Raise your hand if you’re a Syracuse fan who has mixed feelings about the Orange playing West Virginia in the Pinstripe Bow. Yeah, me too. On the one hand, it’s a very sexy matchup. Not only are Syracuse and West Virginia longtime and rather bitter rivals, but also both teams possess a high-powered offense that revolves around a quarterback that will be a early-round draft pick next April. There’s bound to be a lot of points scored in what should be a highly entertaining game and one of the best non-BCS bowls of the season. On the other hand, after Syracuse beat West Virginia each of the last two seasons, does Syracuse really want the Mountaineers to have a shot at redemption? Head coach Doug Marrone and athletic director Daryl Gross have said that the Schwartzwalder Trophy won’t be at stake, which means Syracuse will hold onto it no matter what, but isn’t it preferable to have the lasting memory of the Syracuse-West Virginia rivalry to be the 49-23 beat down the Mountaineers received last October in the Carrier Dome at the hands of the Orange?
But like it or not, Syracuse and West Virginia will see each other again, this time as inter-conference rivals in the 2012 Pinstripe Bowl. Here are five keys to the game for the Orange that will help to ensure that they win the Pinstripe Bowl for the second time in three years and retain their bragging rights against West Virginia:
1. Play turnover free football – The biggest difference between the 2-4 Orange team that started the season and the 5-1 Orange team that finished the season was turnovers. All season long Syracuse has been good enough to beat any team on its schedule, provided they win the turnover margin, and the West Virginia game will be no different. Ryan Nassib has thrown just one interception in his last six games while the running back duo of Jerome Smith and Prince-Tyson Gulley have done well to secure the football all season, two trends that must continue. In a game that will likely be a shootout, Syracuse can’t afford to give the Mountaineers extra possessions, nor can they throw away scoring opportunities of their own. If the Orange can continue to play turnover-free football, they stand a good chance of winning the game.
2. Put pressure on Geno Smith – Smith is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the country, and when he has time to throw the football he is dangerously accurate for opposing defenses. In last season’s win over West Virginia, the Syracuse defense was able to put pressure on Smith all game long, and as a result he was never able to find a rhythm. The Orange don’t necessarily need to get a lot of sacks, although that would be nice, they just need to have a consistent pass rush that can put pressure on Smith and make him uncomfortable. Smith is not the type of running quarterback that Syracuse can sometimes struggle to stop, so the Orange don’t have to worry about him making plays outside the pocket, so expect defensive coordinator Scott Shafer to dial up plenty of blitzes with the hopes of taking Smith out of his comfort zone and forcing inaccurate throws.
3. Defensive speed – Few teams anywhere in the country have offensive playmakers that are as fast and as quick as the guys West Virginia has. Stedman Bailey and Tavon Austin are two guys that Syracuse should be well acquainted with from past matchups with the Mountaineers, and the two guys they should be most concerned about, as they’ve combined for 37 total touchdowns this season. Syracuse does have good speed in the secondary, under-sized but fast linebackers, as well as some quickness along the defensive line, so they have the kind of defense that could potentially keep up with West Virginia’s speed. All season long, the Syracuse defense has contained sweeps and other type of outside runs, which is a big part of West Virginia’s offense. Of course, Syracuse has yet to see team speed like West Virginia’s, but its’ not a bad matchup for the Orange, and they certainly have the personnel on defense that gives them a chance to keep up with the Mountaineers. If they can slow down West Virginia’s playmakers even a little, it’ll go a long way towards winning the game.
4. Handle the weather conditions – The Syracuse players are certainly familiar living in wintry conditions, but they’re not quite as experienced playing football in them. Whichever team embraces the potentially harsh weather conditions, as opposed to fearing them, will have a huge advantage in this game. Both quarterbacks have strong arms, so a little wind won’t stop either from airing it out down the field, but the cold weather can sometimes make players fearful of hitting or getting hit, which can lead to missed tackles, fumbles, and who knows what else, all of which would be disastrous for Syracuse, so they have no choice but to embrace the cold weather elements of their home state and find a way for the weather to work in their favor.
5. Marcus Sales – Sales stole the show in the Pinstripe Bowl two years ago and the fifth-year senior is poised to do it again this year. After the way Alec Lemon finished the season, especially the game-winning drive against Missouri, he will be the focal point of the defense, which means they could overlook Sales. Lemon tends to operate in the middle of the field, and if the defense floats towards him Sales will have opportunities to get behind the defense, just like he did against Kansas State two years ago. Furthermore, West Virginia has one of the worst pass defenses in the country, and with Sales being Syracuse’s most talented receiver and Nassib having plenty of confidence throwing to him, Sales is set up well to have another career performance in the Pinstripe Bowl, and help the Orange to another Pinstripe Bowl victory.
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