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After a disappointing showing in Week 1 for Middle Tennessee, the Blue Raiders will look to get back on track this Saturday when they hit the road to take on the Syracus Orange (1-0).

It will be an interesting matchup between two high-powered offenses who are still trying to figure out exactly what they have on defense.

The Orange are coming off of a 50-7 drubbing over Central Connecticut State and possess a passing attack that anyone in the country would like to have.

There are many storylines that can be discussed in this game, but perhaps none are more interesting than MT defensive coordinator returning to the program he once led.

All that being said, it's time to make our weekly predictions.

Here goes nothing!

I'm surely in the minority here when it comes to score predictions. Vegas and the rest of the world are expecting a shootout, but given the inside knowledge Scott Shafer has on the Orange personnel, I think MT is in a good spot to hold Syracuse in check (mostly) in this game.

I am picking MT to win here, but only because I went on record in the preseason the the Blue Raiders would prevail here. After their Week 1 showing, however, I certainly don't feel good about the pick anymore.

Here's why I'll stick to my guns though - the Scott Shafer effect cannot be discounted. While Syracuse is in a different system compared to when he was head coach, there is still plenty of players on the roster that he is more than familiar with. Shafer knows their strengths and he knows their weaknesses. That's the X-factor here in my opinion.

I think MT will make a concerted effort to get the running game going, and I think they will find success there against a Syracuse defensive line that doesn't matchup to what they faced in Vanderbilt. If MT can get the run game going and really sustain some drives, that'll bode well for them down the stretch. The longer they can keep the Syracuse offense off the field, the better. That's also why I'm predicting a lower scoring game than most.

The game comes down to two areas for me: turnovers and time of possession. If MT wins those two battles, they win the game. And that's what I'll predict.

Well, I was certainly wrong about predicting MT to beat Vanderbilt in a shootout. They took their lumps for sure. This week, fans will find out how much moxie and perseverance MTSU possesses. MT heads to New York to face the Syracuse Orange, who dominated Central Connecticut 50-7.

I definitely do not see Syracuse hanging half a century on MT, but I don’t really see MT’s defense bowing up and limiting their points, either.

It seems Syracuse will implement an air raid passing attack. QB Eric Dungey tossed the ball for 28 completions on 36 passes for 328 yards. Heck, even backup Rex Culpepper passed for 103 yards on double digit attempts.

I fully expect them to go up-tempo and try to exploit MT’s defensive backs in the passing game, but also mixing it up with the ground attack. Dungey is a guy that can tuck the ball and take off down the field. Last week, he had 9 carries for over 50 yards. MT may try to keep a spy on him, but the Orange also have a host of runners like Markenzy Pierre, Dontae Strickland and Moe Neal that they can rely on.

Although I don’t think Syracuse hangs a 50 spot on MT, I do expect MT’s defense to allow quite a bit of points.

I think MT gets off the mat and really hangs in there on the road this week, but ultimately I do not think they win this game. QB Brent Stockstill will have a good outing, just not enough to beat the Cuse.

If you like basketball on grass, this week’s game is made for you. It features two of the nation’s most explosive offenses and two struggling defenses. Both teams will light up the scoreboard in what promises to be a high scoring game in the Carrier Dome.

It begins with the Syracuse offense, led by head coach Dino Babers, a former assistant at Baylor under Art Briles. Babers has replicated Baylor’s offensive success at every stop in his head coaching career, and now has Syracuse running the same high-octane offense.

The offense, led by junior quarterback Eric Dungey, will challenge the Blue Raider defense with wider-than-normal wide receiver splits and passing concepts that will expose the Blue Raider secondary. Quite frankly, this is the kind of matchup that keeps defensive coordinator Scott Shafer up at night.

Meanwhile, the Blue Raider offense will have a little more room to operate against a Syracuse defense that allowed almost 39 points per game in 2016. I expect quarterback Brent Stockstill to throw for over 300 yards and multiple touchdowns this weekend, but it won’t be enough to top Syracuse. The Blue Raiders will lose 45-31 and fall to 0-2 on the year.

The score in this game will be high. That’s all I know.

That, and MTSU wins by 7.

I expect that MT will bounce back in a high scoring, touchdown every time you blink kind of game.

I don’t think either offense will be stopped, and I believe that QB Brent Stockstill, aka Lil' Stock, and the best wide out in the country, Richie James, will lead MT to the victory.

That's all I got. Hold on to your butts.

After a very underwhelming showing against Vanderbilt in Week 1, the schedule doesn’t get any easier for MTSU in Week 2.

Granted, Scott Shafer probably wants to win this game really, really badly. And I’m sure the Blue Raiders want nothing more than to win it for him; however, I just don’t see that happening.

I got fooled last week when I picked MTSU to win in a high-scoring affair. I won’t make that mistake again this week. Rick Stockstill said he expects Syracuse to throw it 50-60 times this week, and I’m just not sure the Blue Raiders secondary has the firepower to stop that kind of an attack.

I’m also not sold on MTSU’s offense either. Yes, they have Brent Stockstill and Richie James, but two men do not make an offense. With no clear-cut running back, and the lack of touches for Ty Lee, I am a little concerned this week. Dino Babers is a fan of airing it out, and if Kyle Shurmur and Vanderbilt can slice up the MTSU secondary, I’d hate to see what Syracuse will do.