Ohio’s season begins at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York, when Ohio takes on non-conference opponent Syracuse.
The Bobcats are coming off a successful season in which they won 10 games, including their victory in the Myrtle Beach Bowl against Georgia Southern, and they look to start their season with an upset win over a Power 4 team in Syracuse.
The Orange will be a tough test for the Bobcats; here’s everything you need to know about Syracuse.
Head Coach
Saturday’s game will be the first game that newly hired Syracuse head coach Fran Brown will coach for the Orange. He was hired in late November after the school fired coach Dino Babers, who finished his final season with the team with a record of 6-7, ending his eight-year tenure with the Orange.
Brown was previously the defensive backs coach for Georgia, where he won the SEC and national championship in 2023. The season opener against Ohio will be his first game as head coach of a Division I program.
Quarterbacks
Syracuse secured one of the biggest names in the transfer portal at quarterback this offseason, signing former Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord. The senior will be entering his first year with the Orange and will be looking to show stability for himself and the team.
McCord entered the portal after spending last season as Ohio State’s starting quarterback. McCord put up decent numbers last season, throwing for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns. His failing, however, was his inability to break through in crucial moments, exemplified by his game-winning interception against Michigan.
McCord still has talent and a year of experience as a starter in one of the best programs in the country and should bring some solid quarterback performance to Syracuse.
Running backs
LeQuint Allen returns to Syracuse for his junior season this year. As a sophomore, the 2023 running back had a solid year, rushing for 1,064 yards and nine touchdowns. His stellar season earned him All-ACC honors at the end of the year. With another year of development, he could give Ohio State some problems on the ground.
Wide receivers
Syracuse made a major effort in the offseason to rebuild its offense, bringing in not only a highly touted transfer quarterback but also two talented wide receivers to catch passes from McCord.
Fran Brown brought two former Georgia receivers to Syracuse, signing Jackson Meeks and Yazeed Haynes from the transfer portal. Neither player was on the field much for the Bulldogs last season, but they will get a chance to shine for Syracuse this season.
Umari Hatcher also returns for the Orange after finishing second on the team in receiving yards with 482 yards and three touchdowns last season.
defense
Syracuse was a mediocre defense in the ACC last season, finishing 8th and 9th in points and yardage defense, respectively. The team returns many key players in 2024, including last season’s top four tacklers in linebacker Marlowe Wax, safety Justin Barron, linebacker Derek McDonald and defensive back Alijah Clark.
These guys have experience and a lot of talent. They should improve this season and Ohio will be a good litmus test for them early in the season.
@CharlieFadel
