UConn Huskies at Syracuse Orange
· NCAA - FootballKyle McCord leads Syracuse to first eight-win regular season in six years with win over UConn
The win gives the Orange (8-3) their first eight-win regular season since 2018, and third since 2000.
“We knew they would play all the way through the fourth quarter, and we thought it’d be a fourth-quarter game,” Syracuse coach Fran Brown said. “So, it’s just what we talked about the entire week and we didn’t take it lightly.”
McCord completed 37-of-47 passes for his first 400-yard game this season. He opened the game with a 77-yard touchdown drive, spanning two plays in 50 seconds. The touchdown came on a 22-yard pass to Oronde Gadsden.
McCord broke Syracuse’s all-time record for single-season passing yards with 4:12 remaining in the first half. He needed 273 yards to pass Nassib, and finished the game against the Huskies with 3,946 passing yards. The former quarterback set his record in 2012, recording 3,749 passing yards during his senior year.
McCord also tied Nassib’s record for single-season touchdown passes with 26, with his second touchdown pass on the same play as the yardage record.
“I got a standard of what the quarterback needs to look like being here,” Brown said. "Not necessarily statistically and all those things, because that’s hard, but just in reference to how you prepare.”
The Orange missed two field goals and had two touchdowns called back that allowed the Huskies offense a chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter. After a 2-yard passing touchdown by quarterback Joe Fagnano left UConn trailing back one score, Syracuse recovered the Huskies’ onside kick attempt to end the game.
UConn (7-4) will finish its season without a Power Four win after staying within two touchdowns of the Orange for all 60 minutes. The Huskies have ended each of their four Power Four games within one score of their opponent.
“They’re disappointed as hell, and they should be,” UConn coach Jim Mora said. “But we have to get over that, and we have to figure out what we can do better and apply those lessons going forward and prepare to get a win next week.”
Cam Edwards led UConn on the ground with 87 rushing yards, including a 71-yard touchdown dash in the first quarter. Fagnano finished the game with 228 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Syracuse: Eight receivers caught passes, with three recording over 100 yards each. Wide receivers Darrell Gill Jr. (177 yards) and Jackson Meeks (110) and tight end Oronde Gadsden (103 and a touchdown) combined for 390 receiving yards. Syracuse had 540 total yards to UConn’s 352.
Syracuse: Hosts No. 11 Miami on Saturday
—
How To Watch
How can I watch UConn Huskies vs. Syracuse Orange?
- TV Channel: Huskies at Orange 2021 College Football, week 13, is broadcasted on ACC Network.
- Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.
Matchup Prediction
Scoring Summary
TD | 1st Period 14:10 | Oronde Gadsden II 22 Yd pass from Kyle McCord (Jackson Kennedy Kick) | |
TD | 1st Period 5:41 | Cam Edwards 71 Yd Run (Chris Freeman Kick) | |
TD | 2nd Period 14:55 | Trebor Pena 5 Yd pass from Kyle McCord (Jackson Kennedy Kick) | |
TD | 2nd Period 3:17 | LeQuint Allen 1 Yd Run (Jackson Kennedy Kick) | |
TD | 2nd Period 0:32 | Louis Hansen 5 Yd pass from Joe Fagnano (Chris Freeman Kick) | |
FG | 3rd Period 4:35 | Jackson Kennedy 23 Yd Field Goal | |
FG | 3rd Period 0:05 | Chris Freeman 42 Yd Field Goal | |
TD | 4th Period 10:09 | Kyle McCord 1 Yd Run (Jackson Kennedy Kick) | |
TD | 4th Period 1:29 | TJ Sheffield 2 Yd pass from Joe Fagnano (Chris Freeman Kick) |
Statistics
CONN | SYR | |
---|---|---|
16 | 1st Downs | 25 |
5-15 | 3rd down efficiency | 8-17 |
1-2 | 4th down efficiency | 2-3 |
352 | Total Yards | 538 |
228 | Passing | 470 |
27/48 | Comp/Att | 37/47 |
4.8 | Yards per pass | 10.0 |
124 | Rushing | 68 |
17 | Rushing Attempts | 33 |
7.3 | Yards per rush | 2.1 |
4-45 | Penalties | 7-56 |
0 | Turnovers | 0 |
0 | Fumbles lost | 0 |
0 | Interceptions thrown | 0 |
22:34 | Possession | 37:26 |
College Football News
College football conferences with the best bowl game records
The SEC is a dominant college football powerhouse, especially when it comes to bowl games. See which other conferences also have bowl success.
Sources: Steve Belichick expected to join North Carolina as DC
Steve Belichick is expected to join father Bill Belichick's North Carolina staff as the Tar Heels' defensive coordinator, sources told ESPN.
Mason Rudolph evades pressure, fires TD pass to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
Mason Rudolph avoids getting sacked and throws a short touchdown pass to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.
Heupel speaks on Vols' first CFP appearance, where to go from here
Josh Heupel discusses what No. 7 Tennessee needed to improve on for a better result in the first round of the CFP and outlines his vision for the future of the program.
College football SP+ rankings after first-round CFP games
After the first round of the College Football Playoff, the championship odds are more bunched than ever.