Recap: Syracuse 27, Clemson 24

Friday, October 13

Syracuse, NY

7 pm

Syracuse University

4-3 , 2-1

Clemson

6-1 , 4-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Clemson

Syracuse

Photo by: Charles Wainwright

10/13/2017 10:47:00 PM | Football

Box Score Cuse TV: Highlights Cuse TV: Dino Babers Press Conference Cuse TV: Player Press Conference Photo Gallery Postgame Notes Quotes

Orange topple the defending champions

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse (4-3, 2-1 ACC) pulled off one of the biggest upsets in program history, defeating No. 2 and previously unbeaten Clemson (6-1, 4-1 ACC) by the score of 27-24 in front of a crowd of 42,475 Friday, Oct. 13 inside the Carrier Dome.

Junior quarterback Eric Dungey engineered the victory, completing 20-of-32 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran 21 times for 61 yards to finish with 339 of Syracuse's 440 yards of total offense.

When it was over, the Orange faithful emptied onto the field and remained on the carpet to celebrate Syracuse's first victory over an opponent ranked this high in the Associated Press poll since the team's historic 1984 triumph against No. 1 Nebraska.

It was the ninth time in Syracuse program history the Orange faced the defending national champions and the third time the team came out on top. The victory ended Clemson's 11-game winning streak, which had been the longest in the nation.

BABERS' TAKE
"I'm very proud of the young men. The seniors, Zaire Franklin, Parris Bennett, Steve Ishmael, Ervin Philips, Jamar McGloster – that senior class. Three head football coaches. All the things they've been through. To have an opportunity like that is something they will never forget for the rest of their lives," Orange head coach Dino Babers said.

"It's something that they will tell their sons and their daughters (about), and then they'll tell their grandsons and their granddaughters. It will be one of those deals when it's 'No, grandpa not the story about how you beat Clemson at the Loud House.' And they'll have to sit there and listen to it again. It's truly one of those moments that you coach for. I've had those moments, but to be able to share a moment like that with these young men is really special and really means a lot to me. I'm really proud of them."

HOW IT WAS DECIDED
With the game tied at 24-24, Dungey moved the Orange 68 yards in 16 plays. The drive used up 6:04 and was capped by Cole Murphy's 30-yard field goal with 9:41 remaining.

Murphy's field goal gave the Orange the lead for the fifth time in the contest, as Syracuse held advantages of 7-0, 14-7, 17-14, 24-17 and the 27-24 final score.

We. Will. Win.#OITNF pic.twitter.com/WPVZOSIvBu
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) October 14, 2017

SCORING SUMMARY
The Orange were ready to play from the outset. The hosts took the opening kickoff and marched 72 yards in 10 plays, a drive finished off by Dungey's 23-yard screen pass to Dontae Strickland for the first score. Clemson answered promptly, taking just three plays to cover 62 yards and even the game on a 37-yard touchdown run by Tavien Feaster.

After scoreless possessions by each club, Dungey struck quickly, hitting Steve Ishmael for 14 yards, and then connecting with a streaking Ervin Philips for a 66-yard touchdown to go ahead 14-7 with 5:13 left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, one play after Syracuse had a touchdown called back because of offensive pass interference, Clemson stunned the crowd when Tanner Muse recovered a Strickland fumble and raced 63 yards for the touchdown to tie the score at 14-all.

The Orange regrouped and, on the next possession, drove to the Clemson 1-yard line before settling for a Murphy 21-yard field goal and a 17-14 lead. The scoreboard rested for the remainder of the half and Syracuse entered the locker room with a three-point advantage.

The Tigers lost starting quarterback Kelly Bryant to injury late in the first half and emerged in the third quarter with Zerrick Cooper under center.

Neither side generated points on their opening second-half possessions. The Tigers eventually knotted things up 17-17 on Alex Spence's 30-yard field goal with 8:27 remaining in the period.

Once again, Syracuse punched back. After a short gain on first down, Dungey scrambled 45 yards to the Clemson 35. Two plays later, he hooked up with Ishmael on a 30-yard touchdown pass.

The 24-17 lead was short-lived, thanks to another strong Clemson run. On the third play of the drive, Travis Etienne turned a power sweep into a 52-yard scoring run to tie things up at 24-24.

With the result still to be determined, Dungey finished off the third quarter by beginning the game's last scoring drive, which ended with Murphy's 30-yard field goal with 9:41 to play.

Clemson had one last possession that began at its own 25-yard line. The Tigers picked up two first downs on two completions that advanced the ball to the Syracuse 45. Chris Slayton then sacked Cooper for a 4-yard loss before Cooper got eight yards back on a pass to Deon Cain.

Following an incomplete pass and faced with fourth-and-6 at the Syracuse 41, Clemson lined up in punt formation, but kicker Will Spiers threw deep instead. The pass fell incomplete and the Orange took over with 6:10 on the clock. The Tigers would not see the ball again.

Three straight runs by Strickland gave Syracuse a first down and the Orange converted a third down when Dungey connected with Ishmael for 13 yards to the Clemson 36. Up against a third-and-8 at the Clemson 29, Dungey ran for eight yards and the first down. Syracuse took a knee three straight times to put a bow on the victory.

OF NOTE
The triumph was Syracuse's first against an Associated Press top-10 team since the Orange defeated No. 8 Virginia Tech 50-42 in overtime on Nov. 9, 2002.

In the AP poll era (1936-present), Syracuse has beaten the defending national champions in 1987 (Penn State), 1998 (Michigan) and 2017 (Clemson). The victories against the Nittany Lions and Tigers both came at the Dome almost exactly 30 years apart. Syracuse beat Penn State 48-21 on Oct. 17, 1987.

The 27 points Syracuse put on the board represented the most given up by Clemson in seven games this season.

The Orange defensive unit totaled four quarterback sacks by four different defenders – Parris Bennett, Zaire Franklin, Alton Robinson and Slayton.

Both teams were hampered by penalties. Syracuse, which had a touchdown called back because of offensive pass interference for the second straight game, finished with 12 penalties for 100 yards. Clemson was penalized 11 times for 119 yards.

The Orange limited Clemson to 2-of-11 (.182) on third down. Syracuse entered the contest ranked sixth among FBS programs in third-down percentage defense. Conversely, Syracuse was a combined 10-of-21 (.476) on third- and fourth-down conversions in the game.

MILESTONES
Dungey moved into fourth on Syracuse's all-time passing yardage list (6,057), moving ahead of Don McPherson (5,812).

Dungey's 45-yard scramble in the third quarter put him over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for his career. With 1,030 rushing yards, Dungey joins Billy Hurley (2,551), Donovan McNabb (1,561), McPherson (1,251), Walley Mahle (1,150) and Dave Warner (1,139) as the only Orange signal-callers to reach that plateau.

Philips' 66-yard touchdown reception catapulted him by three former Syracuse greats on the school record for career receiving yards – Art Monk (1,644), Quinton Spotwood (1,653) and Rob Carpenter (1,656). Phillips is now 10th with 1,706 yards.

Murphy's first field goal, a 21-yarder, was the 50th of his Syracuse career. It put him alone in third place on the school's all-time record list, behind John Biskup (57) and Dave Jacobs (53). Murphy's tiebreaking 30-yarder in the fourth quarter raised his career total to 51 field goals and made him 12-for-14 (.857) on the season.

UP NEXT
Syracuse goes back out on the road to take on Miami Saturday, Oct. 21 at 3:30 p.m.

The next Orange home game is Saturday, Nov. 11 when Wake Forest comes to the Dome. Tickets to watch the Orange and Demon Deacons are available online (Cuse.com/tickets), by phone (888-DOME-TIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B).

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