Dungey, Orange 'D' Lead SU Upset of Hokies

Saturday, October 15

Syracuse, NY

3:45 pm

Syracuse University

3-4 , 1-2

Virginia Tech

4-2 , 2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Virginia Tech

Syracuse

Photo by: Charles Wainwright

10/15/2016 7:30:00 PM | Football

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'Cuse stuns No. 17 Virginia Tech, 31-17

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Syracuse (3-4, 1-2 ACC) broke open a 17-17 contest with back-to-back touchdowns in the fourth quarter and finished with a 31-17 victory against No. 17 Virginia Tech (4-2, 2-1 ACC) in the Carrier Dome on Saturday, Oct. 15. The triumph marked the Orange's first win over a ranked team since 2012 and raised SU's record to 8-2 all-time in home games against the Hokies.

Quarterback Eric Dungey led the charge, completing 28-of-53 passes for 311 yards and a touchdown. He also established career rushing bests with 24 carries for 106 yards and a score. Dungey's 417 yards of total offense were also a personal high, and he became the first quarterback in school history throw for 300 yards and run for 100 yards in the same game.

The Orange defense held a Hokie offensive unit that came into the game averaging 39.4 points per game to a season-low 17 points, including just three in the first half. SU also forced two Virginia Tech turnovers and limited the Hokies to two touchdowns in five trips to the red zone. Safety Daivon Ellison finished with 11 tackles and linebacker Zaire Franklin chipped in with 10 stops.

When Virginia Tech tied the game at 17-all, Syracuse coach Dino Babers' squad didn't blink. Dungey engineered a 17-play, 75-yard drive that featured a fourth-down conversion from the Virginia Tech 37. He put on the finishing touches by diving in from the 1-yard line, as Syracuse regained the lead, 24-17, with 7:56 left.

The Orange defense then forced Virginia Tech to punt on the ensuing series and Brisly Estime scampered 20 yards on the return, giving Syracuse the ball at the Hokies' 37. Following an incomplete pass, three straight Syracuse runs had the Orange in the end zone again. This time it was Dontae Strickland carrying it in from 16 yards out, and Cole Murphy's fourth extra point put the hosts up 31-17 with 5:23 left.

Virginia Tech had one last chance to get back in the game, but the series ended in a turnover. After quarterback Jerod Evans scrambled for six yards, Chris Slayton stripped the ball and De'Jon Wilson recovered at the Hokies' 47-yard line with 4:08 remaining. The Orange picked up three first downs and Dungey took a knee on the final play to seal the victory as Syracuse fans streamed onto the field in celebration.

That feeling you get when you beat the No. 17 team in the country. ???? #OrangeIsTheNewFast pic.twitter.com/HXxv7L6F2i
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) October 15, 2016

In addition to being SU's first win against a top-25 team in four years, the victory also marked the first time the Orange defeated a Coastal Division opponent since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2013.

Heavy underdogs, Syracuse kept the trend of getting off on the right foot by scoring first for the fourth time in five games. Dungey completed four straight passes to start the game, the fourth on a third-and-4 from the Orange 42. The pass found the hands of Ervin Phillips and resulted in a 58-yard touchdown and 7-0 SU advantage less than two minutes into the contest.

Virginia Tech answered midway through the first quarter, as Joey Slye's 36-yard field goal narrowed the margin to 7-3 with 6:13 left in the opening period.

The Orange's second score came even quicker thean the first. On the first play of the second quarter, Dungey pitched the ball to Strickland who stopped and lofted a perfect pass to Estime. After hauling it in, Estime outraced a Hokie defender to the end zone for an 84-yard touchdown. The scoring strike represented the longest play of the season to date for Syracuse and gave the Orange a 14-3 advantage.

Meanwhile, the Syracuse defense continued to give the Hokies fits. Tech's three second quarter possessions resulted in a turnover on downs, a punt and a missed field goal. After Slye pushed a 45-yard attempt wide to the left, SU took over with 1:47 to play in the half. Dungey moved the Orange 39 yards in eight play and Murphy booted a career-long, 51-yard field goal with four seconds left ro extend the advantage to 17-3.

In the third quarter, Virginia Tech bounced back. The Hokies marched 83 yards in nine plays on the first possession of the second half, capped by an Evans 12-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Ford. Syracuse's Kendall Coleman blocked Slye's extra-point try, making it a 17-9 game.

Coleman's blocked PAT was one of key plays by the Orange defense, and the unit rose to the ocassion again later in the third quarter. With the Hokies threatening at the Syracuse 7-yard line, Rodney Williams intercepted an Evans pass in the end zone to halt the drive.

When Murphy missed a 51-yard field goal on the ensuing Orange possession, Virginia Tech had another opportunity and this time took advantage. The Hokies drove 66 yards in nine plays and Evans tossed his second TD pass of the game, this one a 10-yarder to Bucky Hodges. Trailing 17-15, Virginia Tech went for two and Evans connected with Chris Cunningham to tie things up early in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for the Orange's final surge.

Philips finished with 11 catches for a career-high 139 yards, while Estime had eight receptions for a personal-best 131 yards. They were the first 100-yard receiving games for both players, and the occasion represented the first time since 2007 two Orange receivers topped 100 yards in the same game.

Evans was 20-of-33 for 307 yards and two touchdowns for Virginia Tech. He also carried the ball 11 times for 61 yards. Ford had eight catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. Cam Phillips also totaled 83 yards receiving on three catches. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds paced the Tech defense with a game-high 16 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss.

Syracuse returns to action next Saturday, Oct. 22 at Boston College. Kickoff is at 12:30 p.m. and the game will air live on the ACC Network.

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