Disaster struck the Orange after halftime as the Syracuse defense completely collapsed ….Not so fast Mr. Editor. Cardiac Cuse struck again as the Syracuse Orange (5-5, 3-5) rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit to snatch an improbable victory at NC State (4-6, 2-5).
Steve Angeli hit Justus Ross-Simmons from 11 yards out to push Syracuse ahead 32-31.
The duo connected on the two-point conversion and then after some uneasy moments, Chris
D’Applonia came up with the game-clinching turnover.
Syracuse looked cooked as they trailed 31-20 and punted the ball back to NC State. That’s when Tunmise Adeleye changed the entire game (and possibly season) with this Thicc-Six.
The defense got the ball back to the offense and a costly NC State penalty put Syracuse at midfield trailing by five. Angeli had some anxious moments on the drive as he missed an easy opportunity on third down but got bailed out by Ross-Simmons catching a deflected pass on 4th down to save the drive.
Calvin Russell had a career-high 17 receptions for 137 yards tying a school record for receptions. Steve Angeli finished the afternoon throwing 27-42 for 272 yards and two scores. He had a lot of nervous moments but led his third game-winning drive in the last four outings.
The Orange got the ball first and drove quickly down the field with a heavy dose of Calvin Russell who had three receptions and one rush on the drive. As we’ve come to expect, the drive stalled in the red zone as two runs and an Angeli scramble left Syracuse settling for a 31 yard Tripp Woody field goal.
Neither team could get anything else going and the quarter ended with the 3-0 score. In the second, a promising Orange drive was halted by a drop from Daunte Bacheyie and the subsequent NC State drive was extended on a 3rd down holding penalty by Chris Peal. The defense seemed to have another stop but on 4th and 9, CJ Bailey hit Keenan Jackson for 26 yards. Then on 3rd and goal, Bailey ran it in from 9 yards to put NC State ahead.
The Orange had a strong two-minute drive but once again the red zone woes popped up as Angeli barely avoided throwing two interceptions and Woody was called upon for a 35 yard field goal to make it a 7-6 NC State lead at the half. Angeli started the game hitting his first 7 passes but then only connected on 6-11 to finish the first 30 minutes. Russell had 9 receptions for 53 yards as the Orange tried to feed him the ball repeatedly on short passes.
NC State stormed out of the locker room after the half. Jayden Scott broke tackes on a 66 yard run to open the half and Bailey hit Chance Robinson for a 12 yard touchdown. Angeli overthrew a wide open Hatcher on the next possession and NC State had Davion Dozier get wide open for a 69 yard play. Davion Gause punched it in and just like that the Orange bowl hopes were on the ropes.
The offense responded with a solid drive as Angeli and Russell worked their connections and Syracuse finally converted in the red zone as Tylik Hill bounced a run outside for a 12 yard score.
The defense got the ball back but a holding call on Umari Hatcher and then Bacheyie dropped his 2nd first down pass of the game. NC State got great field position and Duke Scott broke a 32 yard run to put NC State up 28-13 heading into the final quarter.
That’s when the chaos took over and somehow the Orange are 5-5 and heading to Boston College next week for a Noon kickoff and a shot at bowl eligibility.
