This past offseason was one of the most memorable in recent history for Syracuse history. Fran Brown was hired and brought along a bevy of new coaches and coordinators. Then followed the transfers, headlined by Ohio State QB Kyle McCord. And finally, there were the returners. Oronde Gadsden, Marlowe Wax and Justin Barron all announced they were coming back.
Expectations were high. But recent seasons of heartbreak and disappointment still were in the back of fan’s heads.
Saturday, the Syracuse Football program took a giant step forward. SU knocked off #6 Miami 42-38 in a massive upset, essentially knocking the Hurricanes out of the College Football Playoff while all but guaranteeing a Top 25 ranking.
Yes, SU has had other good games since the turn of the century. The Orange, for example, defeated #2 Clemson in 2017 at the Dome. And Syracuse has reached this nine-win threshold twice since 2000. But this win marked a new era of SU football.
It’s a wake-up call to the rest of the ACC that Fran Brown is not to be messed with. SU was behind 21-0 in the first quarter, before going on a 35-7 run. It was DART personified. And it was beautiful.
Then there’s the players. Kyle McCord threw for 380 yards, including a pair of touchdowns to Jackson Meeks, who had 110 receiving yards, which was still behind Trebor Pena’s 128. And then there’s the player who won the game for SU, LeQuint Allen. The running back had 143 all-purpose yards, including the game-winning touchdown in the fourth. And he led the final drive that clinched the field-storming win for SU.
And on defense, Buffalo transfer Devin Grant stole the show. The STAR had a 56-yard fumble scoop and score to give SU its first lead of the day in the third. And after the game, Fran Brown revealed Grant’s been playing on a torn MCL for weeks.
Finally, this win means a lot for the future of SU. Heading into the game, the sidelines were stacked with recruits, who saw an all-time classic unfold at the Dome. The Orange should be picking up several priority recruits over the next week.
It wasn’t the prettiest victory. SU had to argue with officials the whole way and did have a forgettable first. But the fact that Syracuse overcame all of that to pull off the win makes it all the sweeter.
A lot of uncertainty remains. What bowl will SU be in? Who will be at QB next year? How in the world will SU manage an insane 2025 schedule? But for now, this win shows Syracuse Football is going in the right direction.
