From: saqx@vax5.cit.cornell.edu
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college
Subject: Re: Syracuse vs. Miami
Date: 20 Nov 92 00:34:59 EST
Distribution: rec
Organization: Cornell University

In article <d5qw03bdbb2J00@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com>,
ronnie@uts.amdahl.com (Ronnie Townsend) writes: 
> In article <1992Nov17.185344.5644@newssun.med.miami.edu> dbrown@newssun.med.miami.edu (Daniel Brown) writes:
>>So many people are already talking about #1 - #2 showdowns
>>on New Year's Day that I thought I would stir up some talk
>>about the games that are still left.  This week's match-up
>>of (1) Miami and (9) Syracuse should be a big one.

First off, Syracuse is #7 in CNN/USA Today, and #8 AP.  Let's get a little
respect here (while it lasts... ;-))

>>Okay, so who has an opinion (am I opening up a Pandora's Box
>>here or what?).  I'll say the Canes by 10, though I think the
>>game will be brutal. 
> 
> Okay I'll bite on this one. Syracuse is definitely a team that can muster 
> enough emotion to beat Miami if Miami fails to show up with all their shit 
> together. They have the team speed to stay with Miami (somewhat) and playing
> before the frenzied home crowd can only help.

Miami always seems to show up with its shit together.  So let's count on
the Hurricanes playing a good game, if not a great game.  Now the question
becomes--can the Orange play with Miami if the Canes aren't having a down
game?  The answer is yes.  The emotion shouldn't be a problem for SU; witness
the BC game last weekend.  SU is on the rise, improving each week, and has 
momentum going into the game.  On offense, there's no question the Orange 
can stay with the Canes.  Miami's speed defense is rather scary, but we should
remember that last week SU scored 27 points against a good BC defense on
ball-control passes and four yard runs, not on trick plays or breakaway 
passes due to blazing speed.  Miami's defense closes fast, but the Orange's
deliberate offense is really clicking...  We'll see.  The matchup of the 
Hurricane offense vs. the Orange defense will be more critical.  The Orange
D also has good speed, but not like the WR's that Miami will put on the 
field.  My source of hope is the BC game, and the fact that Miami has no
running game.  Even with SU leading the Big East in rushing defense (and
5th nationally), they probably won't be challenged on the ground.  The 
secondary has yielded big-time yardage this year (perhaps due to other
teams' inability to run...) but has become very stingy near the goal line.
There was one second half sequence in the BC game in which the Eagles
had the ball first and goal, and on third and goal there was pass interference
called, which gave them another first down.  Foley's fourth down pass in that
second series was intercepted in the end zone.  Sure, Miami is better than
BC, but when *any* team can't put the ball in the end zone on seven 
consecutive attempts from inside the 10, it's reason to hope.  Pray with 
me, and maybe Torretta's streak of unintercepted passes will be broken.

> If they can get Miami rattled early (FUCKING HUGE IF) they can have a chance

Don't think this is possible.

> Where I 
> see a real problem for Syracuse is on defense. They have not shown themselves 
> to have a quality defense this year and that could spell biiiigggg trouble 
> against Miami. 

SU's run defense is outstanding (just talk to Chuckie Dukes and BC about that)
and as I mentioned, their pass D has become respectable.  The one thing I 
don't know about Miami (haven't seen them on TV except vs FSU) is how good
their pass protection is.  SU has a "quiet" but good pass rush, and I'd like
to see Torretta on the carpet a few times...

> You can't run wide on them because they're too quick to the 
> ball. If you have a huge line, they'll shoot the gaps and disrupt your offense
> unless they are very quick. If the Orange had a Super back to split that 
> defensive charge I'd give them an even bigger chance of winning but I know 
> nothing of their backs and that's a bad sign as much as I follow college 
> football.

Ismail might be able to get around the corner on the wishbone option, but I
look more to see David Walker (last year's Big East rushing champ) and Terry
Richardson (faster but not as agile) to run straight upfield into the Miami
LB's with decent success.  Both backs are rather difficult to tackle.  
Remember, SU is averaging about 225 yards rushing a game, and something like
225 yards passing also.  With the usual caveats about coaches' hyperbole,
Erickson has said this week that SU has the best offense the Hurricanes will
face, even better than FSU.  But again, we'll see.

> Miami is certainly ripe for the taking here. Syracuse will need the
> game of their lives to beat them but ... it has happened before hasn't it?

If the Orange players play the game of their lives, especially on defense,
the Orange will win.  But I won't make a prediction here, since all this
is "on paper" and we won't know until they hit the field.  I predicted
that the BC game would be about a 3-point win...

One last thing.  I saw Lamar Thomas being interviewed tonight, and he talked 
about Florida coming into the Dome last year and getting rattled.  He 
belittled the Gators in an offhand manner and radiated supreme overconfidence
about this weekend's game.  Dwayne Joseph and Tony Jones, if you're listening,
put a pop on that smurf for me...  Knock his helmet off.   
-- 
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#  RNJX@vax5.cit.cornell.edu                                 #             
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Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college