ACC Football Power Rankings, Week 6: Clemson shines, Pitt plummets

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Sep 26, 2020; Syracuse, New York, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets wide receiver Marquez Ezzard (11) is tackled by a host of Syracuse Orange defenders on a punt return during the third quarter at the Carrier Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

13. Syracuse Orange (1-2, 1-2)

The Orange have had their fair share struggles this season mostly offensively. It took a 37-point effort against Georgia Tech to bring their points per game average to 17.7. The Orange scored just 16 points in the previous two games. Tommy DeVito has been awful this season completing only 50 percent of his passes and has thrown just two touchdown passes.

Their 37-point outburst was their best offensive performance of the season. The Orange scored 17 points off of four Yellow Jackets’ turnovers. Freshman running back Sean Tucker ran for 111 yards — their first 100-yard rusher since quarterback Eric Dungy in 2018 — and two additional scores. Tucker was also the first freshman to run for 100 yards at Syracuse in five years.

Tucker might be the answer for an anemic running game for the Orange. This was the first time all season Syracuse’s offense showed any life what so ever. DeVito needs to be more efficient with the football, but he was sacked only once and had time to throw; something he did not have his firs two starts this season.

The Orange have two winnable games against Duke and Liberty upcoming. However, Hugh Freeze has Liberty playing well and the Flames are undefeated. The Orange need to take advantage of this part of their schedule, it only gets more difficult from here.

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