Recap: 'Cuse Caps Perfect Dome Season with Win Over Louisville

Friday, November 9

Syracuse, NY

7 PM

Syracuse University

8-2 , 5-2

Louisville

2-8 , 0-7

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Louisville

Syracuse

Recap: 'Cuse Caps Perfect Dome Season with Win Over Louisville

11/9/2018 10:36:00 PM | Football

Box Score Highlights Photo Gallery Dino Babers Press Conference Jamal Custis Press Conference Eric Dungey & Kielan Whitner Press Conference Postgame Notes Quotes

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No. 13 Syracuse (8-2, 5-2 ACC) used a 30-point, second-quarter explosion to defeat Louisville (2-8, 0-7 ACC) by the score of 54-23 in its final home game on Friday, Nov. 9 in the Carrier Dome.

The Orange raised their record to 6-0 in the Dome this season, the fourth unbeaten home campaign in the building's history, and they did it in front of a season-high crowd of 42,797.

Senior quarterback Eric Dungey completed 14-of-27 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown. He also ran 16 times for 62 yards and two scores.

Overall, Syracuse ran for 326 yards and five touchdowns in the victory, snapping the Cardinals' four-game winning streak in the series.

HOW IT WAS DECIDED
In a span of 8:15 Syracuse turned a tight, 10-7 contest, into a 37-7 game at halftime.

Louisville had just gotten on the board on a 13-yard touchdown pass from redshirt sophomore quarterback Jawon Pass to classmate Dez Fitzpatrick. The Orange took over from its own 26 with 9:43 left in the second period. Following a seven-yard scamper by Dungey, junior running back Moe Neal burst up the middle and sprinted to the end zone for a 67-yard touchdown. Redshirt freshman Andre Szmyt's extra point pushed the Orange lead to 17-7.

Two snaps into Louisville's next possession, Pass fumbled and junior defensive end Alton Robinson recovered at the Cardinals' 25-yard line. Syracuse settled for a Szmyt 29-yard field goal to move ahead, 20-7.

The second play of the next Louisville series resulted in another turnover, this time an interception by freshman safety Andre Cisco, that he returned 39 yards to the Louisville 2-yard line. After three consecutive penalties and two rushing attempts into the middle of the Cardinals' defense, Dungey plowed into the end zone. Szmyt's extra point made it 27-7, Syracuse.

For the third consecutive possession, Louisville lost the ball on its second play. Pass fumbled and sophomore defensive end Kingsley Jonathan pounced on the loose ball at the Cardinals' 21-yard line. The Orange advanced to the 12 before Szmyt was called on for a 35-yard field goal that increased the lead to 30-7.

The visitors attempted to change their fortunes by switching their quarterback, but redshirt sophomore Sean McCormick had his arm hit on a first-down pass attempt and senior linebacker Kielan Whitner came away with the interception. Neal scored for the second time, this time on a 2-yard run, and Szmyt's conversion extended the lead to 37-7 with 1:28 left before halftime.

In all, Louisville ran seven plays and turned the ball over four times during the stretch.

AN EVENLY SCORED THIRD QUARTER
The two rivals traded touchdowns in the third quarter. Dungey capped a 75-yard drive with a 1-yard scoring plunge on the opening drive of the second half.

The Cardinals answered at the end of the quarter. Hassan Hall's 7-yard TD run came with six seconds left in the third frame and completed a seven-play, 95-yard march.

ORANGE LIGHTNING STRIKES IN THE FOURTH
Syracuse reverted to "Orange is the New Fast" form in the final stanza. Syracuse went 91 yards in five plays, with the decisive blow a 65-yard bomb from Dungey to sophomore wideout Nykeim Johnson for the Orange's first passing touchdown of the evening.

Szmyt tacked on his fourth field goal of the game midway through the quarter, a 38-yard kick, that increased the Syracuse advantage to 54-14.

CARDS CLOSE OUT THE SCORING
Louisville added a 31-yard field goal by Creque and a 4-yard touchdown run by Colin Wilson in the final seven minutes of play. Creque's extra-point try was no good, producing the 54-23 final.

SYRACUSE SPECIAL TEAMS SETS UP FIRST SCORE
The Orange special teams unit atoned for a fumbled punt return early in the game by blocking a Louisville field goal. Redshirt sophomore Josh Black got a hand on a 50-yard attempt by Creque. Senior safety Antwan Cordy scooped up the loose ball and returned it 31 yards to the Louisville 41.

Dungey found Sean Riley open at the 4-yard line for a 37-yard gain. Two plays later redshirt freshman Jarveon Howard bulled his way into the end zone from a yard out for the game's first points.

FLAGS WERE FLYING
There were 24 penalty committed by the two teams. The Cardinals were flagged 17 times for 125 yards and the Orange were penalized seven times for 65 yards.

SENIOR SENDOFF
Friday was Senior Night in the Dome and 25 young men were honored in a brief ceremony before the game, including these 17 players: WR Ben Brickman, OL Cody Conway, DB Antwan Cordy, WR Jamal Custis, OL Keaton Darney, QB Eric Dungey, LB Ryan Guthrie, LS Matt Keller, TE/FB Kyle Kleinberg, OL Koda Martin, DB Sean Onwualu, DB Tyrone Perkins, TE Ravian Pierce, OL Aaron Roberts, DL Chris Slayton, RB Dontae Strickland and LB Kielan Whitner.

BABERS BITE
"I'm really proud of this class and things they have been able to achieve," head coach Dino Babers said. "We will always remember the 2018 class and the season where they went undefeated at home."

OF NOTE

In addition to 2018, the Orange also went undefeated in the Carrier Dome in 1987, 1988 and 2001. Each time Syracuse was 6-0.
Szmyt, a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, finished the night with six extra points and four field goals for a total 18 points. Szmyt has a school-record 132 points, eclipsing the previous record of 128 by Walter Reyes in 2003.
Szmyt now has 27 field goals, tying the ACC single-season record. He shares the mark with Florida State's Sebastian Janikowski (1998), Gary Cismesia (2007) and Roberto Aguayo (2014) and Clemson's Greg Huegel (2015).
Neal ran for a career-high 159 yards on eight carries, including the two scores. His previous best effort on the ground was 116 yards earlier this year against Connecticut.
Dungey jumped from 13th to ninth in career rushing attempts at Syracuse. He passed Dee Brown (1997-00), Curtis Brinkley (2005-08), David Walker (1989-92) and Floyd Little (1964-66) and now has 506.
Dungey has a rushing touchdown in seven consecutive games and 32 career rushing scores. He moved past Duke's Brandon Connette and into fifth place on the ACC's record list for most quarterback rushing touchdowns.
Syracuse scored five rushing TDs for the second week in a row and the third time this season. The Orange have 32 ground scores on the season, the second-highest team total in program history behind the 1998 squad's 34.
Whitner and fellow senior Ryan Guthrie and finished with eight and nine tackles, respectively.
The field-goal block by Black that led to the Orange's first touchdown was Syracuse's first since 2013 against Tulane (John Raymon).
The Orange's 30 points in the second quarter were their most ever in one period against an ACC opponent. The previous record was 27 in the fourth quarter at Pittsburgh in 2016.

UP NEXT
Syracuse plays No. 3 Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on Saturday, Nov. 17. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally by NBC.

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