Syracuse’s conference opener slipped away in the kind of game that can haunt a team for a while: too many flags, too many giveaways, and just enough missed chances to turn a winnable night into a 21-18 loss to Cal at the Dome on Saturday.
The Orange came out with some juice. Tylik Hill burst for 55 yards on the second play from scrimmage, and Syracuse got on the board with a 25-yard field goal on its first red-zone trip. Early on, the defense also did its part, keeping Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele from doing damage downfield.
But Syracuse couldn’t turn momentum into separation. The first quarter turned into a punt exchange, and another red-zone drive stalled as the second quarter opened.
Then the offense finally found a rhythm. Steve Angeli hit tight end Daunte Bacheyie for 38 yards, and a few plays later Bacheyie was back in the middle of it, hauling in a 23-yard touchdown.
Syracuse tried for two, but Angeli was sacked.
Cal answered quickly. Sagapolutele led a scoring march and found Chase Hendricks for the Bears’ first points. Still, Syracuse carried a 12-7 lead into halftime after a flurry of penalties wiped out a long punt return.
The game swung after the break. Cal’s turnover on downs handed Syracuse decent field position, but Angeli threw an interception to Kingston Lopa, who was brought down near the red zone. Sagapolutele made the Orange pay soon after with a short touchdown strike to Jordan King, putting Cal in front.
Syracuse responded with one of its cleaner drives of the night, stacking six first downs on the way to a two-yard touchdown run from LSU-transfer Ju’Juan Johnson. Once again, the Orange went for two and came up empty, leaving the score at 18-14.
The fourth quarter brought more frustration. Syracuse got back into the red zone for the fourth time to start the period, but a fourth-down stop was erased by 12 men on the field for Cal, keeping the drive alive. Tripp Woody then saw what would have been a go-ahead score denied by the post, and the Orange were still stuck four points back.
Syracuse’s defense gave the offense another opening. Chris D'Appolonia got to Sagapolutele on a free rush and helped force a punt after Cal had threatened field-goal range.
But the next possession turned disastrous for the Orange. Angeli was intercepted for a second time by Lopa, who returned it for a touchdown and gave Cal a 21-18 lead with 4:51 left.
Angeli still had one more answer in him. Under pressure and rolling right on third-and-long, he took a hit near the sideline but somehow found Justus Ross-Simmons for 25 yards and a fresh set of downs in field-goal range. The drive died on the next third down when Angeli was sacked, setting up a 46-yard field goal attempt by Woddy that missed short.
Syracuse had one final chance to force overtime. With 1:05 left, no timeouts, and the ball at the 24, Angeli connected with Ross-Simmons for 23 yards on a free play. Then came the killer: another interception by Lopa on the very next snap, ending it for good.
The biggest story was the self-inflicted damage. Syracuse finished with 15 penalties for 134 yards, and a number of explosive plays never had a chance to count because of the flags. The Orange also dealt with penalties in Week 1.
Bacheyie stood out in defeat, turning in his best game in an Orange uniform. The Christian Brothers Academy product gave Syracuse a vertical threat it has not often had at tight end, and his 38-yard catch and touchdown were central to the team’s first scoring drive.
Angeli, meanwhile, had a rough night. His three interceptions, including the pick-six, were costly, and the sack late in the game loomed almost as large. The passing attack never settled in the way Syracuse fans have come to expect, and Angeli finished 24-for-49.
Syracuse heads to Pitt on Thursday in Pennsylvania.
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Among the names drawing attention is 2028 four-star guard Darren Ford, a prospect whose long-term upside fits the kind of recruiting work the Orange have been doing on the trail. No official scholarship offers have been confirmed yet, but the interest is notable, especially with AZ Compass Prep viewed as a strong contender for the upcoming high school national championship. [Read more 🡒]