It didn’t take Syracuse first-year coach Fran Brown long to figure out the key matchup for Saturday afternoon’s Atlantic Coast Conference game visiting Miami.
“Syracuse has a really good quarterback,” Brown said of Kyle McCord, “and Miami has a really good quarterback (Cam Ward).”
With a win on Saturday, the No. 6 Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 ACC) can clinch a berth in the league championship game against SMU.
Miami is a 10 1/2-point favorite for Saturday’s game.
Syracuse (8-3, 4-3) has reached eight wins for just the fourth time since 2002, going 8-5 in 2010 and 2012 and 10-3 in 2018. However, the Orange haven’t defeated a Top-10 team since knocking off Clemson in 2017.
Miami leads the nation in scoring (44.7), and the Hurricanes will count on perfect passing conditions in Syracuse’s dome.
That could be huge for Ward, who leads the nation with 34 touchdown passes, ranking second in passing yards (3,774) and fourth in passing efficiency.
Ward’s top target is wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, who needs just 21 yards to reach 1,000 for the second straight season.
Restrepo also ranks tied for seventh in the nation with 10 TD receptions.
Ward has some other top targets, including 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end Elijah Arroyo, who is a walking mismatch because of his size and speed. He leads Miami with 18.5 yards per reception.
Hurricanes wide receivers Isaiah Horton and Jacolby George have combined for 12 TD passes, and Sam Brown has added two more. Each of them has more than 500 receiving yards this season.
Miami’s running game features battering ram Damien Martinez (739 yards, 5.5 average, eight TDs); versatile Mark Fletcher Jr. (499 yards, 5.7 average, six TDs); and game-breaking freshman Jordan Lyle (361 yards, 8.6 average, four TDs).
Defensively, Miami’s big-play man is safety Mishael Powell, who ranks second in the ACC with five interceptions.
“He’s all about winning,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of Powell. “He’s a smart, self-starting team player.”
On special teams, Miami kicker Andres Borregales ranks second in the ACC with 97 points. He is 52-for-52 on extra points and 15-for-16 on field goals.
Meanwhile, McCord ranks No. 1 in the nation in passing yards (3,946) and tied for seventh in TD passes (26). McCord, a transfer from Ohio State, has also set Syracuse’s single-season record for passing yards.
In last week’s 31-24 win over Connecticut, McCord passed for a career-high 470 yards. However, McCord is just 46th in the nation in passing efficiency, due in part to his high total of interceptions (12).
Syracuse also has three of the top six pass-catchers in the ACC in terms of yards: tight end Oronde Gadsden II (810) and wide receivers Jackson Meeks (801) and Trebor Pena (743).
Gadsden, who is from the greater Miami area, has had three straight 100-yard games. He is the son of former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Oronde Gadsden.
Syracuse’s run game is led by LeQuint Allen, who has rushed for 819 yards, a 4.3 average and 12 TDs.
The issue for Syracuse could be its defense, which ranks 13th in the ACC in points allowed (27.8).
Miami’s defense is fourth (22.3).
Even so, Syracuse coach Brown said he’s excited about this matchup.
“I heard Miami is going to come deep,” Brown said of Miami fans. “It’s going to be intense in the stands. It’s going to be intense on the field. I think this is a game everyone wants to see.”
