Clemson vs. Syracuse football kickoff time, odds, TV, stream, radio, weather

Chapel Fowler

The ACC’s most surprising team hits Death Valley on Saturday.

Here’s your gameday guide to the matchup between No. 14 Syracuse and No. 5 Clemson, the two only undefeated programs left in the conference’s Atlantic Division as teams enter the back half of their schedules.

Clemson vs. Syracuse game, TV info

Who: No. 14 Syracuse (6-0, 3-0 ACC) at No. 5 Clemson (7-0, 5-0 ACC)

When: noon Saturday

Where: Memorial Stadium, Clemson

TV: ABC

Broadcast crew: Sean McDonough, Todd Blackledge, Molly McGrath

Stream: via ESPN or ESPN app

Radio: 105.5 FM in the Clemson area (see all Clemson radio affiliates here)

Satellite radio: SiriusXM 133 or 193, Internet/App 955

Series history: Clemson leads 8-2, Clemson has won four straight

Clemson vs. Syracuse Vegas odds

Clemson is a consensus 13.5-point favorite against Syracuse, according to VegasInsider. The Tigers have been favored by double digits in all nine previous games against the Orange since Syracuse joined the ACC in 2013, per Odds Shark.

Syracuse, though, has covered the spread against Clemson in four of the programs’ last five meetings. That includes a straight-up win in 2017 and a 17-14 loss last season (Clemson was favored by 13.5 points entering the 2021 meeting).

Weather forecast for Clemson, SC

Sunny and 72 degrees with a few afternoon clouds and light winds, according to Weather.com’s forecast. This is Clemson’s first noon game of the season.

Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (5) dives for a first down as Florida State defensive backs Shyheim Brown, bottom, and Jammie Robinson, right, make the tackle during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears)
Clemson quarterback DJ Uiagalelei (5) dives for a first down as Florida State defensive backs Shyheim Brown, bottom, and Jammie Robinson, right, make the tackle during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Phil Sears)

Top storylines for the game

  • Clemson’s Memorial Stadium, also known as Death Valley, has been around for 81 years. But it’s never hosted two undefeated teams with records of 6-0 or better. That changes on Saturday with Syracuse in town, adding further intrigue to a game that will already be crucial for the ACC Atlantic Division standings. If Clemson beats Syracuse, it would hold tiebreakers over Syracuse, Wake Forest, N.C. State and Florida State (all of whom would have at least one conference loss) with just two more conference opponents (Louisville and Miami, both home games) on the schedule.

  • Junior quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has been playing so consistently excellent this year that he’s generating some midseason Heisman buzz. Quite the turnaround from 2021, no? Through seven games, Uiagalelei has 17 passing touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s completing 64% of his passes for 237.9 yards on average. On the ground, he has four more touchdowns and is averaging 48.1 yards per game. Saturday Down South’s real-time Heisman odds listed Uiagalelei (+2,379) seventh among all candidates as of Thursday. Ohio State QB CJ Stroud (-105) is the clear No. 1.

  • Clemson’s defense is looking for a bounce-back game against Syracuse after finishing with a whimper against Florida State last week. The Tigers led 34-14 early in the fourth quarter before unranked FSU ripped two hurry-up touchdown drives to cut a 20-point deficit down to six with 2:17 remaining — against a Clemson defense at full strength availability-wise for the first time all year. The Tigers needed an onside kick recovery to escape Tallahassee with a win. Clemson’s defense held a players-only meeting this week to address 20-plus missed tackles, among other issues, before facing the Orange.

  • Clemson’s poor finish against FSU, paired with Michigan routing Penn State and Tennessee upsetting Alabama, understandably caused some movement in this week’s AP Top 25. This week’s top six: No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 4 Michigan, No. 5 Clemson and No. 6 Alabama. Despite dropping a spot in said poll, Clemson’s path to the College Football Playoff remains relatively clear. ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Clemson a 53.9% chance to make the four-team playoff, third to Ohio State (81.2%) and Georgia (70.7%). That same ESPN FPI gives Clemson a 33.3% chance to win out, a 90.9% chance to win its division and a 75.3% chance to win the ACC championship game the first weekend of December.

Syracuse running back Sean Tucker runs with the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Purdue in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022.
Syracuse running back Sean Tucker runs with the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Purdue in Syracuse, N.Y., Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022.

Clemson vs. Syracuse players to watch

  • Clemson OL Mitchell Mayes: With true freshman right tackle Blake Miller struggling with a few penalties, top backup Mayes got double-digit snaps against FSU and earned compliments from coach Dabo Swinney for his play at right tackle and left guard.

  • Clemson LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.: The son of a former NFL Pro Bowler, Trotter continues to make a name for himself at Clemson’s middle linebacker position. His career-high 13 tackles against FSU were the most by a Tiger in a single game this year.

  • Syracuse RB Sean Tucker: Tucker shattered Syracuse’s single-season rushing record with 1,496 yards last season and was an All-America pick by multiple outlets. His stats so far this season: 107.3 yards per game, 5.2 yards per carry and seven total TDs.

  • Syracuse QB Garrett Shrader: Shrader’s stats don’t jump off the page, but he’s been the perfect veteran quarterback for Syracuse’s offense. The Mississippi State transfer and Charlotte native averages 239 passing yards per game and has a 12-to-3 touchdown-interception ratio.

Clemson 2022 football schedule

Sept. 5: at Georgia Tech, 41-10 W

Sept. 10: vs. Furman, 35-12 W

Sept. 17: vs. Louisiana Tech, 48-20 W

Sept. 24: at Wake Forest, 51-45 W (2OT)

Oct. 1: vs. N.C. State, 30-20 W

Oct. 8: at Boston College, 31-3 W

Oct. 15: at Florida State, 34-28 W

Oct. 22: vs. Syracuse, noon (ABC)

Oct. 29: OPEN

Nov. 5: at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)

Nov. 12: vs. Louisville

Nov. 19: vs. Miami

Nov. 26: vs. South Carolina

Clemson 2022 depth chart

Offense

QB: DJ Uiagalelei (Cade Klubnik)

RB: Will Shipley (Phil Mafah)

Outside WR: Joseph Ngata (Adam Randall)

Outside WR: Beaux Collins (E.J. Williams)

Slot WR: Antonio Williams (Brannon Spector)

TE: Davis Allen (Luke Price)

TE: Jake Briningstool (Sage Ennis)

LT: Jordan McFadden (Tristan Leigh)

LG: Marcus Tate (Collin Sadler or John Williams)

C: Will Putnam (Trent Howard or Ryan Linthicum)

RG: Walker Parks (Bryn Tucker)

RT: Blake Miller (Mitchell Mayes)

Defense

DE: KJ Henry or Xavier Thomas

DT: Bryan Bresee or Ruke Orhorhoro

DT: Tyler Davis or Ruke Orhorhoro

DE: Myles Murphy or Justin Mascoll

SLB/NB: Barrett Carter (Malcolm Greene or Wade Woodaz)

MLB: Jeremiah Trotter Jr. or Keith Maguire

WLB: Trenton Simpson (LaVonta Bentley)

CB: Sheridan Jones or Andrew Mukuba (Toriano Pride Jr.)

SS: Andrew Mukuba (R.J. Mickens)

FS: Jalyn Phillips or Tyler Venables

CB: Nate Wiggins or Andrew Mukuba (Fred Davis II)

Special teams

PK: B.T. Potter (Robert Gunn III)

P: Aidan Swanson (B.T. Potter)

KO: B.T. Potter (Robert Gunn III)

LS (PK): Philip Florenzo (Holden Caspersen)

LS (P): Holden Caspersen (Philip Florenzo)

H: Drew Swinney (Clay Swinney)

PR: Will Taylor or Antonio Williams

KOR: Will Shipley

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