FOOTBALL GAME CENTRAL

THIS WEEK
Sat., Sept. 25 – at Syracuse (Syracuse, N.Y.), 3:30 p.m.

The Colgate Raiders (1-1) will face a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision opponent for the first time since 2003, when it travels north to the Carrier Dome on Saturday, Sept. 25 to face Syracuse (2-1). Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on ESPN3.

THE SERIES
This will be the 66th meeting between Colgate and Syracuse, with the Raiders leading the all-time series 31-29-5. The Orange have won the last 14 games dating back to 1951.

Syracuse won the last meeting, 52-6, in 1987 and owns a 3-0 record against Colgate in the Carrier Dome. The Raiders' last victory over Syracuse came in 1950, a 19-14 win at Archbold Stadium.

The last FBS opponent Colgate faced was Buffalo in 2003. The Raiders won the game 38-15, and finished the season 15-1, reaching the Division-I FCS National Championship game.

THE COACHES
Colgate head coach Dick Biddle, who has the most wins in school history, is in his 15th season at the helm of the Raiders. His overall record is 114-52, this will be his first meeting against Syracuse. Biddle has won eight or more games in seven seasons during his career.

Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone is in his second campaign with the Orange. He has compiled a mark of 6-9 at his alma mater, and will be facing the Raiders for the first time.

SYRACUSE NOTEBOOK
The Orange (2-1) are coming off their first home opening win since 2004, after scoring 31 unanswered points to beat Maine 38-14 at the Carrier Dome.

Syracuse is led on offense by junior quarterback Ryan Nassib and senior running back Delone Carter. Nassib set a Syracuse single-game record with five touchdown passes against Maine and enters the game with 691 yards passing and eight touchdowns in three games. Carter leads the Orange in rushing with 247 yards and one touchdown off 59 carries.

On defense the Orange are led by Derrell Smith and Phillip Thomas. Smith leads the team with 28 tackles, three for a loss, and two forced fumbles, while Thomas has accumulated 22 tackles, one for a loss. Chandler Jones leads Syracuse in sacks with two, while collecting 13 tackles.

SULLIVAN'S THIRD TRIP TO THE DOME
Senior quarterback Greg Sullivan will be making his third trip to the Carrier Dome as a starter. Sullivan made two visits to the dome in high school, where he finished 24-1 as a starter. His first appearance came in 2005 as a junior where he led Monroe-Woodbury to a state title. His second appearance came a year later in the title game, but served as his only loss.

CAREER RUSHING CHART
Tailback Nate Eachus, a two-time All-Patriot First Team selection, is climbing up the Colgate record books where he is tied for eighth in rushing touchdowns (28) and 12th in rushing yards (2,130). He is just 92 yards from reaching the top-10.
Eachus currently leads the Patriot League in rushing with 139.5 yards per game and is fifth in the FCS.

BY THE NUMBERS
• Colgate has won 68 of its last 98 games.
• Colgate has won 66 of its last 85 Patriot League games.
• Colgate has won 30 of its last 44 games decided by nine points or less.
• Colgate has won 39 of its last 47 games at Andy Kerr Stadium.

THE BIDDLE ERA
Colgate head coach Dick Biddle is in his 15th season with the Raiders. Biddle has an overall mark of 114-52. He has achieved the best winning percentage (.691) of any Colgate coach with seven or more years at the helm of the Raiders. Biddle is also the first Colgate coach to ever record nine straight seasons with seven or more victories.

He has been named Patriot League Coach of the Year four times while guiding the Raiders to six Patriot League titles and six appearances in the FCS (formally I-AA) playoffs.

In 2003, Biddle was named the American Football Coaches Association Division I-AA National Coach of the Year after leading the Raiders to a 15-1 record, and to the national championship game of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.

COLGATE VS. NON-CONFERENCE TEAMS UNDER BIDDLE
In 14 seasons under head coach Dick Biddle, the Raiders are 48-34 against non-conference teams for a winning percentage of .593. They have a 34-8 mark against the Ivy League.

COLGATE VS. PATRIOT LEAGUE TEAMS UNDER BIDDLE
In the last 14 seasons, the Raiders are 66-18 against Patriot League teams under head coach Dick Biddle for a winning percentage of .793. They have lost to Lehigh six times, Bucknell four times, Holy Cross four, Fordham and Lafayette twice.

UP NEXT
Colgate will host Georgetown for homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 2. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at Andy Kerr Stadium. The game will be aired live on Time Warner Cable Sports and Colgate All-Access.