Syracuse finally got the kind of finish it had been chasing all season.
After letting double-digit leads slip away against Virginia and Louisville earlier in the year, the Orange held on just long enough Saturday to knock off No. 19 SMU at the JMA Wireless Dome. The win pushed Syracuse to 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the ACC, while SMU fell to 6-2.
It was anything but comfortable. Syracuse took a 20-10 lead into halftime, then watched SMU surge ahead 27-23 late in the fourth quarter. But with less than 30 seconds left, Steve Angeli connected with Noah Meyers on a 2-yard touchdown pass to put the Orange back in front for good.
The ground game stayed at the center of Syracuse’s plan, just as it has for much of the season. The Orange ran the ball 37 times for 138 yards, averaging 3.7 yards per carry, and scored two rushing touchdowns. Ahmad Miller finished with 56 yards, Tylik Hill added 54, and Angeli broke loose for a 26-yard touchdown run in the first quarter to give Syracuse an early 7-0 lead.
Angeli’s night wasn’t limited to that run. He also delivered the biggest throw of the game when it mattered most, finding Meyers for the go-ahead score in the closing seconds.
The passing game had a more even distribution than usual. Umari Hatcher remained the top target, finishing with six catches for 65 yards, but Syracuse got more help around him. Three other players recorded at least three receptions, and freshman Calvin Russell III caught three passes for 41 yards.
Russell’s box score doesn’t tell the whole story. He had a touchdown catch over a defender wiped out after a very close review, and another strong catch-and-run on third down was erased by a questionable holding penalty. Even without the numbers to match, he flashed the kind of talent that stands out immediately.
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings still put up plenty of production, going 26-of-39 for 351 yards and two touchdowns. Even so, Syracuse found ways to disrupt the Mustangs with six sacks and two fumble recoveries.
Special teams also gave the Orange a lift. Tripp Woody went 3-for-3 on field goals and 3-for-3 on extra points. He missed a field goal on a second chance, and another attempt hit the upright before going in, but Syracuse will take the clean result after the struggles it has had there.
Now the Orange sit back at .500, with a bowl berth still in reach. Syracuse needs at least six wins to get selected for a bowl for the second time in three years, which means it has to go 2-2 over its final four games. The schedule ahead includes Clemson, North Carolina State, Boston College and Notre Dame.
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