Syracuse’s brief ACC surge came to a halt Saturday afternoon, and the Orange offense never found enough rhythm to keep pace in an 18-13 loss to Clemson at the Dome.
On Homecoming Weekend, in front of an announced crowd of 37,291, Syracuse wore white helmets, blue jerseys and blue pants in an Orange-Out setting, but the look didn’t match the result. The Orange, now 4-5 overall and 2-5 in the ACC, didn’t reach the end zone until 3:12 remained and spent most of the day chasing a Clemson lead that never fully slipped away.
Steve Angeli opened the game by completing his first four passes, but the afternoon got rough after that. He finished 18-for-40 for 263 yards and was sacked three times. Syracuse’s late push finally produced a touchdown when Angeli connected with Daunte Bacheyle on a 33-yard score to trim the margin to five, but the Orange never got the ball back after that.
Clemson, which improved to 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the ACC, got the kind of steady scoring it needed from kicker Nolan Hauser. A likely finalist for the Lou Groza award, Hauser made 4 of 5 field goals, including a 54-yarder, and the only miss came on a 57-yard attempt. Those kicks carried the Tigers through a game in which they scored just one touchdown.
Defensively, Ashton Hampton was a major factor for Clemson. He led the Tigers with eight solo tackles and came up with a fourth-quarter interception in the end zone to shut down Syracuse’s best chance to keep the comeback alive.
The Orange also hurt itself with another missed field goal, as Tripp Woody hit the left upright from 32 yards in the second quarter. That was Syracuse’s eighth missed field goal of the season, the most by any Power 4 team. The offense also went just 6-for-17 on third down, and even though the defense was solid for much of the afternoon, it couldn’t stop Clemson quarterback Tait Reynolds in the final 3:00 long enough to give the ball back.
Syracuse now heads to North Carolina State next Saturday, Nov. 14, for its eighth ACC game in nine tries this season. The Wolfpack, also 4-5 and 2-4 in league play, were beaten by Duke 41-3 on Saturday at home.
Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. ET on ACC Network.
In Other News...
Syracuse's Costly Clemson Confusion Came Down To One Crucial Rule
A late-half clock situation turned into a teaching moment for Syracuse in its game against Clemson, when Steve Angeli ran a play with two seconds left instead of simply spiking the ball. The reason was buried in the rulebook: spikes are not allowed with fewer than three seconds remaining, a detail that caught the broadcast crew and some players off guard in real time.
For Syracuse, the episode underscored how thin the margin can be in a tight football game, where one misunderstood rule can wipe out a chance at an extra snap. The practical lesson is simple enough, even if it is easy to forget in the heat of the moment: after a first down, getting down immediately can be the difference between having one more play available and watching the clock run out on the possession. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Let Clemson Hang Around Until One Brutal Mistake Changed Everything
Syracuse walked into Saturdays matchup with Clemson carrying the kind of energy only a packed fall afternoon in the JMA Wireless Dome can bring, especially after the ACC Networks ACC Huddle set up on Shaw Quadrangle to help turn the day into a campus-wide event. What followed inside was a tense, defense-heavy game that stayed tight throughout, with the Orange unable to create much breathing room against a Clemson team that never went away.
Steve Angelis day never quite settled in, as Syracuse struggled to find passing rhythm and protect the football. The decisive swing came on a brutal backward pass that Clemson turned into a defensive touchdown, the sort of mistake that can erase an otherwise competitive effort in a hurry and leave the Orange wondering how a game like this slipped away at 18-13. [Read more 🡒]
Syracuse Let A Winnable Home Game Slip Away In Familiar Fashion
A winnable home game got away from Syracuse in the JMA Wireless Dome, where Clemson left with an 18-13 victory after its defense delivered the kind of swing play that can change everything. Jahiem Lawsons 22-yard fumble return for a touchdown was the defining moment in a game Syracuse spent much of the afternoon trying to chase, even as Steve Angeli moved the ball through the air for 263 yards and a touchdown.
The Orange still generated 380 yards, but the turnovers and missed chances made the margin feel bigger than the score. Syracuse also had to finish the game without starting right guard Jayden Mann, who was injured and did not return, adding another layer to an offense that already needed things to go cleaner at the line and in the red zone. [Read more 🡒]