The first two non-conference games Syracuse played against Top 25 teams resulted in SU being outscored, 82-10.

When No. 8 Florida State plays Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Carrier Dome, SU will face its third ranked team this year.

With such a difficult out-of-conference schedule – and such embarrassing losses while playing it – is SU intimidated by Florida State?

‘No, I don’t think that our guys are intimidated,’ SU head coach Paul Pasqualoni said. ‘I’ve never known a Syracuse team to be intimidated. Kids here are not intimidated.’

But if ever there was a time to be, this might be it. Syracuse lost in embarrassing fashion in its first top test, a Sept. 5 loss to Purdue, 51-0, on national television.

On Sept. 25, Syracuse played close with Virginia – but ultimately lost, 31-10.

‘We figure out a way to win by playing hard,’ wide receiver Andre Fontenette said. ‘We have to be at our best. If we execute, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing. We’ve been a little inconsistent. If we execute, we’ll be fine.’

Junior Xzavier Gaines is officially gone. That makes freshman Matt Hale the third-stringer at quarterback.

‘Matt’s doing a really good job,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘He’s been doing reps with us. He’s done well with the scout team. And he’s very consistent against our defense.

‘He’s getting better. He’s far more comfortable. He’s gaining confidence for what is required. If we had to, we’d put him in there.’

Gaines left to try to finish his degree by the end of the year. Pasqualoni said Gaines is taking 18 credits now and will try to take 18 credits in the spring.

Gaines played with the men’s basketball team two years ago but quit last year. Could he return this year?

‘I’m not sure,’ Pasqualoni said. ‘We didn’t talk about that. It’s up to him.’

With injuries to starter Chris Rix and third-stringer Drew Weatherford, Florida State has one quarterback left – Wyatt Sexton – who started the season on the team.

FSU coach Bobby Bowden, though, has a plan.

FSU plans to bring Rix on the trip. If Sexton gets injured and FSU is winning big, Bowden will insert Rix just to hand the ball off.

‘That’s all he can do,’ Bowden said.

But if FSU is close with Syracuse, Bowden plans to go with walk-on Tommy Keane, so FSU has the option of running the quarterback around a bit.

FSU’s only other option is to play true freshman Xavier Lee. But Bowden will avoid that if he can because he wants Lee to redshirt this year.

When Bowden coached at West Virginia in the 1960s, he visited Syracuse nearly every other year.

Now, Bowden gets the advantage of a Dome.

‘At least I know we ain’t gonna see rain, cold or snow out there,’ Bowden said. ‘There ain’t nothing worse than going up there in November and having to play in Archbold Stadium. If it’s cold now, they can just turn the thermostat up.’

Published on October 6, 2004 at 12:00 pm