#TBT: Syracuse Defeats Maryland in '87 Opener

Thirty years ago, the Syracuse football team made history, finishing the regular season with an 11-0 record and earning an invitation to the Sugar Bowl where it tied Auburn. This fall, Cuse.com will celebrate the 30th anniversary of that historic team each week with a recap of each contest from the 1987 campaign.

Syracuse opened the '87 season against Maryland, looking to avenge its loss from the 1985 Cherry Bowl. The date was Sept. 5 and the game was played in the friendly confines of the Carrier Dome.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For the first time in three years, Syracuse was victorious in its campaign starter by defeating Maryland 25-11 to kick off head coach Dick MacPherson's seventh year at the helm. Kicker Tim Vesling connected on a career-high four field goals to pace the Orange.

Running back Robert Drummond hit Tommy Kane on a 55-yard option pass on the first play from scrimmage and Vesling hit the first of his four field goals to set the tone. Syracuse scored on each of its first four possessions and led 22-0 at the half. Kane finished the day with four catches for 125 yards.

Nose guard Ted Gregory had 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks, spearheading an Orange defense that allowed only 48 rushing yards. The Syracuse secondary, led by Jim Thorpe Award nominee Markus Paul, shut down Maryland's vaunted passing game. The Terrapins could do nothing until a 42-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds to play.

"I knew Gregory was a good football player, but their entire front line played very well," Maryland head coach Joe Krivak said after the game. "We made some plays at the end of the game, but it really didn't matter. We got whipped pretty good."

Score By Quarter	1	2	3	4	F
Maryland	0	0	3	8	11
Syracuse	12	10	0	3	25

Scoring Summary
Team	Play	Score
SU	Vesling 32-yd field goal	3-0
SU	Vesling 31-yd field goal	6-0
SU	Drummond 1-yd run (run failed)	12-0
SU	Vesling 32-yd field goal	15-0
SU	McPherson 1-yd run (Vesling kick)	22-0
UMD	Plocki 43-yd field goal	22-3
SU	Vesling 38-yd field goal	25-3
UMD	Joines 42-yd pass from Henning (Abdur-Ra'oof 3-yd pass from Henning)	25-11

Team Stats	SU	UMD
First Downs	14	16
Rushing Yardage	143	48
Passing Yardage	200	241
Total Offense	343	289
Passes	8/23	19/36
Passes Intercepted By	0	3
Punts/Avg.	6/37.8	7/44.1
Kickoff Returns	3/41	8/131
Fumbles/Lost	2/0	4/3
Penalties/Yards	7/75	6/50

RUSHING: Syracuse – Drummond 13-44, Owens 8-35. Maryland – Lowery 16-42.

PASSING: Syracuse – McPherson 7-21-3-145. Maryland – Henning 19-36-0-241

RECEIVING: Syracuse – Kane 4-125, Glover 3-61. Maryland – Lowery 7-63, Joines 3-67, Abdur-Ra'off 3-62.

Season tickets, partial plans, group tickets and individual game tickets for 2017 Orange football are on sale now online (Cuse.com/tickets), by phone (888-DOME-TIX) and at the Carrier Dome Box Office (Gate B). Tickets start at $25 for non-conference games against Central Connecticut State, Middle Tennessee and Central Michigan, $30 for ACC matchups with Wake Forest and Boston College, $35 for the Oct. 7 Pittsburgh game on Orange Central Weekend, and $45 for the Clemson game on Oct. 13.

For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).

Syracuse University Athletics

Related News

Related Videos