How Syracuse Got Here:

The Syracuse Orange were the talk of the town for the first half of the season, starting 6-0 and ranking as high as No. 14 in the AP poll. Unfortunately, though, the good times didn’t last, as Syracuse’s strength of schedule increased dramatically and its record paid the price. The Orange would go just 1-5 down the stretch, with their lone win being over a struggling Boston College to end the season.

How Minnesota Got Here:

The Golden Gophers finished their second consecutive 8-4 season. It started off hot (granted, the competition was as bad as it comes) with a 4-0 start including an insane point differential of +159! But after an (at the time) impressive win in East Lansing, things came crumbling. Minnesota lost three straight to Purdue, Illinois, and Penn State with an average margin of loss of 16.7 points. At this point, sixth-year quarterback Tanner Morgan had suffered a head injury that would keep him out for a few games throughout the season. This meant the beginning of the Athan Kaliakmanis era. Morgan was the only quarterback to start a game for the Gophers since 2018 — P.J. Fleck’s second year with the Gophers. Kaliakmanis was a four-star recruit from Antioch, Ill., a state in which Fleck has a great track record in from his time at Northern Illinois. What Athan brought to this team was a quarterback that could be inserted into the run game (just what Minnesota needed, more running). He has a live arm and has all the confidence in the world without becoming cocky. But, do you know what helps young quarterbacks? Having Mohamed freaking Ibrahim.

Mo was one of the best backs in the country after an Achilles injury ended his 2021 campaign after just three dominant quarters against Ohio State. He was one of the leading rushers in the country and put 19 TDs on the board. Mo also broke numerous records for the Gophers, which may put him in contention to get his #24 retired when it is all said and done. The rest of the offense had some highs and lows. Chris Autman-Bell had his season cut short in the Colorado game, but he is receiving a medical redshirt so he can have a seventh season next year. Other key contributors like Daniel Jackson and Le’Meke Brockington took big steps up in Autman-Bell’s space. TE Brevyn Spann-Ford was his usual dominant self, as he also just announced his return for the 2023 season. The offensive line took a big step back after losing four starters, which caused a lot of trouble in the middle of the season.

On the defensive side, the biggest weakness was the pass rush (or lack thereof). Losing Boye Mafe caused that unit to really struggle all year, occasionally having games where quarterbacks could bake a soufflé in the pocket. But one gorup that didn’t miss a beat after losing a veteran was the linebacker room. Mariano Sori-Marin was of course the energy on that defense, but Cody Lindenberg from Anoka, Minn. has blossomed into a player that Fleck thinks can be the best linebacker to come through the program in his tenure. As for the secondary, it was truly elite. Justin Walley is a stud, Terell Smith is a stud, Jordan Howden is a stud, and Tyler Nubin is a freaking stud. But none of these facts matter when it comes to playing your rivals; those are different discussions in their own account. Not beating Iowa was a heartbreaker. The worst Iowa team in years and a stadium full of fans and students (some who had been out there since 9 a.m. in the negative weather) just couldn’t change the common result. Speaking of common results, Minnesota walking into Camp Randall and thoroughly outplaying the Badgers for the second axe in a row and third in five years shows what has been done in such a short time. Fans may be mad about not having the Floyd of Rosedale, but if Fleck went 1-11 every year with that win being Wisconsin, he would have a lifetime contract. Overall, the year wasn’t a win or lose, it was just proof that things need to be changed to beat Iowa, but the promise of the young guys is there.

Key to the Game for Syracuse:

Find a Rhythm Offensively — The Orange struggled late in the season to generate any type of offense at all, scoring more than 24 points just once during the losing streak. And to make matters even more difficult, offensive coordinator Robert Anae left during the coaching carousel to take the same position at NC State. In order to keep up with a stout Gophers defense, Syracuse needs to be comfortable moving the ball down the field like it did in the first half of the year. Whether that means getting Garrett Shrader easy throws or finding a way to replace Sean Tucker, who opted out to prepare for the draft, the Orange need to find what works early in the game.

Players to Watch:

Syracuse:

#19 WR Oronde Gadsden II — Given the fact that star running back Sean Tucker has opted out of the bowl game, the Orange need their other skill position players to step up. And in that department, Oronde Gadsden II is the most likely to step up for Syracuse, as he was its leading receiver all year. Minnesota’s strong passing defense will make it difficult for Gadsden to shine, but if he can have a good game, it means Syracuse is having a solid day.

#93 DL Caleb Okechukwu — Minnesota has a fantastic offensive line that has only given up 13 sacks the entire year. But with a young quarterback in Athan Kaliakmanis, finding a way to pressure the signal caller is often the best strategy. That’s where Caleb Okechukwu, the leader in sacks for the Orange, comes in. If he can find his way into the backfield, then Syracuse will have more success defensively.

Minnesota:

#24 RB Mohamed Ibrahim — Is it chalky taking the best player on the team? Yes, but I don’t care. This is the final collegiate game for Mo, and people need to appreciate what he has done. He is arguably the best player to play for the Gophers in this century, and that is saying A LOT. He is going to face an already depleted Syracuse defense that ran a lot of 3-3 fronts. If you don’t know what a 3-3 front is (I know a lot of you know, but not everyone does), a 3-3 front is when a defense lines up with three down linemen and three linebackers (some defenses may switch a linebacker for a safety in this formation. It is dependent on the staff and their tendencies, but the 3-3 is more so explaining the amount of people in the box than anything else). What this means is that the Orange will need to make adjustments if they want to have any chance at stopping the run. If they don’t, Mo may end up recording well over 150 yards and two touchdowns and be the best player to touch Yankee Stadium since that Aaron Judge guy (I still don’t forgive ESPN for those stupid cut-ins).

#27 S Tyler Nubin — Nubin is a guy I really thought was going to put his name into the NFL Draft. I personally think he is one of the smartest safeties in the country. How do you define a player’s level of smartness (if that is a word)? Well, he always finds a way to make a play, whether he is lined up in the area or not. If he is lined up as a free safety in a cover two (which Minnesota runs almost exclusively), he not only can make plays on the ball on routes going down the field in his half, but he is able to come up and blow up any run plays that make it past the first level. Nubin had four picks and 55 tackles, with a lot of those tackles coming when he gets his nose in the run game because he has that dawg in him. With no Sean Tucker for Syracuse, look for Nubin to not only make some plays in the passing game, but to get up near the box so Syracuse has an even worse time trying to run the ball.

Score Predictions:

Ben: Minnesota is listed as a 10.5-point favorite, which is unsurprising given how each team finished the season. Because I like the Golden Gophers to win the battle of the trenches on both sides, I tend to agree with Vegas in this situation. I think Minnesota wins a low-scoring affair. Minnesota 20, Syracuse 10.

Andrewster: I really don’t think this matchup is fair. Minnesota is a team that with a win over Purdue (the only game with no Mo Ibrahim) is probably in the Citrus Bowl. Syracuse is a team I was never high on. Even after starting 6-0, I thought the Orange were fraudulent. This matchup favors Minnesota heavily, and I think the final score will show that. P.J. Fleck is undefeated ATS at Minnesota, and I don’t see that changing. Minnesota 42, Syracuse 17.