While playing away on Sept. 7, the Jackets fell to the Syracuse Orange in a 28-31 loss, their first of the season. Tech struggled on both sides of the ball until the fourth quarter, but their attempt to overcome a Syracuse lead at the end of the game fell short. As a result, Tech has fallen out of the Associated Press’s Top 25, losing their No. 23 ranking.
Going into the meeting, the Jackets were predicted to be favorites against the Orange by ESPN. Both ACC teams entered the week undefeated, and the winner could claim the number one spot in the conference rankings.