Syracuse has nothing to lose but a chance to keep their bowl hopes alive.

That’s enough to keep Brent Venables up at night as Clemson prepares for Saturday’s trip to The Carrier Dome.

“They’ve got every trick known to man in their kicking game, on-side kicks, fake punts, fake field goals and they’ve all worked,” Venables said. “They’ve worked against us and so they better be on high-alert, and we need to play really, really well going up to their place.

“I’ve got all kinds of reasons why we can be beat these next four games, easily. I’ve got plenty of reasons if we’re not at the top of our game, and you need to be. The great teams, the really good teams that have a chance to compete for a championship, you get better. You don’t regress. You don’t peak out.”

Syracuse enters Saturday afternoon’s showdown at The Carrier Dome with a 3-6 record.

According to a tweet from Stephen Bailey of Syracuse.com, the Orange won’t make its quarterbacks available for interview on Tuesday night, “to avoid giving Clemson an advantage in its preparation.”

Eric Dungey has started seven games this season, including the last five. However, he sustained a head injury last week against Louisville.

Jordan Fredericks leads the Orange with 326 yards rushing and is second with three touchdowns. Dungey is second with 351 yards and first with five scores.

“The quarterbacks do a very good job as running threats in the quarterback run-game, the option-game,” Venables said. “They really force you to make good adjustments on any particular play. They have a lot to their offense, so getting our guys zeroed in on their keys, adjustments is going to be critical, to play good coverage as well.”

Steve Ismael, Ervin Philips and Josh Parris all have 20 or more receptions. Ishamel leads the team with 30 catches for 458 yards and five touchdowns.

“They have two receivers outside and a jack-of-all-trades, No. 3, they move him all over the place and he does a bunch of things,” Venables said. “They’ve got good speed on the outside to attack you in the throwing game.”

Venables added, “They’ve got a good scheme. A number of the teams they’ve lost to, they’ve had them on the ropes going into the fourth quarter.”