Sunday Sidebar: Feeling the Rush
11/4/2018 12:00:00 PM | Football
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Wake Forest decided to limit Syracuse's passing attack. So, the Orange decided that if they were to beat the Demon Deacons, they would have to do it a different way.
A week after throwing for 480 yards against NC State, the second-highest team passing total in program history, Syracuse ran the ball 60 times for 264 yards (4.4 avg.) and five touchdowns yesterday, using a steady and persistent ground attack en route to a 41-24 victory at BB&T Field.
"It's what the defense was giving us," head coach Dino Babers said after the game. "That Wake Forest defense was banged up, and that's the way we needed to attack them."
Wake Forest opened up a 10-0 lead midway through the first quarter. Syracuse converted only one first down across its first three drives, as the Demon Deacons' secondary took away senior quarterback Eric Dungey's passing lanes. Dungey was 0-of-5 on Syracuse's initial three series, and he started the game by missing on his first six throws.
"They really weren't going to let us throw the football," Babers said. "We thought maybe they'd change their mind. No, they weren't going to change their mind. So, we said 'We need to run the football.'"
And the Orange did just that.
Syracuse turned to junior running back Moe Neal on its fourth series, and he capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to three. After a fumble recovery gave Syracuse the ball deep inside Wake Forest territory, freshman Jarveon Howard ran it in from a yard out with a little over a minute left in the first quarter to put the Orange in front, 14-10.
Syracuse never trailed again, leaning on its running game for the remainder of the contest.Â
Dungey rushed for a team-high 119 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown, on 24 carries. It was his sixth career 100-yard rushing game and his 30th career rushing score. Dungey now ranks 12th all-time among ACC quarterbacks with 1,867 rushing yards.
"Wake Forest went all out to stop the throwing game, but when you do that, it opens up the running game," Dungey said after the game. "The offensive line did a great job of getting holes open, and the running backs did a good job of carrying the ball."
Neal finished with 11 carries for 67 yards. Howard added another 1-yard TD run in the second quarter in addition to his first-quarter scoring plunge.
Senior tailback Dontae Strickland had 13 carries for 64 yards, and sophomore fullback/tight end Chris Elmore got in on the action, as well, scoring his second rushing touchdown of the year in the third quarter.
The five rushing TDs and 264 yards on the ground were the Orange's most this season in conference play. And on a day when Wake Forest played fewer defenders in the box to take away the pass, Syracuse showed its versatility as an offense.
"[Wake Forest] went all out to stop the pass," Dungey said. "They did a great job covering, but at the end of the day, it opens up the running game. If you're going to go all out to stop the pass, then you've got to take into account the run."
For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
A week after throwing for 480 yards against NC State, the second-highest team passing total in program history, Syracuse ran the ball 60 times for 264 yards (4.4 avg.) and five touchdowns yesterday, using a steady and persistent ground attack en route to a 41-24 victory at BB&T Field.
"It's what the defense was giving us," head coach Dino Babers said after the game. "That Wake Forest defense was banged up, and that's the way we needed to attack them."
Wake Forest opened up a 10-0 lead midway through the first quarter. Syracuse converted only one first down across its first three drives, as the Demon Deacons' secondary took away senior quarterback Eric Dungey's passing lanes. Dungey was 0-of-5 on Syracuse's initial three series, and he started the game by missing on his first six throws.
"They really weren't going to let us throw the football," Babers said. "We thought maybe they'd change their mind. No, they weren't going to change their mind. So, we said 'We need to run the football.'"
And the Orange did just that.
Syracuse turned to junior running back Moe Neal on its fourth series, and he capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to three. After a fumble recovery gave Syracuse the ball deep inside Wake Forest territory, freshman Jarveon Howard ran it in from a yard out with a little over a minute left in the first quarter to put the Orange in front, 14-10.
Syracuse never trailed again, leaning on its running game for the remainder of the contest.Â
Dungey rushed for a team-high 119 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown, on 24 carries. It was his sixth career 100-yard rushing game and his 30th career rushing score. Dungey now ranks 12th all-time among ACC quarterbacks with 1,867 rushing yards.
"Wake Forest went all out to stop the throwing game, but when you do that, it opens up the running game," Dungey said after the game. "The offensive line did a great job of getting holes open, and the running backs did a good job of carrying the ball."
Neal finished with 11 carries for 67 yards. Howard added another 1-yard TD run in the second quarter in addition to his first-quarter scoring plunge.
Senior tailback Dontae Strickland had 13 carries for 64 yards, and sophomore fullback/tight end Chris Elmore got in on the action, as well, scoring his second rushing touchdown of the year in the third quarter.
The five rushing TDs and 264 yards on the ground were the Orange's most this season in conference play. And on a day when Wake Forest played fewer defenders in the box to take away the pass, Syracuse showed its versatility as an offense.
"[Wake Forest] went all out to stop the pass," Dungey said. "They did a great job covering, but at the end of the day, it opens up the running game. If you're going to go all out to stop the pass, then you've got to take into account the run."
For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
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