Syracuse Faces Miami Without Key Lineman Ahead of Tough ACC Matchup

Miami Gardens, Fla. — Syracuse will be missing veteran offensive lineman TJ Ferguson on Saturday when it faces the best defense in the ACC. Ferguson left the Orange’s last game against North Carolina with an injury and has the second-best Pro Football Focus grade among Syracuse offensive linemen this season.

His injury forced the Orange to rely on an injured Austin Collins, who played center against the Tar Heels. Collins was ineffective, and his status for Saturday’s game was questionable for much of the week. He has now been declared available.

Additionally, three of Syracuse’s starting offensive linemen appeared on the injury report, with Trevion Mack also dealing with injuries. Miami poses a significant challenge for Syracuse, especially with the Hurricanes boasting the third-best pass rush grade in the nation, led by projected first-round NFL Draft pick Rueben Bain Jr.

The Hurricanes, currently ranked No. 18 in the nation, are coming off a disappointing loss to SMU and are looking to regain their footing after a promising start to the season. With a record of 6-2 and 2-2 in the ACC, Miami needs a strong performance against the struggling Orange, who sit at 3-6 overall and 1-5 in conference play.

Syracuse has struggled since its starting quarterback, Steve Angeli, went down with a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 4. The team’s five-game losing streak has seen a shift in coaching, with offensive coaching roles being reassigned due to the underwhelming performance. During this streak, Syracuse has failed to score 20 points in a game.

Head coach Fran Brown announced that quarterback Rickie Collins, now a sophomore, has struggled, throwing eight interceptions and just four touchdowns since taking over. Last week against North Carolina, the team turned to walk-on quarterback Joseph Filardi, who completed only four of 18 passes for 39 yards.

On the ground, sophomore running back Yasin Willis leads the team but has yet to score a touchdown this season. Syracuse’s run defense has been weak, having allowed over 200 rushing yards in several games, raising concerns for their upcoming clash against Miami’s strong offense.

Miami’s offensive line, regarded as one of the best in college football, has also faced issues with pre-snap penalties, which have killed momentum even in games they won. Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson emphasized the need for the team to “quit shooting ourselves in the foot” to improve their execution.

Kickoff for Saturday’s game at Hard Rock Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.