A fellow named Dave Rahme is closely associated with the University of Syracuse football team. He's part of their broadcast team and provides a newsletter for fans called the Orange Insider.
His preview of Saturdays UC-Syracuse game, gives you a good idea of how the 5th-rated Bearcats are viewed elsewhere.
It reads in part, "It really is incredible, this offense machine Brian Kelly has built seemingly overnight at the University of Cincinnati. Kelly, in his third full season at the helm, is 29-6 overall and 9-1 in his last 10 Big East games. A year ago, five different quarterbacks took snaps for the Bearcats and they still finished No. 8 in the nation in scoring, averaging 25.9 points per game, and won their first Big East championship. This season, Tony Pike, the conference's leading passer, reinjured his left forearm two games ago and was replaced by sophomore Zach Collaros, and UC hasn't missed a beat."
It was interesting to hear Brian Kelly in his Tuesday media session, use the term “smokescreen” repeatedly in regard to Tony Pike, coming clean with our earlier assertions that having Pike go out to practice and take some perfunctory snaps, was just to keep Louisville off balance in their preparations.
There will be no such bait and switch this time. Collaros is clearly the guy. But he has help as Rahme acknowledges: "The Bearcats....will roll into the Carrier Dome at noon Saturday ranked No. 7 in the nation in total offense, averaging 458.6 yards per game. They are number two in scoring, averaging 40.7 points per game. They are No.1 in ball security, with only four turnovers."
Brian Kelly mentioned the team's lack of turnovers during his Tuesday media session, saying that he has little to no tolerance for fumbles: "Our running backs get very few carries as it is, if they fumble the ball, there is someone there to take their place who won't."
In summation, Rahme offers a quote from Syracuse coach Doug Marrone: "They have great skill athletes and they have very quick decision makers at quarterback, no matter who the quarterback is. Hats off to their coaches. They're a tough team to defend."
But the Orange have more offensive weapons than the Bearcats have faced in weeks. UC will claim its 8th straight win, but by a narrower margin than most suspect. I say 10 points.
