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Syracuse’s first 2024 road game couldn’t have started any better. The Orange quickly got out to a 14-0 lead, but UNLV responded by scoring three unanswered touchdowns en route to a 21-17 halftime lead.

The Orange started the second half extremely strong, as LeQuint Allen Jr. scored his third touchdown, and Yasin Willis found the end zone for the first time in his career following a Duce Chestnut interception, giving SU a 31-21 lead midway through the third quarter.

However, UNLV went on to score 17 straight points, taking a 38-31 lead with three minutes remaining after driving down the field following a Kyle McCord red zone interception. With just under three minutes remaining, McCord remained unfazed, leading the Orange 75 yards down the field, ultimately connecting with Jackson Meeks on a six-yard touchdown to tie the game 38-38 and force overtime.

The Rebels had the ball first in overtime, but after Fadil Diggs sacked Hajj-Malik Williams on third down, they had to settle for a field goal. Defensively, it appeared UNLV would also force SU to kick a field goal as it only picked up one yard on third-and-20. However, the Rebels were called for roughing the passer, giving the Orange a new set of downs. After an Oronde Gadsden II first down got Syracuse to the one-yard line, Allen Jr. walked off the game on his fourth touchdown.

Here are some observations from Syracuse’s (4-1, 1-1 Atlantic Coast) 44-41 win over No. 25 UNLV (4-1, 1-0 Mountain West):

Passing early and often

Syracuse threw the ball on 67% of its plays throughout the season’s first month. Against UNLV, the Orange continued their air raid. McCord finished the game 40-of-63 for 355 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.

McCord dropped back seven times on SU’s opening drive, completing all his passes for 73 yards. The Ohio State transfer connected with Gadsden II — who had a brutal two-game stretch versus Stanford and Holy Cross — for two first downs, Trebor Peña on a 31-yard strike, Meeks for a five-yard gain and Allen Jr. twice, with the latter bringing him into the endzone.

SU quickly marched down the field on its second drive largely due to a 41-yard catch and run from Gadsden II. Then, the tight end drew a pass interference call, bringing SU to UNLV’s four-yard line, and Allen Jr. scored a play later.

While it couldn’t muster another touchdown in the first half, McCord finished the first 30 minutes passing 21-for-33 and 199 yards. Syracuse mixed in more runs with Allen Jr. and Willis in the second half, but still heavily relied on McCord. Early in the third quarter, he threw his second touchdown pass to Allen, giving SU a 24-21 lead.

The signal-caller made numerous big-time throws throughout the game, but en route to throwing the ball a career-high 63 times, he had a back-breaking mistake. As Syracuse neared UNLV’s 10-yard line with the game tied 31-31 midway through the fourth quarter, McCord tried connecting with Allen Jr. on an out-route.

Instead, he didn’t put the ball far out enough, and it was intercepted by Jackson Woodard. UNLV proceeded to drive down the field, with Williams connecting with Ricky White III for a touchdown to give the Rebels a 38-31 lead. White finished the game with 10 receptions, 135 yards and a touchdown.

Still, Syracuse got the ball back with just under three minutes remaining, and McCord’s six-yard touchdown pass to Meeks capped off a 75-drive that tied the game 38-38 and sent it to overtime.

UNLV’s scoring run

Heading into the second quarter with a 14-0 lead, Syracuse, hypothetically, was exactly where it needed to be. Entering the contest, UNLV ran the ball on 62.4% of its plays. Williams, who was thrust in as its signal-caller last week in the wake of Matthew Sluka’s NIL conundrum, only attempted 16 passes against Fresno State. On UNLV’s first drive, he overthrew his receivers twice en route to a quick punt.

Despite the deficit, the Rebels leaned on the ground game. Forty-two of the Rebels’ yards came on a run from Jai’Den Thomas, bringing them to SU’s 10-yard line. Following a penalty, Kaleo Ballungay hauled in a Williams pass to cut UNLV’s deficit in half.

After forcing a punt, the Rebels needed just two plays to tie the game up, as White had a 53-yard catch and run before Williams pounded the ball three yards into the end zone for his second touchdown run of the season. A J’Onre Reed penalty then derailed the Orange’s next drive, forcing another punt.

However, Jack Stonehouse was forced to eat the ball as White would’ve blocked the kick. After forcing a sack on the punt, UNLV took over on SU’s 10-yard line. Two plays later, the Rebels took a 21-14 lead on a touchdown pass to Casey Cain.

Syracuse marched down the field as the first half came to a close, but it was forced to settle for a 21-yard field goal. Despite leading 14-0 heading into the quarter, the Orange trailed 21-17 at halftime.

Special teams woes continue

One of Syracuse’s biggest thorns thus far into the season has been its special teams. Last week against Holy Cross, Brady Denaburg and Jadyn Oh combined to miss three field goals. Against Georgia Tech, the Orange failed to corral an onside kick, had a punt blocked, had a field goal blocked and kicked the ball out of bounds on a kickoff.

SU’s special teams again struggled versus UNLV. Before the Rebels tied the game 14-14, Jacob De Jesus broke off a 21-yard punt run, bringing the Rebels near midfield. Two plays later, they found the end zone.

Then, after UNLV forced another Syracuse punt, White got to Stonehouse before he could kick the ball, forcing SU’s punter to take a sack inside the 10-yard line. The Rebels proceeded to take their first lead two plays later.

Additionally, while it didn’t come back to bite him, Denaburg had a kickoff that went out of bounds at the tail end of the first half.

In the second half, the Rebels made the Orange pay once again. After McCord couldn’t connect with Gadsden II on third-and-9 from UNLV’s 49, Stonehouse trotted onto the field for a punt. Just as he did in the first half, White stormed through SU’s defense uncontested along the left side. This time, he blocked the kick and the ball rolled into the end zone for Charles Correa to retrieve it and tie the game 31-31.

Running backs thrive

Following Syracuse’s spring game, it was clear that Allen Jr. and Willis could bring a thunder-and-lightning element to the backfield. Though, throughout the Orange’s first month of the season, Will Nixon received most of the work behind Allen Jr.

Nixon had some flashes, but an injury that will sideline him for the foreseeable future opened up more work for Willis. After Allen Jr. tallied 97 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in the first half, Willis received plenty of touches as Allen Jr. appeared to be slightly shaken up by an injury he sustained. Willis ripped off a career-best 26-yard run before Allen Jr. caught his third touchdown for the second half’s first score.

Then, after Duce Chestnut intercepted Williams, Willis immediately registered a 21-yard touchdown run, the first of his career, to extend Syracuse’s lead to 31-21. Fast forward to the fourth quarter, SU had Willis lined up in the backfield and Allen Jr. out-wide on fourth-and-1 with the game on the line.

As the Orange trailed 38-31 with just over a minute remaining, Allen Jr. received a jet sweep and was instantly met by Jalen Catalon behind the line of scrimmage. Somehow, he broke free from the contact for an 11-yard gain, which set up Meeks’ touchdown. In overtime, Allen Jr. put the exclamation point on his best game this season.

Throughout the game, Willis had nine touches for 62 yards and a touchdown while Allen Jr. turned 28 touches into 129 yards and four touchdowns.

Published on October 5, 2024 at 12:58 am

Contact Justin: justingirshon@gmail.com | @JustinGirshon