Recap: Orange Come Up Short at No. 3 Clemson, 27-23

Saturday, September 29

Clemson, SC

12 PM

Syracuse University

4-1 , 1-1

Clemson

5-0 , 2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Syracuse

Clemson

Recap: Orange Come Up Short at No. 3 Clemson, 27-23

9/29/2018 3:28:00 PM | Football

Box Score Highlights Photo Gallery Dino Babers Press Conference Eric Dungey Press Conference Kendall Coleman Press Conference Postgame Notes Quotes

CLEMSON, S.C. – Syracuse (4-1, 1-1 ACC) gave No. 3 Clemson (5-0, 2-0 ACC) all it could handle on its home field before a touchdown in the final minute secured a 27-23 Tigers' victory Saturday, Sept. 29 at Memorial Stadium.

Clemson running back Travis Etienne scored three touchdowns, including the game-winner. His 2-yard run with 41 seconds left completed the Tigers' rally from a 23-13 deficit early in the fourth quarter. Etienne finished the afternoon with 27 carries for a career-best 203 yards.

Syracuse senior quarterback Eric Dungey completed 26-of-41 passes for 250 yards and ran for two touchdowns.

HOW IT WAS DECIDED
Down 23-13 with 12:58 left in the contest, the Tigers, led by reserve freshman quarterback Chase Brice, put together scoring drives of 75 yards and 94 yards down the stretch. Etienne finished the initial series with a 26-yard touchdown run and ended the second with a 2-yard scoring run.

The Orange had one last opportunity following Etienne's third score of the day, but after a holding call on first down, Dungey was sacked by Clemson's Xavier Thomas for an 8-yard loss. Facing second-and-30, Dungey connected with senior Jamal Custis for 13 yards. Dungey misfired on third-and-17. He completed a fourth-down pass to senior running back Dontae Strickland, but Strickland was brought down after a 6-yard gain and time expired.

SCORING SUMMARY
The Orange came away with points on each of its first two possessions. After taking the opening kickoff, Syracuse moved into Clemson territory before the drive stalled at the Tiger 17. Freshman kicker Andre Szmyt put the first points on the board with a 35-yard field goal.

Clemson's first series lasted just two plays. Freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence fumbled a handoff and Syracuse junior defensive end Alton Robinson recovered at the Clemson 30. The Orange were unable to produce a first down, but Szymt kicked a career-long, 51-yard field goal to put Syracuse up 6-0.

The hosts responded before the end of the first quarter, moving 60 yards in 10 plays, capped by Etienne's 1-yard scoring plunge. The extra point gave Clemson a 7-6 advantage.

In the second quarter, Syracuse capitalized on a 47-yard missed field goal by Clemson kicker Greg Huegel. The Orange took over at its own 30, and faced with a third-and-five situation, Dungey found freshman Taj Harris for 51 yards. Dungey followed with a 12-yard completion to Moe Neal that put the ball at the Clemson 2-yard line. Dungey found the end zone himself two plays later and Syracuse recaptured the lead, 13-7.

The Orange tacked on a field goal in the final minute of the second frame. Dungey and Co. produced a 13-play, 75-yard drive that used up 4:21. Dungey converted one third down by teaming with Custis for 31 yards, and Szmyt finished the series with a 32-yard field goal with 24 seconds remaining to push the Syracuse lead to 16-7 at the intermission.

Playing without Lawrence, who was hurt in the second quarter, Clemson turned to backup quarterback Chase Brice and Brice engineered two drives that resulted in field goals of 43 and 37 yards by Huegel. The kicks pulled Clemson within three, 16-13, heading into the fourth quarter.

Clemson's defense held Syracuse scoreless in the third quarter, but an alert special-teams play sparked the Orange again. On the last play of the stanza, Clemson's Amari Rodgers signaled for a fair catch on a Sterling Hofrichter punt. Rodgers fumbled the ball and Custis recovered at the Clemson 10-yard line.

An 8-yard run by Dungey on third down put the ball on the one. Syracuse went for it and Dungey bulled his way into the end zone. Szmyt's second PAT extended the Orange's lead to 23-13 with 12:58 to play.

The Orange mustered only first down on their last three possessions, while the Tigers rode the hot hand of Etienne the rest of the way to stay unbeaten.

SYRACUSE SACK EXCHANGE
The Orange defense tallied four quarterback sacks in the contest and are averaging five sacks a game over their last three outings. Junior defensive end Kendall Coleman had two sacks for the second time in three games. Redshirt senior defensive tackle Chris Slayton had one and junior strong safety Evan Foster had the fourth, a hit that knocked Trevor Lawrence out of the game.

MR. SZMYT GOES TO CLEMSON
Szymt continued the impressive start to his rookie campaign, hitting all three of his first-half field goals.

The three field goals matched his career high for the second game in a row. Szmyt has now converted multiple field goals in all five games this season. He is 13-for-14 (.929) on the year.

BABERS BITE
"It was a big contest, it was a big game," Syracuse head coach Dino Babers said. "They came back with a backup quarterback [Chase Brice] and found a way to win that football game at home. That's a good football team over there, and good coaches over there."

OF NOTE

Senior linebackers Kielan Whitner and Ryan Guthrie each had 11 tackles for the Orange.
Dungey's two rushing touchdowns moved him into sixth on Syracuse's career list (27), passing all-time leading rusher Joe Morris (26).
Custis, junior Devin C. Butler and Neal each had five receptions for the Orange.
Etienne's touchdown with 54 second to go in the first quarter, and the ensuing extra point, gave the Tigers a 7-6 advantage and marked the first time the Orange trailed this season.
Syracuse held Clemson's vaunted front four of Austin Bryant, Dexter Lawrence, Clelin Ferrell and Christian Wilkins to a combined 10 tackles and no sacks. The Tigers' lone sack was by reserve defensive end Xavier Thomas late in the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT
Syracuse is on the road for the second straight weekend, this time traveling to Pittsburgh for an ACC crossover matchup with the Panthers Saturday, Oct. 6 at Heinz Field. The game will be televised on Raycom Sports beginning at 12:20 p.m.

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