three years. A loss could also make extending the nation’s longest bowl streak a real challenge.

For Syracuse: Syracuse aims to start 3-0 for a second time in three years and to beat the Seminoles for the first time ever as a member of the ACC. The Orange haven’t won an ACC opener since beating Wake Forest in 2014.

Fun Fact

Syracuse won the first-ever meeting between the schools in 1966. Florida State has won the last 10 in the series. Only two of those contests have been decided by fewer than 18 points.

*According to Bovada

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