Clemson Football: Trevor Lawrence needs big game vs. Syracuse

Clemson football travels to the Carrier Dome for a matchup with Syracuse on Saturday. Can the Orange pull the mammoth upset?

There’s always an air of intrigue when a highly ranked team travels to the Carrier Dome. It’s one of the more unique atmospheres in college football, and it has proven to frustrate good teams in the past. Clemson themselves dropped a game here just two seasons ago.

This game is even more intriguing due to Clemson’s performance through the first two weeks. They’ve been very good, there’s no doubt, but they haven’t been firing on all cylinders.

Trevor Lawrence is completing 63.8 percent of his throws, and he’s thrown three interceptions to only two touchdowns.

Saturday features several matchups that see highly ranked teams going on the road. It could be a chaotic weekend, and this game could be a part of that.

Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Syracuse, NY
Venue: Carrier Dome
TV: ABC
Live Stream: WatchESPN or FuboTV

Keys to Victory

For Clemson, this game comes down to finding their rhythm offensively. Lawrence hasn’t found the Heisman form that many expected of him, but it’s still early on. This game could end up being a breakout performance for him.

As far as Syracuse is concerned, they’ll only be able to win this game if they are able to put last weeks blowout loss to Maryland behind them. You can’t beat the number one team in the country if you are still a week in the past mentally.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of Bovada

Spread: Clemson -28.5
Over/under: 62.5

Prediction

While the setting reminds many of past upsets, that shouldn’t be the case on Saturday. This Clemson team is extremely talented, and they have the talent to win this game. Even if Syracuse puts up a fight, and if the Tiger offense sputters at times, Clemson should still be the victors.

Final Score: Clemson 28, Syracuse 17