Tag: Orange

Nov 30, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Miami Hurricanes linebacker Wesley Bissainthe (31) breaks up a pass intended for Syracuse Orange running back LeQuint Allen (1) during the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

No. 6 Miami loses out on ACC title berth, falls at Syracuse

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kyle McCord passed for 380 yards and three touchdowns as the host Syracuse Orange rallied to upset the sixth-ranked Miami Hurricanes 42-38 in an ACC game on Saturday.

Syracuse trailed 21-0 but took its first lead, 35-28, in the third quarter on a 56-yard fumble recovery by Devin Grant. The Orange never trailed again.

A win would’ve put Miami in the ACC title game next Saturday against SMU. Instead, Miami (10-2, 6-2) ended its regular season with two upset losses in its final three games.

Syracuse (9-3, 5-3) got two touchdown receptions from Jackson Meeks (seven catches, 110 yards). Teammate Trebor Pena caught six passes for 128 yards and one TD.

Cam Ward led Miami, passing for 349 yards and two TDs. He leads the nation with 36 TD passes, and he also went over 4,000 passing yards for the season.

McCord, who leads the nation in passing yards, also went over 4,000 yards for the season.

Hurricanes wide receiver Xavier Restrepo caught nine passes for 148 yards and one touchdown. He went over 1,000 receiving yards for the second straight season, but his fumble led to Grant’s TD.

After Miami’s 21-0 lead, Syracuse rallied to cut its deficit to 21-14 by halftime.

On those two Orange TDs, LeQuint Allen ran eight yards, and Meeks won a 9-yard jump-ball battle against cornerback Daryl Porter Jr., who ended up on the turf.

Syracuse took the second-half kickoff and scored in three plays. McCord hit Pena with a 50-yarder and then a 25-yard touchdown, tying the score, 21-21.

Miami responded with a 75-yard TD march, capped by Mark Fletcher Jr.’s 2-yard run.

Syracuse tied the score on another 9-yard TD pass to Meeks — this time on a slant — and the Orange were driving again when Miami’s Bobby Pruitt forced and recovered a fumble. Yasin Willis was the Syracuse running back who got stripped at the Miami 17.

But Restrepo fumbled, and Grant’s return changed momentum.

Miami tied the score on Damien Martinez’s 2-yard run with 13:02 left. That was set up by a 40-yard completion to Restrepo.

Syracuse went back on top, 42-35, on Allen’s 3-yard run with 9:16 left.

With less than four minutes remaining, Miami faced a fourth-and-goal at the 10. Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal — instead of going for the touchdown — opted for a field goal. Miami closed its deficit to 42-38 on Andres Borregales’ 27-yard field goal, but the Hurricanes never got the ball back.

–Field Level Media

Nov 9, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) throws a pass against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the third quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Quarterbacks in spotlight when No. 6 Miami visits Syracuse

Posted on | by Field Level Media

It didn’t take Syracuse first-year coach Fran Brown long to figure out the key matchup for Saturday afternoon’s Atlantic Coast Conference game visiting Miami.

“Syracuse has a really good quarterback,” Brown said of Kyle McCord, “and Miami has a really good quarterback (Cam Ward).”

With a win on Saturday, the No. 6 Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 ACC) can clinch a berth in the league championship game against SMU.

Miami is a 10 1/2-point favorite for Saturday’s game.

Syracuse (8-3, 4-3) has reached eight wins for just the fourth time since 2002, going 8-5 in 2010 and 2012 and 10-3 in 2018. However, the Orange haven’t defeated a Top-10 team since knocking off Clemson in 2017.

Miami leads the nation in scoring (44.7), and the Hurricanes will count on perfect passing conditions in Syracuse’s dome.

That could be huge for Ward, who leads the nation with 34 touchdown passes, ranking second in passing yards (3,774) and fourth in passing efficiency.

Ward’s top target is wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, who needs just 21 yards to reach 1,000 for the second straight season.

Restrepo also ranks tied for seventh in the nation with 10 TD receptions.

Ward has some other top targets, including 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end Elijah Arroyo, who is a walking mismatch because of his size and speed. He leads Miami with 18.5 yards per reception.

Hurricanes wide receivers Isaiah Horton and Jacolby George have combined for 12 TD passes, and Sam Brown has added two more. Each of them has more than 500 receiving yards this season.

Miami’s running game features battering ram Damien Martinez (739 yards, 5.5 average, eight TDs); versatile Mark Fletcher Jr. (499 yards, 5.7 average, six TDs); and game-breaking freshman Jordan Lyle (361 yards, 8.6 average, four TDs).

Defensively, Miami’s big-play man is safety Mishael Powell, who ranks second in the ACC with five interceptions.

“He’s all about winning,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of Powell. “He’s a smart, self-starting team player.”

On special teams, Miami kicker Andres Borregales ranks second in the ACC with 97 points. He is 52-for-52 on extra points and 15-for-16 on field goals.

Meanwhile, McCord ranks No. 1 in the nation in passing yards (3,946) and tied for seventh in TD passes (26). McCord, a transfer from Ohio State, has also set Syracuse’s single-season record for passing yards.

In last week’s 31-24 win over Connecticut, McCord passed for a career-high 470 yards. However, McCord is just 46th in the nation in passing efficiency, due in part to his high total of interceptions (12).

Syracuse also has three of the top six pass-catchers in the ACC in terms of yards: tight end Oronde Gadsden II (810) and wide receivers Jackson Meeks (801) and Trebor Pena (743).

Gadsden, who is from the greater Miami area, has had three straight 100-yard games. He is the son of former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Oronde Gadsden.

Syracuse’s run game is led by LeQuint Allen, who has rushed for 819 yards, a 4.3 average and 12 TDs.

The issue for Syracuse could be its defense, which ranks 13th in the ACC in points allowed (27.8).

Miami’s defense is fourth (22.3).

Even so, Syracuse coach Brown said he’s excited about this matchup.

“I heard Miami is going to come deep,” Brown said of Miami fans. “It’s going to be intense in the stands. It’s going to be intense on the field. I think this is a game everyone wants to see.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Kyle McCord (6) throws a pass against the California Golden Bears during the second quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Back on track, Kyle McCord looks to lead Syracuse past UConn

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Less than a month ago, Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord threw five interceptions in a lopsided loss to Pittsburgh.

McCord and the Orange appear to be back on track but will face a stiff test Saturday when Connecticut visits for a nonconference clash.

In the Oct. 24 defeat to Pitt, McCord threw three pick-sixes in the first half alone. He did not pass for a touchdown against the Panthers, but since he has thrown five TDs and only one INT while the Orange (7-3) are 2-1 over their last three outings.

“I’m biased, but Kyle McCord’s a top-five quarterback in the country,” Syracuse coach Fran Brown said. “He don’t get beat up about it, he don’t complain about it, he’s just, ‘It is what it is, let’s move on to the next thing.’ Without him, our program wouldn’t be where it’s at right now.”

McCord passed for 323 yards and a touchdown Saturday at Cal, helping the Orange earn a 33-25 victory. LeQuint Allen ran for 109 yards and two TDs for Syracuse, while the Orange defense grabbed a pair of interceptions en route to a 27-7 halftime lead.

“I’m proud that they came together and played as a full team (in the) last game — complementary football,” Brown said.

The Huskies (7-3) are coming off a solid game as well, as they rallied with 21 fourth-quarter points to knock off UAB 31-23. Cam Edwards’ 48-yard TD run with 2:39 left proved to be the decisive score as UConn won for the sixth time in seven games.

However, the Huskies had a bye last weekend, so UConn coach Jim Mora Jr. doesn’t expect to receive a ton of momentum from the win over the Blazers.

“That game’s 12 days ago, so that’s way out of our minds,” Mora said Tuesday. “But they’re confident because they practiced well today. That’s how we try to look at it. … That’s where we’re at.”

The former Big East Conference rivals have met 12 times over the years. Most recently, Syracuse posted a 48-14 road win over UConn on Sept. 10, 2022.

–Field Level Media

Oct 24, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Rasheem Biles (31) returns an interception for a touchdown against the Syracuse Orange during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

No. 19 Pitt uses 5 INTs to smother Syracuse, stay perfect

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Rasheem Biles, Kyle Louis and Braylan Lovelace each returned an interception for a touchdown during a wild first half as No. 19 Pittsburgh cruised past visiting Syracuse 41-13 on Thursday.

Eli Holstein completed 11 of 15 passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns for the Panthers (7-0, 3-0 ACC), who have won their first seven games for the first time since 1982. Pitt won despite managing just 217 total yards, going 2 of 9 on third downs and possessing the ball for less than 19 minutes.

Syracuse’s Kyle McCord threw five interceptions — including four in the first half — and finished 35 of 64 for 321 yards. At one point, McCord had three completions and three interceptions, and things did not get much better thereafter as the Orange (5-2, 2-2) saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt.

On Syracuse’s first possession, McCord’s pass was intercepted by Biles, who stepped in front of an out route and ran 35 yards uncontested to the end zone.

A couple of minutes later, McCord had another pass intercepted — this time by Brandon George on a fortuitous play. McCord’s pass was deflected up in the air multiple times before George, who was lying on his stomach, snagged the ball just before it hit the turf.

That turnover led to a 49-yard field goal by Ben Sauls.

The next Orange possession resulted in another pick-6, as Louis stepped in front of McCord’s pass and weaved through Syracuse players en route to a 59-yard TD return.

Pitt’s first offensive touchdown came early in the second quarter, when Holstein found Censere Lee over the middle for a 20-yard score.

The cherry on top of the first-half uprising came with 1:12 left, when Lovelace grabbed a deflected screen pass and rumbled 33 yards to the end zone.

The Panthers’ fifth interception — a snag by Phillip O’Brien Jr. near the end of the third quarter — set up another touchdown for the hosts. Three plays later, Holstein found Raphael Williams Jr. over the middle for a 29-yard score.

Syracuse found the end zone twice in the second half, on a 1-yard QB sneak by McCord and a 2-yard TD rush by Dan Villari.

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein (10) passes against the California Golden Bears during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Pittsburgh won 17-15. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

No. 19 Pitt prepares for Syracuse tilt as schedule gets tougher

Posted on | by Field Level Media

No. 19 Pitt is off to its best start in more than 40 years, but Syracuse should present a formidable challenge when the teams match up Thursday night on the Panthers’ home field.

The Panthers (6-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) have not been 7-0 since 1982, but they can continue their splendid season with a win over the Orange (5-1, 2-1). Syracuse, which landed two spots out of the Top 25 this week, likely will join the rankings with a win over Pitt, adding an element of intrigue to Thursday’s affair.

Both teams are coming off a bye week, as each squad is taking the field for the first time since Oct. 12.

That day, Pitt survived a 17-15 nailbiter against Cal as Desmond Reid ran for two touchdowns in the first half and the Panthers’ defense stepped up with six sacks. However, Pitt managed just 277 yards of total offense — nearly 250 below its season average entering the day — and did not score a point in the second half.

Coach Pat Narduzzi was glad to escape with the win, but he said Monday that he knows his team must continue to improve.

“I’m not surprised (that we’re undefeated),” Narduzzi said. “I’m never surprised at anything in this world, but we need to respond.”

With a tough stretch of games coming up — including ranked foes SMU and Clemson in November — the Panthers cannot afford to go through a tough stretch. Beginning this week, they’ll likely need to be at their best to defeat the talented Orange.

“It’s great we’re undefeated,” defensive tackle Sean FitzSimmons said, “but we’re focused on the week that we’re going to. We’ve got Syracuse and we’ve got to go 1-0 vs. them.”

That won’t be easy, given the play of Orange quarterback Kyle McCord. The Ohio State transfer ranks in the top 10 nationally in passing yards (2,160) and passing touchdowns (19). He threw for 346 yards and two scores in a 24-17 triumph over North Carolina State in Syracuse’s most recent game.

The Orange need one more victory to match their win total from 2023. In either case, their first season under coach Fran Brown has already been a major step in the right direction.

“He’s transformed that football team,” Narduzzi said. “I think they’re elite.”

Brown was also quite complimentary about Narduzzi’s squad this week. In particular, Reid — who has been dynamic in the rushing game and the passing game — has caught Brown’s eye.

“I think he’s a complete running back,” Brown said, “so that’s why he’s having success. … I like what I see on film from him. He’s a really good football player.”

Eli Holstein has passed for 1,697 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Panthers, while six different players have between 16 and 26 receptions for Pitt. Konata Mumpfield leads the team in catches (26) and receiving yards (463).

“We’ve got a lot coming,” Brown said. “We’ve got a lot to handle.”

Syracuse snapped a five-game losing streak in the series with a 28-13 victory at Yankee Stadium last season. The Orange compiled 392 rushing yards, while the Panthers committed four turnovers — all in the second half.

“Every loss burns,” FitzSimmons said, “but we’re looking to get that game back. I have confidence in us that on Thursday, we’re gonna have a day.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 13, 2024; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; UNLV Rebels head coach Barry Odom looks on during the first half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Children's Mercy Park. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

No. 25 UNLV begins tough stretch by hosting Syracuse

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Every team faces challenges over the course of a long season, but No. 25 UNLV absorbed a major dose of adversity last week.

The Rebels passed their first test following the departure of starting quarterback Matthew Sluka and will look to ace another challenge Friday when Syracuse visits Las Vegas for an intriguing nonconference matchup.

UNLV (4-0) is ranked for the first time in program history, but it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for the Rebels.

They won their first three games behind Sluka, who racked up six passing touchdowns while running for a team-high 253 yards. However, Sluka left the team last Tuesday after a disagreement over unfulfilled NIL promises.

The sudden departure left UNLV coach Barry Odom scrambling to get Hajj-Malik Williams ready to start against Fresno State, although that contest turned into a one-sided affair with the Rebels prevailing 59-14. Williams, a transfer from Campbell, threw three touchdowns and ran for a score. He finished 13-of-16 for 182 yards and added 12 carries for 119 yards.

“It’s tough any time you’re playing against someone like Hajj who can run and throw,” Syracuse coach Fran Brown said. “It’s a nightmare for the defensive coordinator and the head coach. You think about it all week.”

Odom, meanwhile, does not want his team to be satisfied with sitting at the end of the rankings. After Friday’s contest, the Rebels play three of their next four games on the road with the only home date being a matchup against No. 21 Boise State.

So UNLV has little margin for error with the tough stretch looming.

“I think it is exactly where UNLV football should be,” Odom said, referring generally to the national rankings. “That’s our goal — one of our goals — is to be in the top 25 and continue to climb and have a position where every single week, on the national stage, we have a place (in the rankings).”

Ricky White has been up and down through UNLV’s first four contests. In Weeks 1 and 3 against Houston and Kansas, respectively, he totaled five catches for 15 yards without a score. In the other two games vs. Utah Tech and Fresno State, he racked up 15 catches for 238 yards and five touchdowns.

White certainly will be part of the focus as Syracuse (3-1) develops its game plan defensively. The Orange limited Holy Cross to 203 total yards and 2-of-14 third-down conversions in last week’s 42-14 romp.

Still, Brown — like his UNLV counterpart — isn’t close to satisfied.

“I don’t think we’re nowhere near where we can be,” Brown said postgame. “We’ve just got to keep growing.”

Kyle McCord has been picked off twice in each of the last two games, but he has generally been impressive in his first season with Syracuse. The Ohio State transfer had 1,459 passing yards and 14 touchdowns through four contests, throwing for at least 339 yards in every game.

Trebor Pena leads the team in catches (26), receiving yards (316) and touchdown grabs (five), although various Syracuse receivers have taken turns shining offensively over the last month.

Jackson Meeks was in the spotlight against Holy Cross, registering 10 grabs for 161 yards and a score.

“My mentality is always the same — attack, attack, attack,” Meeks said.

This is the first ever meeting between the teams.

–Field Level Media

Sep 20, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Kyle McCord (6) passes against the Stanford Cardinal during the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Kyle McCord, Syracuse pass way past Holy Cross

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kyle McCord passed for 385 yards and four touchdowns as Syracuse beat Holy Cross 42-14 on Saturday in Syracuse, N.Y.

It’s the fourth straight 300-yard passing game to open the season for McCord, who was 28 of 50 and also threw two interceptions. Jackson Meeks had 10 catches for a career-high 161 yards and a touchdown.

KingJoseph Edwards recorded three sacks for the Orange.

Joe Pesansky was 12-for-22 passing for 167 yards, a touchdown and an interception for Holy Cross. Max Mosey made five catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. Jacob Peterson added 48 receiving yards and a touchdown.

The Orange (3-1) have won 14 straight games against Holy Cross (1-4) for a 25-5 series record and are 22-0 all-time against FCS teams.

Holy Cross went three-and-out on its first three drives, while Syracuse scored touchdowns on its first three.

On its opening drive, Syracuse scored when McCord scrambled to his left and found a sliding Umari Hatcher in the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown catch and a 7-0 Syracuse lead.

McCord, an Ohio State transfer, hit Darrell Gill Jr. for a 23-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead on the second Syracuse drive. And a 38-yard pass from McCord to Meeks gave Syracuse a 21-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter.

Holy Cross then rallied to score on consecutive possessions. Pesansky found Mosey wide open out of the slot for a 63-yard touchdown pass to make the score 21-7. After the Crusaders’ defense forced a three-and-out, Holy Cross reached into its bag of trick plays to make the score 21-14 in the second quarter.

Pesansky tossed the ball backward to running back Sam Slade, who drew in the Syracuse defense. Before he crossed the line of scrimmage, Slade threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Peterson with 6:45 left in the second quarter.

After Syracuse forced Holy Cross to punt from its end zone, the Orange covered 54 yards in six plays and scored on a 4-yard touchdown pass from McCord to Trebor Pena for a 28-14 lead with 32 seconds left in the first half.

LeQuint Allen added a 1-yard touchdown run as time expired in the third quarter to give the Orange a 35-14 lead.

Syracuse took its largest lead of the day in the fourth quarter when defensive back Jayden Bellamy intercepted a Pesansky pass and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown and a 42-14 lead.

After four straight home games to open the season, the Orange will be away from the JMA Dome for the entire month of October and play three road games.

–Field Level Media

Sep 20, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Stanford Cardinal quarterback Ashton Daniels (14) runs as Syracuse Orange defensive back Clarence Lewis (3) defends during the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Stanford tops Syracuse on last-second field goal to earn first ACC win

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Emmet Kenney kicked four field goals, including a 39-yarder as time expired, to send visiting Stanford to a 26-24 win over Syracuse on Friday night.

Playing in their first Atlantic Coast Conference game following a long run in the Pac-12, the Cardinal (2-1, 1-0 ACC) never trailed until the waning minutes. Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord found receiver Darrell Gill Jr. for 24 yards on third-and-17 then hooked up with Jackson Meeks for a 13-yard TD with 3:13 remaining as the hosts jumped ahead 24-23.

However, the Orange (2-1, 1-1) were unable to stop Stanford on the final possession. Ashton Daniels’ 27-yard back-shoulder throw to Elic Ayomanor on fourth-and-9 set up the Cardinal at the 18-yard line, allowing Kenney to drill the winning kick in the final seconds.

McCord finished 27 of 42 for 339 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, plus a rushing score. Daniels went 23 of 38 for 178 yards with one TD and two picks.

McCord accounted for two touchdowns — one for each team — in the latter portions of the third quarter. With a little more than four minutes left, he was intercepted by Mitch Leigber, who returned it 71 yards to put Stanford ahead 20-10 following the extra point. However, McCord got the points right back for the Orange, scoring on a 19-yard run in which he jumped over a defender on his leap into the end zone.

McCord’s second interception of the game — this one nabbed by Jay Green — set up the Cardinal around midfield less than a minute into the fourth quarter. The visitors drove into the red zone before settling for Kenney’s 35-yard field goal that made it 23-17 with 9:19 to play.

After the teams exchanged punts to begin the contest, Stanford drove 78 yards — capped by Ayomanor’s one-handed TD grab — to open the scoring. Another punt by the Orange set up Kenney’s 38-yard field goal to make it 10-0 early in the second quarter.

The Cardinal still held a 10-point advantage, 13-3, after Kenney’s 51-yard field goal with 1:35 remaining in the half. Yet, that left Syracuse enough time to cash in on McCord’s last-minute 67-yard TD pass to Umari Hatcher, whose defender fell down on the play.

–Field Level Media

Sep 7, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Kyle McCord (6) throws a pass in the second quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Kyle McCord, Syracuse welcome Stanford to ACC

Posted on | by Field Level Media

After a long run in the Pac-12 Conference, Stanford makes its Atlantic Coast Conference debut Friday night when it visits Syracuse and its impressive quarterback, Kyle McCord.

The Cardinal (1-1, 0-0 ACC) are now part of a 17-team league that features a recognizable face in Cal, another newcomer in SMU and the 14 returning teams from a season ago. The Orange (2-0, 1-0) are included in that latter group and are coming off a big victory against another veteran ACC foe, Georgia Tech.

The Yellow Jackets, then ranked No. 23, visited the Orange two weekends ago and left with a 31-28 loss. McCord threw for 381 yards and four touchdown passes for Syracuse, giving him 735 yards and eight TD strikes through the first two games of the season.

“I’m very thankful, of course, and the team is thankful to have him as our quarterback,” Orange coach Fran Brown said of the Ohio State transfer.

Meanwhile, Stanford trounced FCS foe Cal Poly its last time out, posting a 41-7 victory as Ashton Daniels and Elijah Brown combined to complete 26 of 30 passes for 318 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

“So much of a quarterback is just experience and knowing what to expect,” Cardinal coach Troy Taylor said of Daniels, “and he just continues to grow in that area. He’s a dynamic runner, he’s a physical runner and he gives us a chance (to win). … I’m sure glad he stuck around to stay with us.”

Special teams could be key in determining the winner of this one. Stanford returned a punt for a touchdown, blocked a field goal and converted a fake punt in its last game, while Syracuse had a punt blocked, had a field goal blocked and failed to recover a Georgia Tech onside kick in its most recent contest.

“Those things are momentum changers,” said Cardinal cornerback Collin Wright, who recorded an interception in the Week 2 win.

This is the first ever meeting between the teams.

–Field Level Media

Sep 7, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Kyle McCord (6) throws a pass in the second quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Kyle McCord leads Syracuse past No. 23 Georgia Tech

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kyle McCord threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns as host Syracuse defeated No. 23 Georgia Tech 31-28 on Saturday in Atlantic Coast Conference action.

McCord, a highly regarded transfer from Ohio State, finished 32 of 46 without a turnover, while finding Oronde Gadsden II and Trebor Pena for two scores apiece. Gadsden racked up six catches for 93 yards for the Orange (2-0, 1-0 ACC), while Pena finished with six receptions for 88 yards.

Playing as a ranked team for the first time since 2015, the Yellow Jackets (2-1, 1-1) were led by dynamic quarterback Haynes King, who threw for 259 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 67 yards and two scores.

Georgia Tech made a furious push in the final minutes but was unable to stop the Orange on their final possession.

Syracuse was in rhythm from the start, scoring a touchdown on three of its first four drives. The only missed opportunity during that stretch came on a 13-play drive that ended in a blocked field goal.

McCord opened the scoring with a nicely thrown back-shoulder pass to Pena, who slipped into the end zone just 2 1/2 minutes into the game. King then drew the visitors even when he kept his balance on a backfield tackle attempt and ran in for a 21-yard score.

Early in the second quarter, McCord and Pena hooked up for their second 11-yard TD strike of the day. After the Orange defense forced a four-and-out, the offense cashed in on McCord’s 20-yard TD pass to Gadsden.

Things were looking great for Syracuse when it stuffed Georgia Tech on fourth down early in the fourth quarter and then went ahead 31-14 on McCord’s well-thrown 17-yard TD pass to Gadsden.

However, the Yellow Jackets scored two touchdowns down the stretch. First, they found the end zone on a 4-yard pass from King to Chase Lane. Then, following a successful onside kick, Georgia Tech’s Jamal Haynes scampered in from 15 yards out to make it 31-28 with 2:31 to play.

Georgia Tech opted to kick it deep and never got the ball back. McCord’s 13-yard pass to Gadsden on third-and-10 essentially sealed the outcome.

–Field Level Media