Orange and Virginia Tech Rekindle Rivalry

Syracuse (2-4, 0-2 ACC) vs. No. 17 Virginia Tech (4-1, 2-0 ACC)
Game Details: Saturday, Oct. 15 | 3:45 p.m.
Location: Carrier Dome | Syracuse, N.Y.
Game Links: Tickets | Listen | Watch | Live Stats
Television: ESPNU
Radio: Syracuse IMG Radio Network
Twitter: @CuseFootball | @Cuse
Syracuse Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats | Notes
Virginia Tech Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats | Notes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For the first time since mid-September, the Syracuse football team (2-4, 0-2 ACC) returns to the Carrier Dome to host No. 17 Virginia Tech (4-1, 2-0 ACC) on Saturday, Oct. 15. Kickoff is slated for 3:45 p.m. on ESPNU.

Syracuse is searching for its third win of 2016 and its first against a ranked opponent since 2012. The Orange are coming off a 28-9 loss at Wake Forest on Oct. 8. Sophomore running back Dontae Strickland scored the team's lone touchdown. Junior linebacker Parris Bennett tallied 12 tackles, his third straight game with at least 10 stops.

Virginia Tech is its first season under new head coach Justin Fuente. The Hokies have been on a roll lately, winning their last three contests by an average margin of 46-7. In its last game, Tech topped North Carolina, 34-3.

Saturday is 'Cheer and Dance Day' at the Carrier Dome. The Syracuse University Cheerleaders and Lady Orange Dancers will host a clinic on the Quad pre-game. The first 300 participants to sign up will have the opportunity to join the Orange spirit squads on the field at halftime. Participants will receive pom-poms and a free 'Cheer and Dance Day' t-shirt.

EXPECT FIREWORKS
Saturday's contest will mark the second straight season first-year ACC coaches Dino Babers and Justin Fuente will go head-to-head. Fuente's Memphis Tigers defeated Babers' Bowling Green Falcons 44-41 in a shootout on Sept. 19, 2015.

The two teams combined for 1,120 yards of offense, with 829 yards coming through the air. Bowling Green's Matt Johnson, the 2015 MAC Offensive Player of the Year, was 28-for-44 passing for 443 yards and four touchdowns. Memphis' Paxton Lynch, currently the quarterback of the Denver Broncos, completed 29-of-40 pass attempts for 386 yards and three scores.

The two sides combined for 164 plays, 52 first downs and 14 of the game's 26 drives resulted in points.

BIG EAST DAYS
The Orange and the Hokies were both members of the BIG EAST Conference from 1991-2003. Syracuse and Virginia Tech met 12 times while in the league, with each team registering six wins. During that span, the two teams combined to win six conference championships, including sharing the title in 1996.

Virginia Tech is the fourth former BIG EAST opponent Syracuse will play this season. The Orange have already played Louisville (Sept. 9), USF (Sept. 17) and Connecticut (Sept. 24). They still must face former BIG EAST foes Boston College (Oct. 22) and Pittsburgh (Nov. 26).

AIRING IT OUT
Syracuse ranks second in the ACC and 12th nationally in passing offense, averaging 336.3 yards per game through the air. The Orange are on pace for the most prolific passing season in team history. Through six games, SU has thrown for 47.3 more yards per game than the current Syracuse single-season record of 289.0 yards per contest in 2012.

Sophomore quarterback Eric Dungey leads the conference and ranks sixth nationally in passing yards (1,886). Dungey has already posted two of the top three completion totals in school history. In addition, he is only the third SU quarterback to throw for at least 350 yards multiple times in the same season. Dungey has four 300-yard passing games this season, two shy of Ryan Nassib's school record of six set in 2012. Earlier this year, Dungey matched Nassib's record for consecutive 300-yard passing games with three (USF, UConn, Notre Dame).

SCOUTING VIRGINIA TECH
The Hokies are ranked for the second straight week, marking the first time that's happened in Blacksburg since 2013.

The Virginia Tech defense has held opponents scoreless in nine of the last 12 quarters. The Hokies rank second in the FBS in pass defense (132.2 yards per game) and third in total defense (237.6 yards per game). Linebacker Andrew Mtuapuaka leads the unit with 49 tackles. His 9.8 tackles per game rank second in the ACC. Defensive end Ken Ekanem has a team-best 4.5 sacks.

Quarterback Jerod Evans leads all Power Five signal callers in touchdown to interception ratio among quarterbacks with at least 10 TD passes. Evans leads the ACC in passer rating (175.6), touchdown percentage (12.5 pct.) and interception percentage (0.8 pct.). Wide receiver Isaiah Ford has 24 receptions for 376 yards and fourth touchdowns. Ford has 21 career touchdown catches. He is two touchdowns shy of breaking the Virginia Tech record of 22 set by Antonio Freeman (1991-94).

Travon McMillian leads the Hokies in rusing with 288 yards and three scores. Evans is right behind him with 258 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

SERIES HISTORY
Syracuse and Virginia Tech are meeting for the 18th time Saturday. The Orange hold a slight 9-8 advantage in the all-time series, including a 7-2 record in games played in Syracuse and a 6-2 mark at the Carrier Dome.

Some of the most exciting games ever played in the Loud House have come against the Hokies. In 1998, Donovan McNabb's throwback pass as time expired was caught in the end zone by Stephen Brominski to lift the Orange to a 28-26 victory.

Two years later, current Atlanta Falcons linebacker Dwight Freeney set the program single-game record for sacks in a 22-14 loss to the Hokies. Freeney sacked Michael Vick, the 1999 BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year, 4.5 times. Overall, the Orange tallied eight sacks in the near-upset of second-ranked Tech.

In 2002, the last time Virginia Tech came to the Dome, Syracuse stunned the Hokies in triple overtime, 50-42. Walter Reyes rushed for three Orange touchdowns and wide receiver David Tyree totaled 229 yards receiving in the victory.

UP NEXT
Syracuse goes back out on the road again next week, this time to Boston College on Saturday, Oct. 22 for a 12:30 p.m. contest against the Eagles. The game will be televised on the ACC Network.

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Players Mentioned

Parris Bennett

Eric Dungey

Amba Etta-Tawo

Zack Mahoney

Ervin Philips

Dontae Strickland

Syracuse University Athletics