Orange ready to defend Schwartzwalder Trophy
SYRACUSE -- The SU campus was starting to buzz a little bit on Thursday night in anticipation for tomorrow's Friday night matchup against Virginia. West Virginia fans have rolled into town wearing their blue and yellow gear, but Orange fans are hoping to drown that out with lots and lots of Orange at the Dome for a nationally televised Friday night tilt.
"It's Friday night on ESPN, the whole country is watching," says SU wide receiver Dorian Graham, "50 thousand fans and the trophy, I mean every game is a big game but this one is very important. We definitely have to go out there and get the job done."
If all the fans, cameras and lights weren't enough motivation, the SU players have passed the Ben Schwartzwalder trophy in the hallway on campus for the better part of a year now after their win in Morgantown, and they're not ready to give it up yet.
"It's a huge motivation," says Chandler Jones, "they had it for what 7 years, 8 years before we won it last year so, having it back in our shrine is just a big deal, and hopefully we can keep it after Friday night".
"(West Virginia have) got a lot of speed and they've got a lot of leadership over there," says Graham, "they're a good football team, and we just have to go out there and out work them."
