Orange Loses in Triple OT at Virginia, 44-38

Saturday, October 17

Charlottesville, VA

3:30 pm

Syracuse University

3-3 , 1-1

Virginia

2-4 , 1-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Syracuse

Virginia

Photo by: Charles Wainwright

10/17/2015 7:12:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Dungey accounts for 235 yards of total offense and three touchdowns

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Syracuse University football team (3-3, 1-1 ACC) led the entire second half until Virginia (2-4, 1-1 ACC) tied the game on the last play of regulation and the Orange ultimately lost to the Cavaliers, 44-38, in triple overtime on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Scott Stadium. The game marked the third triple-overtime contest in program history, matching the longest game ever played by the Orange.

Trailing 24-21, Virginia's Irving Frye connected on a 25-yard field goal with no time remaining to force overtime. Both teams scored touchdowns on their first two OT possessions, but in the third extra frame Syracuse was pushed back six yards after quarterback Eric Dungey was sacked on third down. Cole Murphy tried a 48-yard field goal on fourth down, but pushed it right. That opened the door for the Cavaliers and Jordan Ellis provided the winning margin with a 3-yard touchdown run.

Dungey accounted for 235 yards of total offense to lead Syracuse. He was 16-for-22 passing for 150 yards and rushed for a personal-best 85 yards. The rookie signal-caller threw two touchdowns in overtime and scored on a 26-yard run late in the first half.

UVa quarterback Matt Johns passed for 234 yards and two scores. Taquan Mizzell recorded a pair of rushing touchdowns and finished with 58 yards on 13 carries. Mizzell was also Virginia's leader in receptions, making 10 catches for 69 yards.

Syracuse dominated the first half, but nearly found itself on the wrong end of the halftime score thanks to two fumbles and a failed attempt to punch it into the end zone after having a first-and-goal inside the 5-yard line.

Fortunately, the SU defense helped pick up the slack. Mizzell caught a screen pass before being stripped by senior defensive end Donnie Simmons. Antwan Cordy picked up the fumble and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown to give the visiting Orange a 7-0 lead with 10:20 left in the second quarter. The scoop-and score was SU's third defensive touchdown of the year and the seventh in the past 17 games.

Virginia evened the game on the very next drive. The Cavaliers marched 75 yards in 11 plays, culminating in an 11-yard TD run by Mizzell. On the ensuing SU series, Kwontie Moore sacked Dungey, forcing a fumble. Wilfred Wahee picked the ball up and ran it back 32 yards for another UVa touchdown. Two touchdowns in 1:18 and just like that Virginia had a 14-7 advantage.

As quickly as Virginia scored, so did Syracuse. Dungey engineered a 76-yard touchdown drive on SU's next possession, capped by a Jordan Fredericks 1-yard run, to tie the game. The series featured a successful fourth-and-four conversion by senior punter Riley Dixon from inside Syracuse territory. Dixon picked up 15 yards and a first down on a fake punt to keep the drive alive. After a UVa pass interference penalty, Ervin Philips made a 13-yard reception to put the Orange on the doorstep, setting up Fredericks' TD plunge.

With just over minute left in the half, it appeared that 14-14 would be the halftime score. That was until freshman defensive end Qaadir Sheppard picked off Johns at the UVa 26-yard line with 32 seconds left in the second quarter. Dungey immediately made the Cavaliers pay for the miscue. The freshman quarterback scrambled up the middle, hurdled Virginia All-America safety Quin Blanding, and spun into the end zone. Cole Murphy's point after resulted in a 21-14 Orange lead at the break.

The second half was a stark contrast to the frantic pace of the second quarter. SU and Virginia combined for five total offensive possessions in the third and fourth quarters thanks to some lengthy drives by both teams.

Murphy drilled a 22-yard field goal on the Orange's first second-half series to push the lead to 24-14 late in the third quarter. However, Virginia managed 10 points on its last two possessions, including Frye's tying field goal at the end of regulation to finish off a 19-play, 88-yard march that drained nearly seven minutes off the clock.

Syracuse started with the ball in overtime and claimed a 31-24 advantage when Philips hauled in a 7-yard scoring pass from Dungey. Virginia responded with a 36-yard touchdown pass from Johns to Canaan Severin to send the game to a second extra session.

The teams traded touchdowns again with Mizzell scoring from 13 yards out and Dungey hitting wide receiver Steve Ishmael to force the deciding third overtime period.

Sophomore linebacker Parris Bennett led the Orange defense with a career-high 13 tackles. Cornerback Corey Winfield also turned in a solid performances, finishing with a personal-best eight tackles, including two sacks.

Blanding tallied a team-high 12 tackles for the Cavaliers, who have now won three straight against the Orange.

Syracuse is back in action on Saturday, Oct. 24 when it hosts Pittsburgh at noon during Orange Central/Homecoming Weekend. The game is presented by Dunkin' Donuts and tickets start at $30.

Tickets are available online, by phone (1-888-DOMETIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B). In addition, discounted group tickets (20 or more) for all home games can be purchased by calling 315-443-3212.

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