Syracuse Falls to Stanford 26-24 in Heartbreaking First ACC Loss

@JLeonard1013/jmleonar@syr.edu

Coming into tonight, hopes were high for Syracuse football. The Orange were 2-0, a ranked win against Georgia Tech before the bye week. But on the 44th anniversary of the Dome, Syracuse fell to Stanford, 26-24 on a walk off field goal to end the game. If you go back to the Georgia Tech game, Syracuse out-physicaled the Yellow Jackets. But tonight, the Cardinal took it to the Orange in the trenches. 

Fran Brown “They out-physicaled us. There’s nothing to talk about that was there. You can see that Steven Wonder could see that.”

SU’s stars on offense also falter tonight. Quarterback Kyle McCord, who had four touchdowns at each of the first two games, had two interceptions. That’s the same amount of receptions as Oronde Gadsden after the game, McCord said he needs to find his tight end a lot more. 

Kyle McCord “I have to do a better job of getting him the ball. I think regardless of the coverage, we have to figure out how to get the ball in his hands. Obviously, when you don’t, the offense struggles a little bit.”

The orange ground game also struggled against the cardinal defense. Syracuse only rushed for 26 yards on the night after the game. Fran Brown highlighted they need to be more multi dimensional on offense. 

Fran Brown “We have to be able to run the ball. If you can run the ball, then you can protect you can protect Kyle [McCord]. It gives them a better opportunity, but we got to be able to run the football, and they eliminated that. They only allowed us to pass the ball and for us to be good and for who we are, you got to be able to do both. You know, you have to, can’t be one dimensional. You have to be able to do both.”

SU has a chance to rebound from the first loss in the Fran Brown era next week against Holy Cross on Family Weekend, reporting from the JMA wireless dome, Jordan, Leonard, citrus TV.