Orange Falls at No. 17 Florida State, 45-21

Saturday, October 31

Tallahassee, FL

12 pm

Syracuse University

3-5 , 1-3

Florida State

7-1 , 5-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Syracuse

Florida State

Photo by: Charles Wainwright

10/31/2015 3:38:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Dungey rushes for two touchdowns in loss

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Orange rookie quarterback Eric Dungey recorded a pair of first-half rushing touchdowns, but No. 17 Florida State (7-1, 5-1 ACC) outscored Syracuse (3-5, 1-3 ACC) in the second half 17-7 to pull away for a 45-21 victory at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Dungey scored on a pair of 1-yard runs against a Seminole defense that had allowed just two rushing TDs total in its first seven games. Dungey has accounted for at least two touchdowns in all seven games of his young career and has 16 touchdowns rushing and passing, two shy of Donovan McNabb's freshman record for touchdown responsibility (18) set in 1995.

Dungey was 11-of-24 through the air for 120 yards and hit six different receivers Saturday. He also finished with 46 rushing yards on 13 carries.

Sophomore linebacker Zaire Franklin led the Orange in tackles for the second straight week, recording nine stops, while sophomore linebacker Jonathan Thomas tallied a career-best seven tackles in his first extended action of the season.

Tight end Josh Parris hauled in a season-high four passes to lead the Orange receiving corps. George Morris rushed for 55 yards on six attempts to pace the Syracuse ball carriers.

The Orange got the scoring started on its second drive of the game. After a 62-yard screen pass from Dungey to classmate Dontae Strickland brought the ball down to the FSU 4-yard line, Dungey punched it in from a yard out two plays later. Cole Murphy tacked on the extra point to give Syracuse a 7-0 lead with 8:23 left in the first quarter.

Unfortunately for 'Cuse fans the advantage didn't last long. FSU tied the score 15 seconds later when backup quarterback Sean Maguire, who filled in for injured starter Everett Golson, hit Travis Rudolph for a 75-yard touchdown to knot things up at seven with 8:08 remaining in the frame. Another Maguire-to-Rudolph scoring pass later in the quarter, this one covering 45 yards, put the Seminoles ahead, 14-7.

Florida State hit paydirt again with 12:55 to go before halftime when freshman tailback Jacques Patrick rumbled into the end zone from two yards out. Roberto Aguayo's point after extended the margin to 21-7.

With the home team threatening to pull away, the Syracuse defense stepped up. The Orange withstood a nine-play FSU drive that ended with a missed field goal by Aguayo, and forced a three-and-out on the next Seminoles' possession.

Dungey and the Orange offense took advantage. The freshman signal caller rushed for 25 yards on SU's last series of the half, capping the 45-yard scoring march with a 1-yard touchdown run to the edge. Murphy again provided the point after to trim the Florida State lead to 21-14 with 56 seconds to go, but the hosts quickly stole the momentum back again. FSU capitalized on a short kickoff, going 58 yards in 45 seconds with Patrick closing out the seven-play drive with a 1-yard TD run with nine seconds left to make the score 28-14 at the break.

In the third quarter, the combination of Maguire and Rudolph struck for the third time. After a Dungey fumble, the duo combined on a 19-yard TD pass that pushed the FSU advantage to 35-14. The touchdown was the first of 17 straight Seminole points, which also included a 28-yard touchdown run by Patrick and a 35-yard field goal by Aguayo, that put the game out of reach.

SU's Brisly Estime capped the game's scoring by returning his second punt for a touchdown this year. Estime took Cason Beatty's boot back 59 yards through traffic with 1:20 to go for the first punt return TD allowed by the Seminoles since 2001. In addition, Estime became the first Orange player with multiple punt return touchdowns in a season since Quinton Spotwood set the school record with four in 1997.

Maguire fueled an FSU offense that recorded 575 total yards. He was 23-for-35 passing for 348 yards and three touchdowns – all to Rudolph. Patrick, who filled in for injured tailback Dalvin Cook, rushed 24 times for 162 yards and three scores. Rudolph totaled 191 yards on five receptions and three touchdowns.

Derwin James and Reggie Northrup each tallied a a game-high 12 tackles to lead the FSU defense.

Next up, Syracuse faces its fourth road test in five weeks when it makes its way to Louisville on Saturday, Nov. 7 for a matchup with the Cardinals. Kickoff is slated for 12:30 p.m. at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

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