Wake Forest Demon Deacons

No. 22 Syracuse visits Wake Forest, looking to keep rolling

Published Nov. 1, 2018 10:53 a.m. ET

No. 22 Syracuse (6-2, 3-2 ACC, No. 19 CFP) at Wake Forest (4-4, 1-3), noon EDT (Raycom).

Line: Syracuse by 4½.

Series record: Syracuse leads 4-3.

WHAT'S AT STAKE?

The Orange surely don't want to be one-week wonders with their first national ranking since 2001, and while it's highly unlikely they can catch No. 2 Clemson in the ACC Atlantic Division race, a victory would mark another step toward locking up second place. The Demon Deacons need to win two of their final four games to qualify for a third straight bowl.

KEY MATCHUP

Syracuse's offense vs. Wake Forest's defense. The only ACC team that scores more frequently than the Orange (43.6 ppg) is Clemson (44.1), and Syracuse has put up at least 30 points in every game but its loss to the Tigers. Wake Forest has had trouble with high-scoring offenses — Clemson (63) and Notre Dame (56) in particular — and has allowed an FBS-worst 13 plays from scrimmage of at least 50 yards.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Syracuse: WR Jamal Custis, one of three Orange receivers who ranks in the top 10 in the ACC in yards receiving per game, has five touchdowns and at 6-foot-5 could be a matchup problem for a suspect Wake Forest secondary.

Wake Forest: RBU Matt Colburn II rushed for career bests of 242 yards and three touchdowns last week at Louisville — which pulled his scholarship offer on the eve of signing day in 2015 — but the question is whether he can put up similar numbers when he's not playing with a grudge.

FACTS & FIGURES

The Orange are bowl eligible for the first time since 2013. ... They haven't won a road game in ACC play in more than two full years, with the last coming at Boston College on Oct. 22, 2016. ... Wake Forest has beaten two Top 25 opponents under fifth-year coach Dave Clawson, defeating No. 23 Temple in the 2016 Military Bowl and No. 22 North Carolina State at home last season.

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