Orange Comeback Bid Falls Short

Friday, October 15

Syracuse, N.Y.

7 PM

Syracuse University

3-4 , 0-3

Clemson

4-2 , 3-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Clemson

Syracuse

10/15/2021 11:04:00 PM | Football

Box Score Highlights Press Conference Players Press Conference Postgame Notes

Fourth-straight week Orange contest decided in the final minute

For the fourth-straight week, Syracuse came down to the wire. However, the Orange ended up on the wrong side of their bid to defeat Clemson, falling 17-14 after a game-tying field goal attempt missed in the final minute.

Sean Tucker tied a school record with his fifth-straight 100-yard rushing game. He finished with 22 carries for 157 yards and improved his season total to 948 yards. It's the 20th best single-season rushing total in program history through just seven weeks.

Clemson struck first after a scoreless first quarter. DJ Uiagalelei threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Ngata with 9:06 to go before half. The score was after the Orange backed up the Tigers to third and long, but Ngata made a highlight-reel catch to get off the field with points.

Syracuse responded with a touchdown of their own to knot things at seven with 5:33 on the clock, when Garrett Shrader's two-yard rush made it 7-6 and Andre Szmyt's kick attempt tied the game at 7. On that PAT, Szmyt became the all-time leader in career points at Syracuse with 336 career points.

Clemson went ahead with a touchdown just before halftime. Kobe Pace rushed into the end zone with nine seconds remaining to lead 14-7.

The two teams went into a defensive stalemate in the third quarter which neither team scored and notched a combined 106 total yards in the frame.

Clemson's Potter had a 40-yard field goal with 9:22 to play in regulation to give the Tigers a 17-7 lead, but Syracuse again made things interesting late. Shrader delivered a 62-yard touchdown strike through a big hit to Trebor Pena. It was Pena's first collegiate touchdown reception.

A huge stop by the Orange defense put the ball back in Shrader's hands as 'Cuse stormed down the field but a missed their 48-yard attempt on fourth and one sealed the game in favor of the visitors with 39 seconds to go.

Shrader threw for 191 yards, one touchdown and had one interception in the loss. He found nine different targets in his 17 completions on the day and ran for his ninth touchdown of the season.

Syracuse's 14 points were the second-most scored on Clemson this season.

The Orange (3-4, 0-3 ACC) lost their third-straight conference game by three points. Syracuse next travels to Virginia Tech on Saturday, Oct. 23 for a 12:30 p.m. kickoff in Lane Stadium. The game will be televised on Regional Sports Networks.