Syracuse @ Virginia preview

Syracuse and Virginia each is trending in the wrong direction, although Saturday's affair on the Cavaliers' home field offers a chance for both ACC programs to right the ship. Both teams have lost two games in a row with the Orange allowing 79 points in those two contests, while the Cavaliers have given up 82 points during their two-game skid.

"What we've done the last couple weeks is unacceptable," Syracuse defensive line coach Tim Daoust said to reporters this week. The Orange lost by three touchdowns to USF last weekend as they were gashed on the ground by Bulls tailback Marlon Mack. After giving up 184 yards (9.2 per attempt) and two scores to Mack, Syracuse hopes for more success against a Cavaliers squad that averages only 3.3 yards per carry. "That’s football,” Virginia center Jackson Matteo said to reporters. “Even the best offensive units don’t produce at times."

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN3.com, RSN. LINE: Virginia -7

ABOUT SYRACUSE (3-2, 1-0 ACC): Orange freshman Eric Dungey passed for a season-high 232 yards and two touchdowns in last week's loss to the Bulls after missing most of the previous two games with a head injury. Syracuse has used four quarterbacks in total this year with the quartet combining to throw 11 TDs to seven different players. The Orange's balanced passing attack is complemented by a running game that has been up and down this season, although last week was a poor performance as Dungey led the team with 31 yards on the ground.

ABOUT VIRGINIA (1-4, 0-1): The Cavaliers have faced a formidable schedule with matchups against UCLA, Notre Dame, Boise State and Pittsburgh - all losses - bookending a win against FCS powerhouse William & Mary. Matt Johns was excellent against the Fighting Irish last month, but he has thrown seven touchdowns and seven interceptions in the other four games and has hovered around 50 percent completions in each of his last two contests. "We're very close. It's just a matter of two or three plays," noted Johns, who could look to get the ball to Albert Reid after the junior running back sparked the team with a 71-yard run in last week's 26-19 defeat against Pittsburgh.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Syracuse has committed the second-fewest penalties in the conference (23).

2. The schools have met four previous times, with the Orange winning twice in the 1970's and the Cavaliers prevailing in 2004 and 2005.

3. Only three wideouts in the ACC are averaging more yards per game than Virginia's Canaan Severin (69.6).

PREDICTION: Virginia 27, Syracuse 24