Heading into Friday night’s matchup against Stanford, Syracuse has to feel good about its season so far.
Quarterback Kyle McCord has been as advertised for the Orange, tossing for 8 touchdown passes and 735 yards through the first two games.
McCord’s efficiency has the Syracuse offense ranked at the top of the nation in multiple categories. The team’s third-down conversion rate, where the Orange have succeeded 59.4% of the time, is the 6th-best in the country.
The offense’s dominance has propelled Syracuse to a 2-0 record, including a win over Georgia Tech, ranked #23 at the time. It was the first time the Orange beat a ranked opponent since Oct. 15, 2022, against NC State.
If the Orange are going to beat the Cardinal on Friday, they’ll need these three skill players to be at their best.
Oronde Gadsden II, Tight End
Gadsden has been McCord’s favorite target through two games, leading the Orange in receiving with 201 yards on 13 catches.
He’s caught three touchdown passes and has been a safety valve on third-down, a key reason why the Orange have been able to extend its drives on offense.
The tight end started slow in the game against Georgia Tech but finished strong, ending with 6 catches for 93 receiving yards. For his second touchdown of the game, Gadsden extended over the goal line with an extra effort that sealed the game, putting the Orange up 31-14 in the fourth quarter.
Against a Cardinal defense that’s struggled to defend the pass this season, allowing over 278 passing yards per game, Gadsden should continue his early-season excellence with another strong performance.
Trebor Pena, Wide Receiver
Pena has been one of the surprises of the season so far, second on the team in receiving yards after missing all but one game last season due to injury.
He’s pulled down 12 catches for 166 yards, and most importantly, has scored 4 touchdowns, proving his ability to make plays in the red zone.
The speedy wide receiver ended with 6 catches for 88 yards in the game against Georgia Tech, with his longest reception going for 32 yards. Pena scored the first two touchdowns for Syracuse, including an acrobatic grab to open the scoring.
His breakout season should continue against Stanford, and McCord will rely on his deep threat early and often against the subpar Cardinal secondary.
LeQuint Allen Jr, Running Back
Allen has picked up where he left off last season, averaging a whopping 6 yards per rush attempt.
The junior running back has also been involved in the passing game, with 9 catches for 71 yards and a touchdown in a dual-threat role.
He picked up a big chunk of his 83 rushing yards in the last two minutes against Georgia Tech, ripping off a 24-yard run to seal the victory. Displaying his maturity, Allen had open space in front of him for a touchdown but pulled up early to avoid giving Syracuse’s opponent the ball back.
The Cardinal have only given up 62 rushing yards per game against its first two opponents, but if Allen can find a way to break through the defense, he’ll open up the offense for the Orange and be in line for another big game.
