Keys to Victory: Can Clemson Deliver in the Dome?

The Match-Up:

Clemson (5-3, 3-2 ACC) at Syracuse (4-4, 2-4 ACC)

After a much-needed 36-24 victory at Florida State, Clemson heads north looking to build on its momentum against a Syracuse team that has found new life in recent weeks. But the Tigers will have to do it with a reshuffled offensive line and without one of their most dependable playmakers, Tyler Brown.

The Orange have won two straight, including victories over North Carolina and SMU, and quarterback Steve Angeli is playing some of his best football. For Clemson, the challenge is straightforward: protect Tait Reynolds, find offensive production despite the injuries and prevent Syracuse from controlling the game inside the JMA Wireless Dome.

Kickoff:

• Saturday, Nov. 7, Noon ET
• TV: ESPN2 (Lowell Galindo, Kirk Morrison, Dawn Davenport)
• Radio: Clemson Athletic Network (Don Munson, Richard Yeargin)
• Satellite Radio: SiriusXM 263
• Venue: JMA Wireless Dome | Syracuse, N.Y.

Last Week: Clemson defeated Florida State 36-24 in Tallahassee, led by a solid performance from freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds. His 79-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter was the longest scoring run by a quarterback in Clemson history, helping the Tigers regain control after the Seminoles had cut their deficit to five points. Clemson's offense showed encouraging signs, but the victory came at a cost with injuries along the offensive line and at wide receiver.

Series History:

Clemson leads the all-time series 10-3, including a 5-1 record in Syracuse. But the Orange won last year's meeting 34-21 in Death Valley, a game in which Angeli gave Clemson's defense plenty of problems.

The Tigers have also experienced some difficult moments inside the Dome, most notably their 27-24 loss in 2017. Still, Clemson enters Saturday riding a five-game ACC road winning streak and looking for its sixth consecutive conference road victory.

Tim Bourret's Perspective:

During his appearance on Clemson Sports Talk, longtime Clemson historian Tim Bourret focused on the challenges facing Clemson's offensive line, particularly with freshman Grant Wise stepping into the starting center role and Gavin Blanchard expected to start at left guard.

“It's important, even if there was no crowd at the game, to have consistency and your offensive line working together in tandem.”

Bourret noted that the noise inside the Dome could make communication particularly difficult for an inexperienced offensive line. He also emphasized how important it will be to avoid false starts and procedure penalties.

But perhaps his most interesting observation concerned Reynolds, who continues to show signs of growth.

“The game is slowing down for him. The experience that you get playing quarterback means you get a sixth sense about the right play and the right decision to make.”

Bourret believes Reynolds' decision-making has improved, pointing to the quarterback's 79-yard touchdown run against Florida State as evidence of his growing confidence.

Swanny's Rant & Reality Check:

I'll admit it. I didn't see that coming last weekend.

After watching Clemson struggle offensively against Virginia Tech, I couldn't convince myself the Tigers would score enough points to win at Florida State. I thought the Seminoles would win comfortably.

Instead, Clemson went to Tallahassee, built a sizable lead and made enough plays to come home with a victory.

Now comes the hard part.

Can the Tigers build on it?

Because this week's challenge isn't just about Syracuse. It's about overcoming injuries at positions where Clemson could least afford them.

Tyler Brown is OUT, and I hate that for him.

Brown has battled injuries throughout his Clemson career, but I've been impressed with the effort and energy he's brought to this team this season. He's caught 36 passes for 332 yards, including 10 receptions against Miami, and has added 83 rushing yards and a touchdown on just five carries.

He's been electric at times, and he's become a dependable safety valve for Reynolds when the offense needs a quick completion. Remember, Brown had a career-high 153 receiving yards in Syracuse as a freshman in 2023. The timing of this latest injury is especially frustrating because he was playing some of his best football.

And that's not Clemson's only concern.

Center Harris Sewell is out, and Elyjah Thurmon is dealing with concussion issues after being hit in the head at Florida State. That means Wise and Blanchard will be asked to handle significant responsibilities in one of the ACC's loudest environments.

This isn't going to be easy.

But if Clemson wants to finish this season the right way, these are the kinds of challenges the Tigers have to overcome.

Keys to Victory:

1. Protect Tait Reynolds and Keep the Offense in Rhythm: With Wise making his first start at center and Blanchard stepping into the lineup at left guard, Clemson's offensive line faces a significant challenge against Fran Brown's defense.

Communication will be critical inside the noisy Dome. The Tigers cannot afford false starts, missed assignments or negative plays that put Reynolds behind the chains.

Clemson needs to establish a running game, give its freshman quarterback time to throw and continue incorporating his mobility into the offense. Reynolds has improved significantly, but that progress will be hard to maintain if he's constantly under pressure.

2. Find New Playmakers Without Tyler Brown: Brown's absence removes one of Clemson's most reliable offensive weapons. His 36 receptions rank second on the team, trailing only Bryant Wesco Jr.'s 38. That means T.J. Moore, Juju Preston and the rest of the receiving corps must step up.

I'd also like to see offensive coordinator Chad Morris find creative ways to get Chris Johnson Jr. involved. In the backfield, Clemson needs more from Jarvis Green and potentially Jay Haynes, whose explosiveness reminds me at times of former Tiger Andre Ellington. With Gideon Davidson unavailable, the Tigers cannot afford to become one-dimensional.

3. Make Steve Angeli Uncomfortable: Syracuse's quarterback has Clemson's attention after his performance in Death Valley last season, and he's been particularly effective late in games. The Orange have found ways to win close contests under Brown, making it important for Clemson to establish control early. Clemson’s defense has been disruptive this season under Tom Allen, and the Tigers need to generate pressure on Saturday.

Angeli has dealt with injuries, and Clemson cannot allow him to settle into a rhythm. Pressure the quarterback, force hurried decisions, and prevent Syracuse from turning this into another dramatic fourth-quarter finish.

Prediction:

There are some tremendous games around college football this weekend. Miami and Notre Dame. Georgia and Ole Miss. Alabama and LSU. Those are the kinds of games I want Clemson to be playing again, with championship implications and national attention.

But that's not where this program is right now.

Right now, Clemson is trying to build something positive out of a season that hasn't gone according to plan.

Last week's victory over Florida State was encouraging. I didn't think Clemson's offense could score enough points to win that game, and the Tigers proved me wrong. Tait Reynolds looked more confident, the offense made some explosive plays and Clemson found a way to win on the road.

But now the Tigers face a different challenge.

They're going into a difficult environment with a freshman center, a reshuffled offensive line and without Tyler Brown, who has been one of their most dependable offensive players.

That's a lot to overcome.

I think protecting Reynolds is the biggest factor. Clemson has to keep the offense in manageable situations and find ways to run the football. I'd love to see Jay Haynes provide a spark, and I think Chris Johnson Jr. needs more opportunities to make plays in space.

Defensively, Clemson has to get after Steve Angeli. He was a problem for the Tigers last season, and he's playing with confidence again. Tom Allen's defense cannot allow him to dictate the game.

I've gone back and forth on the score. For much of the day, I kept coming back to something like 24-16. But Syracuse is averaging 31.4 points per game, and I don't think Clemson can count on winning if it gets stuck at 24.

I think the Tigers find a way to score a little more, make enough plays defensively and extend their ACC road winning streak.

It won't be easy, but I'll take Clemson to get it done.

The Pick: Clemson 27, Syracuse 21

Season Prediction Record: 6-2

Swanny's Predictions: