SYRACUSE - The season has reached a pivotal point for struggling Syracuse, and the Orange are bracing for a Louisville team that has to be fired up.

Embattled fourth-year Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson has won only two of 24 Big East games, and one of those was a 38-35 stunner at Louisville last fall. Taj Smith caught a pass from quarterback Andrew Robinson and raced 79 yards for a touchdown on the game's first play, and the Orange, a 36.5-point underdog, were on the way to a stunning upset that ended the nation's second-longest home winning streak at 20.

The Cardinals (5-2, 1-1 Big East), picked this season to finish seventh in the conference, have won three straight and are in the thick of the race for the league title as they prepare for a chance at redemption Saturday night in the Carrier Dome.

“Coach has preached to us they probably want to get revenge,” Syracuse wideout Donte Davis said. “We have to weather the storm. Everybody still has in their mind that last year we did it and we can do it again. We're going in with high hopes. This is major. Without this game, there won't be a bowl game.”

Syracuse (1-6, 0-3), which is coming off a bye week, has to win its five remaining games to become eligible to play in the postseason. That would be an even bigger stunner considering Robinson's overall record at Syracuse is 8-34.

Still, the players say they're optimistic, even as they try to ignore the tempest swirling around Robinson and try to recover from three straight conference losses.

“From what I remember, we were written out of every game,” said senior fullback Tony Fiammetta, who returns to the lineup after sitting out a game with a lower leg injury. “This conference is a tossup. Anybody can take it. I think it's about time (we won). It seems like we haven't had much fun.”

Both teams are coming off games against South Florida. Syracuse lost to the Bulls, 45-13, on Oct. 18.

In the second half, the Orange were outscored 24-0, gained only nine yards offensively, and did not register a first down.