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ACCDN Video: Eric Dungey Leads Syracuse to Upset Win | Tanner Muse Takes the Fumble 63 Yards to the House | Ervin Philips' 66-Yard Touchdown Scamper
Syracuse, NY (cuse.com) - Syracuse (4-3, 2-1 ACC) pulled off one of the biggest upsets in program history, defeating #2 and previously unbeaten Clemson (6-1, 4-1 ACC), 27-24, in the Dome.
Junior quarterback Eric Dungey engineered the victory, completing 20-of-32 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran 21 times for 61 yards to finish with 339 yards of total offense.
A season-best Dome crowd of 42,475 emptied onto the field when the contest ended and remained on the carpet to celebrate.
It was the ninth time in Syracuse program history that the Orange faced the defending national champions and the third time the team came out on top. The decision ended Clemson's 11-game winning streak.
HOW IT WAS DECIDED
With the game tied at 24-24, Dungey moved the Orange 68 yards in 16 plays. The drive used up 6:04 of the clock and was capped by Cole Murphy's 30-yard field goal with 9:41 remaining, which proved to be the winning points.
Syracuse led five different times in the contest: 7-0, 14-7, 17-14, 24-17 and 27-24.
The Orange took the opening kickoff and marched 72 yards in 10 plays, a drive finished off by Dungey's 23-yard screen pass to Dontae Strickland for the first score. Clemson answered promptly, taking just three plays to cover 62 yards and even the score on a 37-yard run by Tavien Feaster.
After a scoreless possession from each club, Dungey struck quickly, hitting Steve Ishmael for 14 yards and then Ervin Phillips on a 66-yard streak and the Orange were up, 14-7.
One play after Syracuse had a touchdown called back because of offensive pass interference, Clemson stunned the crowd when Tanner Muse recovered a Strickland fumble and raced 63 yards for the touchdown that evened the score at 14-14.
The Orange regrouped and, on the next possession, drove to the Clemson one yard-line before settling for Cole Murphy's 21-yard field goal and a 17-14 advantage. The scoreboard rested for the remainder of the half and Syracuse entered the intermission with the three-point lead.
The Tigers lost starting quarterback Kelly Bryant to injury in the second quarter and emerged from the locker room with redshirt freshman Zerrick Cooper at the controls. The two foes battled for field position in the third period until Clemson knotted things up, 17-17, on Alex Spence's 30-yard field goal.
Once again, Syracuse counterpunched. After a short gain on first down, Dungey scrambled 45 yards to the Clemson 35. Two plays later he hooked up with Steve Ishmael on a 30-yard touchdown pass. The 24-17 lead was short lived, thanks to another strong Clemson run. On the third play of the Tiger drive, Travis Etienne carried out a power sweep to a 52-yard scoring run, tying things up at 24-24.
With the result still to be determined, Dungey finished off the third quarter by beginning the game's last scoring drive.
Clemson had one last possession that began at the Tiger 25-yard line. Cooper earned first downs with two completions that advanced the ball to the Syracuse 45. Chris Slayton then sacked Cooper for a four-yard loss before Cooper got eight yards back with a completion. Following an incomplete pass and faced with fourth-and six at the Syracuse 41, Clemson lined up in punt formation but kicker Will Spiers threw deep. The pass fell incomplete and the Orange took over with 6:10 on the clock. The Tigers would not see the ball again.
Three straight runs from Strickland gave Syracuse a first down and then the Orange converted a third-down play when Dungey connected with Ishmael for 13 yards to the Clemson 36. Up against third-and-eight at the Tiger 29, Dungey ran for eight yards and the first down. Syracuse took a knee three straight times to end the evening.
OF NOTE
The triumph was Syracuse's first against an Associated Press top-10 team since the Orange defeated #8 Virginia Tech, 50-42, on Nov. 9, 2002.
Syracuse also beat the defending champions in 1987 (Penn State) and 1998 (Michigan).
The 27 points Syracuse put on the board represented the most given up by Clemson in seven games this season.
Syracuse was 0-12 against second-ranked squads prior to upsetting Clemson.
The Orange defensive unit totaled four quarterback sacks by four difference defenders – Parris Bennett, Zaire Franklin, Alton Robinson, and Chris Slayton.
Both teams were hampered by penalties. Syracuse, which had a touchdown called back because of offensive pass interference for the second straight game, finished with 12 penalties for 100 yards. Clemson was penalized 11 times for 119 yards.
Clemson starting quarterback Kelly Bryant was forced to leave the game with an injury. Redshirt freshman Zerrick Cooper took Bryant's place to start the second half.
The Orange limited Clemson to 2-of-11 on third down. Syracuse entered the contest ranked sixth among FBS programs in third-down conversion defense. Conversely, Syracuse was 8-of-18 on third down and 2-of-2 on fourth-down conversions.
Tiger Alex Spence converted a 30-yard field goal, but missed from 35 and 39.
MILESTONES
Dungey moved into fourth on the career passing yards list at Syracuse when he passed Don McPherson (5,812) during the game.
Dungey's 45-yard scramble in the third quarter pushed him past 1,000 yards rushing in his career.
Phillips' 66-yard touchdown reception catapulted him by three former Syracuse greats on the career receiving yards list – Art Monk (1,644 yards), Quinton Spotwood (1,653) and Rob Carpenter (1,656). Phillips is now 10th (1,706).
Murphy's first field goal, a 21-yarder, was the 50th of his Syracuse career. It put him alone in third place on the school's list, behind John Biskup (57) and Dave Jacobs (53). He added a 30-yarder in the fourth quarter to advance to 51 field goals.
UP NEXT
Syracuse hits the road to take on Miami on Saturday, October 21 at 3:30 p.m.
Clemson's next game will be against Georgia Tech on October 28th.