#CuseTop10: Defense Does In UConn

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – As 2016 draws to a close, Cuse.com is counting down the best 10 plays from this year's Orange football season. One play will be featured each day with the top play revealed on New Year's Eve.

Play No. 5 on our countdown is the combination interception return for a touchdown by Cordell Hudson, and Zaire Franklin's fourth-and-goal stop on UConn quarterback Bryant Shirreffs in SU's 31-24 victory over the Huskies on Sept. 24 at Rentschler Field.

THE SETUP: With less than a minute to go in the third quarter, the game was tied 17-17. The Huskies had the ball inside their own 10-yard line and faced a third-and-8 when Hudson recorded his first career pick-six. In the fourth quarter, Hudson's touchdown was still the difference, but UConn was inside the SU 10 and threatening to tie the game. Three straight runs by Ron Johnson yielded six yards, forcing the Huskies to either settle for a field goal or go for it on fourth-and-goal from the two.

THE PLAYS: Shirreffs rolls to his right and throws for the sideline. His pass is tipped by a diving Franklin into the hands of Hudson, who runs it back 22 yards for the score. Later, Franklin thwarts Shirreffs again. This time Shirreffs sprints right with the option to run or pass. He decides to keep it and tries to dive for the end zone. Franklin comes up and meets Shirreffs at the one, stopping him short of the goal line.

THE AFTERMATH: Hudson's pick-six gave the Orange a seven-point lead that Franklin's goal-line stop preserved. After Franklin's hit on Shirreffs, the Orange took over on the one and went 99 yards in 13 plays to take a 31-17 advantage with less than three minutes to play. Syracuse ended up winning by seven to pick up its first road win of the Dino Babers era. Hudson registered seven tackles, one forced fumble and one pass breakup to go along with his interception-return TD. Franklin totaled 14 tackles against the Huskies, including 2.5 for a loss, and was named the ACC's Linebacker of the Week.

#CuseTop10
No. 10 – Sean Riley's blocked punt vs. NC State | Watch
No. 9 – Ervin Philips' diving TD reception vs. USF | Watch
No. 8 – De'Jon Wilson's fumble recovery vs. Virginia Tech | Watch
No. 7 – Moe Neal's 49-yard TD run vs. Colgate | Watch
No. 6 – Amba Etta-Tawo's 68-yard TD reception at Boston College | Watch
No. 5 – Cordell Hudson's pick-six & Zaire Franklin's fourth-down stop at UConn | Watch

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Players Mentioned

Eric Dungey

Amba Etta-Tawo

Zaire Franklin

Cordell Hudson

Moe Neal

Ervin Philips

Sean Riley

De'Jon Wilson

Syracuse University Athletics