Football

Syracuse football game day: What to know about the Louisville matchup

Wasim Ahmad | Staff Photographer

Syracuse needs to win on Saturday to have any hope of reaching six wins and automatically qualifying for a bowl game this season.

Syracuse (4-6, 2-4 Atlantic Coast) visits Louisville (6-4, 3-4) for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff Saturday. The Orange, off a loss to Wake Forest, likely needs to win each of its final two games to ensure bowl eligibility. A loss to Louisville, which beat the Orange 62-28 last year in the Carrier Dome, would drop SU to 4-7 and almost certainly out of contention for a bowl. The Cardinals are coming off a win against Virginia.

Here are answers to your gameday questions, as well as pregame reading.

How can you watch the game? The game will air nationally on ESPNU.

What should you know about the Cardinals? More than anything, know junior quarterback Lamar Jackson can chuck it. And he can throw it, giving the Orange a tough task ahead.

What else should you know about Louisville? Here’s the full scouting report, and here’s the lowdown from Courier-Journal beat writer Jake Lourim, who says, “Last team with the ball wins.



Who’s out? Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey, who did not play last week and has yet to play in a game past Week 10 in his career, is listed as questionable. Junior running back Dontae Strickland is also questionable this week.

Who will win? Each of our beat writers predicts the Orange will fall to Louisville and drop to 4-7 on the season.

There’s Steve Ishmael and Ervin Philips, but who else at the receiver position? Besides tight end Ravian Pierce, who caught two touchdowns last week, the second outside receiver spot is still up for grabs.

After his pro football career faded, former Syracuse cornerback Julian Whigham is chasing his journalism dreams.





Top Stories