Clemson coach William Christopher "Dabo" Swinney, who has won two national championships and three Paul "Bear" Bryant national coach of the year awards, said with a straight face Tuesday, "We know first-hand, here at Clemson, that Syracuse is a team that can beat you."

Unfortunately for the Orange Empire, Swinney was referring to the 2017 team that did beat the Tigers, the last ACC team to do so.

The 2020 version is, again, unfortunately for Orange fans, not that team, and thanks to a slew of injuries and opt-outs, is barely even a team at all. According to recent reports, fewer than 60 scholarship players will dress for Saturday's game against the top-ranked Tigers, in which Syracuse is facing the longest odds in program history.

What You Need To Know


  • Syracuse is a 46.5-point underdog against No. 1 Clemson Saturday, the largest point spread in program history

  • The Orange (1-4) currently have fewer than 60 healthy scholarship players available because of injuries and opt-outs

  • One of the ways SU can "win" is to find a star of the future among the freshmen who are playing, like running back Sean Tucker

  • Saturday's game is a 12:00 pm kickoff on the ACC Network

So, the question is, how can SU win? The answer is, of course, that it can't. This isn't David vs. Goliath, this is more like cap gun vs. Sherman tank. Or, goldfish vs whale. But, there are some ways Syracuse can call this game a "win," regardless of the final score.

Huh?

First, the Orange can call this game a "win" if they play tough, play hard, and compete until the final whistle. It sounds cliche, but as Grantland Rice once said, "For when the one, great scorer comes to mark against your name, he marks not that you won or lost, but how you played the game."

If Syracuse players quit after falling behind, or even worse, release their frustrations in the form of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties or fighting, an ugly game will get even uglier, and fast. Play classy, clean, and hard to the bitter end, and the Orange will at least earn some respect, if not a victory, this weekend.

Second, Syracuse can call it a "win" if it finds a future star or two among the youngsters who are playing. Dino Babers has already played more freshman this year than any other in his tenure, thanks to the NCAA's granting all athletes an additional year of eligibility this season due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It's time to see if either of his two freshman quarterbacks, Texan Dillon Markiewicz or Mississippian JaCobian Morgan, can play. Monday, Babers said he's in no hurry to get them on the field, but in this era of college football, it's never too early for stars to be born. Andre Cisco led the nation in interceptions as a freshman. Who's next?

Third, SU can walk away "winners" if they can all, literally, walk away. Staying healthy, both physically and mentally, is paramount in leaving open the possibility of winning next week against Wake Forest, and potentially picking up another win or two down the road. When guys get tired in the 80-degree heat, they need to come off the field, either voluntarily or mandatorily, to lessen the risk of getting injured.

As for the mental part of it, to paraphrase an age-old mantra, the Orange can't let Clemson beat them twice. Which means that this game, no matter how wide the final margin is, only counts for one loss, and Syracuse can't afford to allow there to be a hangover into next weekend's matchup with Wake Forest. Enjoy the competition, enjoy the weather, enjoy the atmosphere that Death Valley presents even with a limited number of fans inside, and move onto the next game. It's only one game, after all.

So, those are three examples of how the Orange Empire can enjoy Saturday's game even if things do get out of hand a bit, and they almost certainly will.

And, remember this also. At least we won't have to talk about Liberty anymore.