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Marking Maryland’s first game of the season against a preseason top-25 opponent, Syracuse will enter College Park coming off its first 10-win season since 2001. Head coach Dino Babers has turned the Orange into contenders while building a talented and deep roster along the way.

Now in year four under Babers’ tutelage, hopes are high for Syracuse football. But the Orange will have to overcome the need to replace two starting linebackers and three offensive linemen. There are also question marks surrounding whether or not sophomore quarterback Tommy DeVito is ready to step up and lead a potent offense.

DiVito is a pocket passer that might cause Babers and his offensive staff to shift some of what they did last year with the more versatile Eric Dungey under center. But this offense will certainly be built around the Orange’s talented backfield.

Led by senior Moe Neal, who had 869 yards on the ground last season, this unit is supplemented by other talented runners such as redshirt junior Abdul Adams and sophomore Jarveon Howard. Neal proved he can get tough yards last year, while Adams enters the mix as a transfer from Oklahoma, where he averaged 9.2 yards per carry as a sophomore.

Getting all of these backs involved would certainly help DeVito’s development, however, the bigger concern is who will be blocking up front for the signal caller and his runners. The Orange must replace both of their starting tackles and a guard from last season, no easy task.

Babers’ offense has shown a tendency to air it out in the past. That’s where the experience of Orange wide receivers Sean Riley and Nykeim Johnson will come into play. Riley has been contributing to the Syracuse offense for three years now and is electric in the return game, while Johnson provides the big-play threat with three touchdowns of at least 40 yards or more last year.

Syracuse has been shaky on defense under Babers, but has continued to show improvement each and every year he has been at the helm.

The Orange’s defensive line is loaded with talent entering the 2019 season. Senior edge rushers Alton Robinson and Kendall Coleman are both coming off of double-digit sack seasons and junior Josh Black is primed for a breakout campaign at nose tackle.

Much like the defensive line, Syracuse’s secondary has plenty of experience. With seniors Chris Frederick and Evan Foster starting at cornerback and safety, respectively, much of the pressure can be taken off of talented underclassmen such as nickel corner Trill Williams and free safety Andre Cisco, who tied for the national lead with seven interceptions last season on his way to earning All-American honors and ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Linebacker is where Syracuse can be had, as the Orange must replace two productive seniors in the middle. There are some experience options there to take over, but it remains to be seen how this position will shake out.

Bottom line: Syracuse is a rising team that is looking to take the next step in its level of competitiveness. If the Orange want to be taken seriously as ACC contenders, they must win non-conference games like this one against Maryland. The Terps will benefit from playing at home here, but they will have to be mindful of Syracuse’s strong pass rush and playmaking secondary. The Orange have a balanced team that isn’t going to be an easy out for anyone in 2019. Although the Terps won the last meeting between these two squads, Syracuse has won five of the last six in the series. Maryland will have to bring its A-game to this early season game that will go a long way in determining how the rest of the season pans out.

Series: 19-15, Syracuse

Last Maryland win: 2014, 34-20 at Syracuse

Last Syracuse win: 2013, 20-3 at College Park