Syracuse has one regular-season game remaining against Pittsburgh on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. The Orange (4-7, 2-5 Atlantic Coast) is coming off a 45-14 loss to then-No. 17 Florida State at home. In order to reach a bowl, SU would have to beat the Panthers (7-4, 4-3) and have its academic progress rate high enough to qualify if not all of the bowl games are filled by teams with six or more wins.

SU head coach Dino Babers held his last midweek press conference of the regular season on Monday. Here are three things he said.

No update on Eric Dungey’s status

Babers said backup quarterback “Zack (Mahoney) most likely will be the starter” when the Orange takes on Pittsburgh this Saturday. He said there’s “no update” on starting quarterback Eric Dungey’s status.

Dungey has sat out the last two games after suffering an injury against Clemson on Nov. 5. Dungey was hit in the shoulder and head area and left the game in the first quarter.

At Babers’ weekly press conference a week ago, he said Dungey would receive a second opinion. Asked on Monday when Dungey will receive that second opinion, Babers said, “I have not asked him.”

Babers isn’t sure which redshirt juniors are leaving or returning

Redshirt juniors Austin Wilson (quarterback) and Jon Burton (offensive lineman) were honored on senior day. Wilson and Burton have both posted on social media that they will not be back for a fifth season.

SU’s roster includes five other redshirt juniors: wide receiver Sean Avant, safety Chauncey Scissum, linebacker Alryk Perry, cornerback Corey Winfield and offensive lineman Jamar McGloster.

Babers said he’s not sure who will and won’t return for a fifth year of that group.

“We have to wait for the season to end,” Babers said, “… And I will sit down with the entire roster and have one-on-one meetings. … That’s what’s coming up.”

When asked what goes into the decision whether to bring someone back, Babers said, “That’s all tied inside the program and it’s based off a lot of factors.”

Pittsburgh is built around its run offense and run defense

The Panthers rank third in the ACC with an average of 214.9 rushing yards per game. On the defensive side, Pitt leads the conference and ranks fourth nationwide with an average of 98.1 rushing yards allowed.

That provides a backbone for the Panthers to rely on, Babers said.

“The way they’ve been able to move people around … Having the ability to run the football in the ACC is a big thing. And they pride (themselves) with that offensive line,” Babers said. “And you turn around with their defense, they’re able to play, stop the run with some seven-man fronts. Puts their secondary in a situation where positive, positive, positive things can happen.”

Syracuse, meanwhile, ranks last in the conference in rushing offense (109.7 yards per game) and 13th out of 14 teams in rushing defense (209.7).

“The key to any football game,” Babers said, “is being able to run the football and being able to stop the run on the other side.”

Published on November 21, 2016 at 1:29 pm

Contact Paul: pmschwed@syr.edu | @pschweds