Orange Battle Tough at #1 Clemson

Saturday, October 24

Clemson, SC

12 PM

Syracuse University

1-5 , 1-4

Clemson

6-0 , 5-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Syracuse

Clemson

10/24/2020 4:01:00 PM | Football

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Syracuse cornerback Garrett Williams returned an interception for a touchdown and Nykeim Johnson hauled in a 83-yard touchdown pass from Rex Culpepper as the Orange gave No. 1 Clemson a scare Saturday before losing 47-21 to the Tigers.

In their third road game of the season – all against ranked teams – the Orange (1-5, 1-4 ACC) overcame an early 17-0 deficit to pull within one score of Clemson (6-0, 5-0), making the game 27-21 before the Tigers pulled away. While Clemson added on late to pull away to a 26-point win, Syracuse out-gained Clemson on the ground and averaged more yards per play than the nation's top team.

Making his second consecutive start in place of injured quarterback Tommy DeVito, Culpepper completed 10-of-26 passes for 175 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. Freshman running back Sean Tucker gained 63 yards on 10 carries with his third touchdown of the season before leaving the game in the second quarter due to an injury.

Wide receiver Anthony Queeley had five receptions for 58 yards. Johnson, who had a 61-yard run on a reverse in addition to his touchdown catch, notched 154 total yards.

Defensively, Williams led the Orange with eight tackles, two pass breakups and the interception, which was the first pick-six surrendered in the career of Tigers' quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Linebacker Mikel Jones notched seven tackles, while defensive tackle McKinley Williams recorded two tackles for a loss, including a sack.

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, one of the leading Heisman Trophy candidates, completed 27-of-43 passes for 289 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Running back Travis Etienne rushed for 86 yards on 16 carries. Wide receiver Amari Rodgers caught eight passes for 91 yards as the Tigers held a 455-325 edge in total yards.

Trailing 27-14 at the half, the Orange struck early in the second quarter when Culpepper, on first down from the Syracuse 17, found Johnson racing down the right sideline at around the Tigers' 45. Johnson hauled in the pass and raced into the end zone for the longest touchdown of his career (by one yard) as the Orange sliced Clemson's lead to 27-21.

After falling behind 17-0 in the game's first 11 minutes, the Orange fought back and outscored the Tigers 14-10 in the second quarter. On a Clemson fourth down late in the first quarter, Syracuse defensive lineman Drew Tuazama's blocked a punt, which was recovered by Kyle Strickland, to give the Orange a spark. It was Syracuse's first blocked punt since Sean Riley performed the feat against Wagner in 2018.

On a third-and-12 play from the Tigers' 22, Culpepper connected with Queeley for 14 yards to set up Tucker's seven-yard touchdown run that put the Orange on the scoreboard.

Late in the first half, Lawrence eyed Rodgers over the middle but Williams picked the ball off at the Clemson 39 and went the distance for Syracuse's third defensive touchdown of the season to slice Clemson's lead to 24-14.

Syracuse entered Saturday's game leading the nation with 16 turnovers and a +11 turnover margin. No team in the FBS has more takeaways than Syracuse's 73 since the start of 2018.

After the Orange pulled tight, Clemson recovered a fumble and returned it for a score, ending the game with three-straight touchdowns to pull away.

The Orange return home to face ACC foe Wake Forest at Noon Saturday. The game will be televised on ACC Network.

Gallery: (10-24-2020) Syracuse at Clemson