1. Gain more than 150 yards rushingDelone Carter ran for 170 yards by himself last time against Akron, so this one shouldn't be much of a stretch. Without a strong ground game on Saturday, it will put a lot of pressure on Ryan Nassib to carry the team, and I'm not sure he's ready for that just yet.
2. Don't give up big plays
We're talking about plays over 30 yards, big special teams plays and turnovers in your own end. SU is more talented than Akron, so the Orange need to make sure the Zips have to earn every point they score. Big plays can level the playing field pretty quickly.
3. Don't throw any INTs
Along the same lines as the previous key, the Orange can't afford to make mistakes in the passing game. Syracuse will win this one with a strong running game and a solid defense. Even if Nassib finishes with 0 TDs, a 0 INT perfromance might be good enough. Think Mark Sanchez in the playoffs last year.
4. Make one big play
SU can probably grind out a TD or two with some hard-nosed running, but overall, the offense will likely take its lumps. One big play could be the difference, whether it's an interception in Akron's end, a big kickoff return or a broken play that turns into a long touchdown. Playmakers need to make plays, as they say.
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