Ahead of Syracuse’s Saturday night matchup against UNLV, the team’s first away game of the season, a few players are looking to bounce back after a rough showing in the team’s last game against Holy Cross.
UNLV will be the second game against a ranked opponent for the Orange this season after recording a win over Georgia Tech in Week 2, who were ranked #23 at the time. The Rebels, ranked #25 in the latest AP poll, represent a tough challenge for Syracuse, and UNLV’s 283 rushing yards per game rank 9th in the entire country.
A last-second loss to Stanford in Week 4 hurt the Orange in their bid to be ranked as one of the top teams, but a win over UNLV could put them back in contention. For Syracuse to do that, they’ll need these three players to bounce back on Saturday.
Heading into Friday night’s matchup against Stanford, Syracuse has to feel good about its season so far.
Oronde Gadsden II, Tight End
After Gadsden led the Orange in receiving with 201 yards on 13 catches through the first two games, he’s struggled to connect with quarterback McCord in his last two.
He’s caught a combined three passes for 16 yards, with one 4-yard catch against Holy Cross. His struggles have forced McCord to move the ball elsewhere, leading to career-best days for players like wide receiver Jackson Meeks, who hauled in 10 catches for 161 yards and a touchdown.
While McCord spreading the ball around bodes well for the long-term success of the offense, Gadsden is undoubtedly the team’s best playmaker. A road game against the Rebels may not be the ideal place for that breakthrough, as its defense allows only 147 passing yards per game, but a strong performance from him could be the difference maker.
Brady Denaburg, Kicker
Denaburg was shaky from the kicker spot last season, converting just 62.5% of his field goal attempts and missing all of his kicks from 50+ yards. He’s looked even less confident from the spot this season, as he’s made only 50% of his field goal attempts.
In the game against Holy Cross, Denaburg converted all 4 of his extra point attempts, but he missed both field goal attempts and was benched for freshman Jadyn Oh, who missed his only attempt off the upright.
The Orange can’t afford to leave free points on the board, and the junior should get plenty of tries to redeem himself on the backs of McCord and the offense.
Justus Ross-Simmons, Wide Receiver
Ross-Simmons might be a surprise inclusion on this list, but it’s one that’s warranted.
Many expected the junior wide receiver to be a key part of the offense. However, he’s struggled to stay healthy due to a nagging hamstring injury. He’s suited up in just one game against Stanford, failing to record a single catch.
Syracuse has proven they can score without the talented speedster, but his availability would add another playmaker to help test the UNLV secondary.
