Huskies Fall on the Road to Syracuse

Click HERE to view UConn’s postgame press conference.

With each team sporting winning records in November, there was a touch of nostalgia in the air in the JMA Wireless Dome, formerly the Carrier Dome, for a late season non-conference matchup between former Big East foes. Unlike those matchups in the mid to late 2000s, Syracuse has an explosive pass game that proved why they’re 4^th nationally in passing yards per game in a 31-24 victory over UConn, The Huskies were looking for their first P4 win this season in four tries, but it was not to be, as the Orange took the lead in the all-time series 7-6.

Kyle McCord opened it up early, hitting Darrell Gill Jr with a 53 yard pass, then on the very next play, hitting star TE Oronde Gadsden for a 22 yard TD in the corner of the end zone, and Cuse was up 7-0 after just two plays. The Huskies wouldn’t be able to reciprocate, going three-and-out. McCord marched the Orange downfield again, hitting WR Jackson Meeks for gains of 23 and 19, before capping the drive off with a missed FG attempt from 33 yards out. Syracuse had a TD called back two plays prior due to offensive pass interference. UConn would answer, on a monster 71 yard run by Cam Edwards for the score on 4^th and inches from their 29, a very gutsy call to go for it. 

McCord didn’t skip a beat, completing five passes on the drive, but it was RB Lequint Allen who hit Trebor Pena for the five yard TD pass to retake the lead at 14-7 on the first play of the second quarter. The Huskies would again go three-and-out, but finally force two incompletions from McCord his first of the day, and the Orange would punt. Downed at the 5, Fagnano tried Bell deep, his first attempt past the sticks, and it was incomplete. On 3^rd and 9, he hit TJ Sheffield with a 14 yard pass for the first non-TD 1^st down of the day. On another 3^rd and long, however, Fagnano overthrew Jasaiah Gathings deep, and the Huskies forced to punt. It appeared McCord threw another TD, but the play was called back due to unsportsmanlike conduct, using a substitution to deceive the defense, which I have to say, is a penalty I’ve never seen.

Syracuse kept it moving, however, getting down to the Husky 3 on a back shoulder throw to Gill that was just out of reach of DB Cam Chadwick. Just two plays later, Allen took it in from one yard out, and the lead was extended to 21-7, the largest of the day so far, with just 3:17 remaining in the half. After converting on a 3^rd and short, Fagnano hit Skyler Bell down the Orange sideline for a gain of 30, then went back to Bell for a 15 yard pass that bounced off his chest but back into his hands, and the Huskies were in the red zone for the first time. After going to Bell again, who caught four passes on the drive for 66 yards, Fagnano hit Louis Hansen in the end zone for the five yard TD, and the Huskies were back within one score with :32 remaining. That’s enough time for McCord to score, however, and he went to work hitting Gill for 23 yards, despite Gill taking a big hit from Rante Jones, and Orange had the ball at the UConn 41 with :08 remaining, and they would attempt a 51 yard FG, which was missed, and the Orange took the seven point lead into the half. 

Halftime Stats:

The Huskies received the ball to start the second half, but would go three-and-out. The Husky defense got safety Malik Dixon-Williams back after missing the first half as a result of a targeting call against UAB. It appeared the Huskies forced their first three-and-out, after a nice open field tackle by Jordan Wright, the Orange faked the punt, giving to KingJoseph Edwards who rushed for 12, extending the drive. The Orange would go for it on 4^th and 5 at midfield, but were stopped short of the down marker by Malachi McLean. After taking a sack and missing Gathings again on a slant, Fagnano overthrew Bell over the middle, and the Huskies punted right back. The Huskies D held at the goal line, forcing McCord to throw it away twice, and K Jackson Kennedy came out to try the short FG, after missing his first two, and this time was successful. The Orange led 24-14 with 4:35 left in the third quarter. On the drive, McCord eclipsed the 400 yard mark for the first time this season. 

Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Nov 23, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Connecticut Huskies quarterback Joe Fagnano (2) throws a pass in the fourth quarter against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. 

Mel Brown came flying out of the gates, rushing for 35 yards and might’ve been gone, had Orange safety Justin Barron not grabbed him by the shoelaces. Fagnano could not complete a pass from the Orange 40, and the Huskies punted, downed at the 4 by John Neider. UConn would finally force their first three-and-out, the Orange punting from deep in their own end zone, returned by Sheffield to the Syracuse 35. This time, Fagnano was able to hit Gathings underneath for a first down to the 23. A throw down the side to Bell fell incomplete despite some contact, and Chris Freeman came out to attempt his first FG of the afternoon, a 42 yarder, which was good, and the lead was back down to seven at 24-17, as the third quarter drew to a close. 

The Huskies secondary still had no answer for McCord, who continued to chuck it downfield. A PI on Malcolm Bell got the Orange down to the goal line, where McCord snuck it in from one yard out, and the lead was back to 14 with 10:09 left in the game. On a critical 4^th and short from the Cuse 47, the Huskies opted to try Bell deep, and the pass was overthrown, giving the ball back to the Orange. The Huskies defense held, with Jayden McDonald sacking McCord on 3^rd down, forcing a Syracuse punt. The Huskies moved the ball through the air, including a big pass to Hansen of 28, eventually into the red zone as the game reached the two minute timeout.  On 3^rd and 6 from the Orange 7, Edwards was short of the line to gain, bringing up 4^th and 3, where a Wes Hoeh false start backed them up further. A PI in the end zone gave them life, and Fagnano hit Sheffield for the two yard TD pass to cut the lead back to seven, but the Orange recovered the onside kick. The Huskies were outmanned, outgunned, but managed to make it a respectable final score, but they didn’t come to Syracuse to come close. The Huskies would end the year 0-4 against P4 opponents, unless they’re matched up with one in a bowl, 0-3 against the ACC, all one score losses. 

Final Stats: