SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Coming off one of its biggest wins this century, Syracuse aims to remain undefeated Saturday when former Big East rival Connecticut visits the Carrier Dome. The Orange improved to 3-0 last weekend with a convincing 30-7 triumph over Florida State but have not started 4-0 since 1991.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, ESPNews. LINE: Syracuse -27.5
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Syracuse has not trailed this season, winning at Western Michigan and versus Wagner before the key victory against the Seminoles. "They really played their heart out," coach Dino Babers said after his team's latest victory. "I thought it was a fantastic family win. (The Seminoles) are the top athletes in the country. To get a win like this, we need to enjoy it." Orange quarterback Eric Dungey exited early with an eye injury but said he'll be good to go for Saturday's showdown. UConn, meanwhile, is hoping to pull a big upset after earning its first win of 2018 in last weekend's shootout with Rhode Island.
ABOUT CONNECTICUT (1-2)
David Pindell was a one-man show against Rhode Island, throwing for four touchdowns and running for two more scores in a 56-49 win. UConn, which scored a total of three TDs in its first two games, finished with 573 yards of total offense and controlled the ball for more than 35 minutes while going 8-for-15 on third downs. Kevin Mensah added a pair of rushing TDs and, over his last two games, the sophomore running back is averaging 6.5 yards per carry.
ABOUT SYRACUSE (3-0)
Redshirt freshman quarterback Tommy DeVito filled in for Dungey last week and went 11-for-16 for 144 yards with a passing touchdown and a rushing score. Dungey (seven TD passes, one INT) is typically the team's top weapon through the air and on the ground, as veteran running backs Moe Neal and Dontae Strickland have gotten off to quiet starts. Freshman tailback Jarveon Howard has provided a spark the last two weeks, averaging 7.4 yards on his 19 touches.
EXTRA POINTS
1. UConn holds a 6-4 lead in the all-time series, although Syracuse won 31-24 two seasons ago in the only meeting over the last five years.
2. Dungey has six career games with 400-plus yards of offense, including the last matchup with UConn.
3. Dating back to last season, Pindell has thrown at least one interception in six straight games.
PREDICTION: Syracuse 41, UConn 27