Syracuse knocks off No. 2 Clemson in NCAA football

SYRACUSE, N. Y. Eric Dungey threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns, Cole Murphy kicked a tiebreaking field goal in the fourth quarter, and Syracuse stunned No. 2 Clemson 27-24 on Friday night to put a damper on the Tigers’ chances to repeat as national champions.

Clemson (6-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) had won 12 consecutive games on the opponent’s home field, the longest streak in Clemson history and tied for the second longest active streak in the nation. Clemson also had won 11 consecutive games overall, the longest active winning streak in the nation, and 12 straight away from home against ACC teams.

The Orange (4-3, 2-1) are 3-6 against the previous year’s national champion, also beating Penn State in 1987 and Michigan in 1998.

The Tigers took a big blow when quarterback Kelly Bryant suffered a concussion in the final minute of the first half. He was knocked down hard by defensive tackle Chris Slayton and lay on the turf for a couple of minutes before being helped to the locker-room.

Bryant, who watched the second half from the sideline, entered the game averaging 277 yards of total offence, but noticeably favoured an injured ankle as Syracuse gained a surprising 17-14 halftime lead. Zerrick Cooper replaced Bryant to start the second half and guided the Tigers to a tying field goal.

The Tigers tried a trick play with time winding down, but Will Spiers threw an incompletion on a fake punt.

Dungey hit Dontae Strickland for a 23-yard score to open the game and also hit Ervin Philips for 66 yards in the first quarter and Steve Ishmael for 30 in the third to break a 17-17 tie.

Syracuse used big plays to stun the Tigers, hitting six of 20 yards or more as the Orange outgained Clemson 440-317. And the Orange defence limited the Tigers to 2 of 11 on third down, none more critical than Cooper’s overthrow on third down before the fake.

The Orange responded quickly. Dungey raced 45 yards down the left side and hit Ishmael on the next play for a 30-yard scoring pass.

Not to be outdone, the Tigers scored in 56 seconds on Travis Etienne’s 52-yard run to tie it at 24.

The Tigers were among just three teams in the nation averaging at least 230 yards rushing and 230 yards passing (Ohio State and Oregon are the others). The Tigers managed just 39 yards rushing in the first half and 113 total.

The Tigers scored in just 67 seconds on their first possession, with Tavien Feaster capping a three-play drive with a 37-yard run untouched up the middle of the Orange defence. But the Orange defence arose to the occasion from that point on.