Syracuse and Clemson were deadlocked at 3-3 midway through the first quarter Saturday after both teams opened with quick strikes and then settled in.
Clemson drew first blood when running back Jarvis Green ripped off a 52-yard run on the first play of the game, pushing the Tigers to Syracuse’s 23-yard line. The Orange stiffened from there, giving up just one yard over the next two snaps. Clemson then came up two yards short on third down and chose the safe route, taking a 31-yard field goal for the early lead.
Syracuse answered with a long march of its own. Steve Angeli hit Justus Ross-Simmons on an 18-yard back-shoulder fade and later found Calvin Russell III on a 3rd-and-17 conversion to keep the drive alive. The Orange reached the Clemson 8 before settling for a 25-yard field goal from Tripp Woody.
The drive came with a scare for Syracuse, as right guard Jayden Mann was injured on the field goal attempt and had to be helped off the field.
The game kicked off at noon Saturday in the JMA Wireless Dome and was being televised on ESPN2.
Syracuse entered the day at 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the ACC, looking to get above .500 for the first time since its season-opening win. The Orange also had a chance to claim their first single-season three-game conference winning streak since 2022.
Angeli’s return under center gave Syracuse a familiar face for a matchup that carries some history. His breakout moment came in last season’s upset of Clemson in Death Valley, though that celebration ended quickly when he tore his left Achilles tendon. Syracuse then went without another ACC win until beating North Carolina two weeks ago.
The Orange have shown more life late in games lately, scoring 31 points in the fourth quarter and overtime across their two conference wins. Those victories came with Billy Edwards Jr. and Kevin Jennings at quarterback, and Syracuse needed every bit of that late push.
This week’s opponent brought a different kind of challenge. Clemson arrived with the ACC’s worst passing offense and was missing four starters on that side of the ball.
A win would give Syracuse a timely boost before next week’s trip to N.C. State, where the Orange would likely be favored to secure bowl eligibility. Fran Brown had already warned his team not to fall into the familiar trap of following up a big win with a flat one, and the setting Saturday should help keep the focus sharp.
Clemson was also shorthanded on offense. The Tigers were without left guard Elyjah Thurmon and center Harris Sewell, forcing a sophomore and a freshman into those spots. Running back Gideon Davidson, who is averaging 5 yards per carry this season, was out as well, along with wide receiver Tyler Brown, Clemson’s second-leading receiver.
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Syracuse's Costly Clemson Confusion Came Down To One Crucial Rule
A late-half clock management lesson turned into a costly moment for Syracuse during its game with Clemson, when quarterback Steve Angeli ran a play with two seconds left instead of spiking the ball. The confusion stemmed from a little-known rule that prevents spikes with less than three seconds remaining, a detail that even the broadcast team and some players appeared not to have fully grasped in the moment.
For the Orange, it was the kind of sequence that can swing a half because the margin for error is so small. The takeaway is straightforward but unforgiving: after a first down, players need to get down immediately if they want any chance of preserving time for another snap, because once the clock gets that low, the spike is no longer an option. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Let Clemson Hang Around Until One Brutal Mistake Changed Everything
Syracuse had the kind of game at the JMA Wireless Dome where every possession felt magnified, and for long stretches the Orange did enough defensively to keep Clemson within reach. The atmosphere was lively before kickoff too, with the ACC Networks ACC Huddle setting up on Syracuses Shaw Quadrangle, but once the game settled in it turned into the sort of tight, physical ACC fight that often comes down to who makes the fewest mistakes.
Steve Angeli and the Syracuse offense never found much rhythm through the air, and the turnovers eventually became too costly to survive in an 18-13 loss. The critical turning point came on a backward pass that Clemson turned into a defensive touchdown, a brutal swing in a game where Syracuse had spent so much time hanging around and giving itself a chance. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Turns Clemson Visit Into A Huge Recruiting Test
Hosting Clemson is always a measuring-stick moment, but Syracuse is also turning the matchup into a recruiting showcase. A large group of prospects will be on campus, giving the Orange a chance to sell the program in person while the spotlight is brightest. Several visitors have already come away with positive impressions of the facilities, the coaching staff and the culture around the program, which is exactly the kind of early momentum Syracuse wants when it is trying to make a strong impression.
Quarterbacks Twigg and Davis, along with athlete Shuford, are among the recruits who have been in contact with Syracuse coaches throughout the process, and those conversations have helped shape their view of the program. The visit gives the Orange a chance to build on that interest, but the bigger question is how much traction Syracuse can turn from a high-profile weekend like this one, especially with so many prospects watching the same stage. [Read more 🡒]