NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
The Syracuse Orange took on the (6) Miami Hurricanes at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday and it was an instant classic. A shootout in Syracuse brought these teams back to their Big East glory days:
1st Half
Touchback on the opening kickoff, Miami took over on their 25-yard line and the dome got loud from the start—a quick 6-yard gain on the ground and an incomplete pass. Pressure was on but Miami converted. Miami is showing off some speed and getting right back on the ball. Short run followed by a mid-range pass and the Hurricanes approach the red zone and get there on a 9-yard run. Bad call early and a falling receiver draws the flag despite limited contact, 1st and goal to go. Touchdown on a short run(Fletcher Jr), 7-0, Miami.
Hurricanes kick off and it bounced through the end zone and Syracuse was right on the ball. The first play was to Orande Gadsden Jr for 36 and leQuint Allen rushed for 3. Another rush and Syracuse quickly faced 3rd and 4. McCord to Pena picked up the first. After a quick pass to Darrell Gill Jr., Kyle McCord hit Trebor Pena for a 40-yard TD but an extremely late flag brought it back. A run by Gill Jr, a 5-yard flag on Miami, third and short and Allen gets back to the line. Syracuse went for it and a broken-up pass caused the turnover on downs with tight coverage. Syracuse looked good but separation by the receivers was hard to come by.
Miami took over on their 37 and the first play was a first down followed by a breakdown in coverage and Miami was quick to march down the field. Two plays and they were within the 30-yard line of Syracuse. 3rd and short from the 21 and the noise level intensified. A fake on the handoff and a QB keeper picked up the first followed by a short run by Martinez. Syracuse gave up too much of a cushion to guard the endzone and a 15-yard pick fell just short of the end zone and we have our first review, touchdown. 14-0 Miami.
First play of Syracuse’s drive and the offensive line was in this lap instantly for a sack for a loss of 8. A 14-yard pick-up made it 3rd and 4. Pass protection broke down again, McCord scrambled but picked up nothing forcing Syracuse to punt. A home team bounce and Miami was pinned back at the 6.
Miami continued to rip off big gains as speed proved to be too much for the Cuse to handle, a 40-yard pass followed by a 19-yarder. Miami slowed it down on the next play with a 4-yard rush. With no pressure up front Maimi is having their way. Damien Martinez with a run on the outside for another big gain of 21.
First and goal, incomplete. Flethcher Jr for 3, 3rd and 2. Wide open a quick pass to Arroyo, 21-0 Miami. The Orange continued to get hammered by a faster and more physical team.
No return for Syracuse and they opened the next series with a 2-yard run. Justice Ross-Simmons with an 18-yard gain followed by a quick strike to Gadsden for 5. McCord continued to attack the left side and Allen with the first. Trebor Pena fought for a huge 26-yard gain. A spin move by LeQuint Allen and a fight toward the endzone got Syracuse on the board after a very fast 7-play, 75-yard drive. 21-7 Hurricanes.
McCord becomes the first Syracuse Orange QB to pass for over 4,000 yards after completing that drive.
A quick hit in the backfield, loss of a yard, 2nd and 11 followed by a 6-yard pass. Syracuse had them in a third down and it fell incomplete as both the WR and defender laid out. Miami punts for the first time today and the Orange got the ball on their 33.
Good coverage on the first pay and McCord was forced to fire it into the turf. A 6-yard pass to Allen then Jackson Meeks picked up the first. LeQuint Allen with a first-down rush. Incomplete then a short pass, 3rd and 7. A defender got a little too close and DPI was called. The Orange tried to get the run game going and slow down Miami as Wiullis picked up 5 followed by what looked to be 5 but was short of the sticks, but an Orange first down pushed the pile.
Allen keeps his legs going and a short gain turned into 4 yards. McCord with the keeper on a designed run. LeQuint Allen proving he’s ready to take over with a catch and run down to the 9. Dan Vallari with a drop after a good stick by the defender. Corner of the end zone with a defender all over the receiver and no call, but McCord went right back to the left and Jackson Meeks came down uncontested as the defender fell. 21-14 Miami.
Miami continues to attack a soft zone and the Hurricanes pick up 25. Two rushes and two short stops, 3rd and 6. Two-minute warning. The next play was tipped away after the Orange applied pressure and Miami was forced to punt.
Pressure forced McCord to throw a quick pass to Pena followed by a 4-yard gain by Allen. Jackson Meeks picked up the big third-down conversion for 9 yards. McCord tried to thread the needle and had it broken up then right to Allen for 5 but a rushed throw to Gadsden forced Syracuse to punt and a fair catch at the Hurricane 25. 16-yard pass but flags were down and holding negated the play. The clock ran out, and the half closed 21-14 Miami
HALFTIME
Kickoff, touchback. Syracuse ball at their 25. Just out of reach of Jackson Meeks for a big gain, second down. McCord responds with a big play to Trebor Pena but flag down, DPI that was declined. 50-yard complete to Pena. Right back to him on the opposite side, touchdown! Tie game.
Another touchback and a big gain by Miami (Restrepo) for 20. Poor tackling as Ward scrambled for a first down of 17. Orange keeping the run game in check so far but another big pass over the middle to Arroyo for 27 put Miami in an “and goal” situation. Incomplete, short run and it was 3rd and goal. Fletcher Jr. powered his way into the end zone for a quick answer. Both teams are in full attack mode coming out of the locker room. 28-21 Hurricanes
Kickoffs are obsolete in this one and another touchback. Syracuse was right over the ball but the play took too long to develop and a bick sack for a loss of 8. 33-yard completion to Jackson Meeks and Syracuse took it to mid-field. 10-yard pick-up by Pena. After a 4-yard pickup on the ground, LeQuint Allen with a big catch and hurdle for 21. Then they go right back to him for 5 more followed by the touchdown to Jackson Meeks for 9 yards. All square at 28. 7 more plays, 75 more yards, and a TD.
The crowd serenades the Dome with Mr. Brightside by the Killers during the break. A ton of energy today as Syracuse proved so far they can hold their own. The kickoff and first play featured a bad snap brought in by Ward that tipped at the line and almost intercepted. Holding negated a 40+ yard rush by Miami 2nd and long. A big sack and the crowd let them know for a loss of 10, 3rd, and 25. Pressure caused Ward to throw it away, no flags and the Hurricanes have to punt deep in their own territory. Pressure forced a quick punt by Joyce.
Cuse took over with a 5-yard rush to mid-field. After a tackle for a loss, Orande Gadsden II powers his way to a 25-yard pickup. Yasin Willis on the next carry, fumbles but is under review. Call stands, turnover SU after an 11-yard pickup. Their first big mistake of the game.
A big pickup of 29 yards by Martinez as momentum shifted in favor of Miami. The run defense of the Orange starts to show signs of fatigue and Canes pick up 4 more. A stop and brought up 3rd and 4. A strip fumble was returned by Devin Grant for the TD! Review confirms their first lead of the day, 35-28 Orange.
A quick pass to Arroyo opens the Hurricanes’ next drive, followed by another quick pass 3rd and 4 and Miami gets exactly 4 for the first down but it is under review for a spot. The replay shows he’s short but the refs give him the spot, first down and that ends the quarter.
Ward took a shot deep just out of reach of Restrepo, second down. A 9-yard run brought back to a 3-yard pickup as the runner’s knee was down and it was 3rd and 6. Syracuse faced a big 3rd down stand but a penalty was gifted to the Hurricanes with defensive holding, first down. Miami answers with back-to-back passes of 9 yards (Horton) and 40 yards(Restrepo) and the play is under review for a spot, ruled out on the 2, and stands. 1st and goal from the 2, Damien Martinez carries over the goal for a fighting TD. Back to even 35-35.
The Orange come out right on the ball, McCord rolls out and hits Gadsden II for 8 yards, followed by a LeQuint Allen first down. They went right back to him as he fought to get back to the LOS, gaining only 1, but right back to him on the pass, and a first down. McCord to Meeks close to the red zone for a 29-yard pass. Incomplete, a short rush into a 3rd and 8 that fell incomplete but a DPI kept the drive alive. Allen for a short pickup from the 5-yard line to the 3 and right back to him for the TD. 42-35 Orange.
A mix of noise and timing causes a false start to the Hurricane drive, but a 16-yard pickup. Mid-range passed followed by short 3rd and short and Jordan Lyle pushed the chains forward. 16-yard gain to Jacoby George then a 9-yard pickup by Martinez. A good mix of run and pass kept the drive alive for Miami while the clock kept running. and a tipped pass brings up 3rd down but a DPI kept it going. A tipped pass tipped again, and dropped to the turf. Unsportsmanlike on Miami brings the ball back 15 yards. 2nd and goal from the 23 then Miami gets 8 yards back. Ward scrambled to pick up 5 and will settle for a FG and good. 42-38 Syracuse.
A weird fair catch but Syracuse will take it at the 25 and get right on the ball. LeQuint Allen with a 10-yard pickup and hurdle. You could tell he wanted this win. He picked up 4 more followed by another first down run that takes us to the two-minute warning. The Dome is bumpin’ right now.
After the stoppage, Allen gets to the outside on a 5-yard gain forcing a Miami timeout and a frustrated defender jumps offsides giving SU the first down. Allen on the carry gets stood at the line second down. Syracuse looking to eat up the clock as they should’ve. Trebor Pena on the end around and picks up the first down for 11 yards! Victory formation and the fans take the field!
This game was a wild ride and showed just how far the Syracuse Orange have come this season. With their bowl game hopes on the horizon, the Orange closed the Dome in style in their finale.
