Game Day Blog: Clemson 37, Syracuse 27 Final
By: will-vandervort November 14, 2015

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Clemson survives a gutty effort by Syracuse to improve to 10-0 for the first time since 1981. The Tigers win the game, 37-27.  Game story to follow.

 

Greg Huegel nails a 42-yard field goal with 6:58 to play to put the Tigers back 10 points, 37-27. The walk-on kicker is 3-for-3 today. That kick came with the play clock running down and everyone in the stadium yell at him.

 

Cole Murphy boots a 24-yard field with 10:18 to play to cut into Clemson’s lead. It is once again seven points, 34-27.

 

Through three quarters, Clemson leads 31-24 against Syracuse. The Tigers were shut out in the third quarter. That’s the first time that has happened since the second quarter of the Notre Dame game.

 

Syracuse goes 97 yards in eight plays to cut the Clemson lead to seven points with 6:48 to play in the third quarter. Quarterback Zack Mahoney raced 12 yards on the option keeper to pull the Orange within 31-24.

 

It did not seem as if top-ranked Clemson was as crisp as usual in the first half on Saturday, yet it scored 31 points and had 352 total yards for a 31-17 lead.

The defense, despite giving up those 17 points, held the Orange to 145 total yards, including 27 through the air. It did not help that the Tigers turned the ball over twice – a Kelly Bryant fumble and a Hunter Renfrow fumble.

The good news for Clemson is Deshaun Watson came to play. The Tigers’ Heisman candidate was on the whole first half, throwing for 266 yards on 20 of 26 passing, including touchdown passes of five yards to Charone Peake and 40 yards to Deon Cain.

Watson also had a three-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

Clemson came out sharp. On the game’s first play, Watson hit Charone Peake for a 64-yard pass to the Syracuse 11-yard line. On the next play, running back Wayne Gallman carried the ball into the end zone for a 7-0 lead just 33 seconds in.

The Orange fumble on its opening possession, and the Tigers cashed in five plays later with Watson’s three-yard run for a 14-0 lead with 13:01 to play in the first quarter.

But Bryant’s fumble on Clemson’s next possession allowed the Orange to get back in the game. On the very next play, Ervin Phillip went untouched for a 28-yard touchdown. Renfrow’s fumbled flipped field position and ultimately Syracuse converted with quarterback Zack Mahoney took an option keeper 10 yards to tie things up with 3:34 to play in the first quarter.

But the Orange had no answer for Watson. He quickly guided the Tigers on a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive, which he capped with his five-yard scoring pass to Peake with five seconds left in the first quarter.

On the Tigers’ next possession, Watson hit Cain down the sideline for a 40-yard touchdown and a 28-14 lead with 12:54 to play in the half.

Both Syracuse and Clemson traded field goals after that. Greg Huegel connected from 38 yards out with 37 seconds left for the 31-17 advantage.

 

Clemson leads Syracuse 31-17 at the break.

 

Syracuse gets a 48-yard field from Cole Murphy to cut the Clemson lead to 28-17 with 3:20 to play in the first quarter.

 

Deshaun Watson has completed 15 of 18 passes for 218 yards already and has two touchdowns passes. He finds Deon Cain deep for a 40-yard touchdown with 12:54 to play in the first half.

That was a 70-yard scoring drive for the Tigers.

 

That is the end of the first quarter. Deshaun Watson completed 13 of 16 passes for 173 yards, while throwing for one score and running for another. Wide receiver Charone Peake had five catches for 99 yards and one touchdown in the opening quarter.

Clemson had 212 total yards in the first quarter. The Orange had 107 total yards.

 

Deshaun Watson completes a 10-play, 75-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown pass to Charone Peake with five seconds left in the first quarter.

 

Zack Mahoney runs 10 yards for a touchdown with 3:34 to play in the first quarter. Syracuse is surprising No. 1 ranked Clemson right now. The score is 14-14.

 

Ervin Phillips goes 28 yards for a touchdown following a Kelly Bryant fumble. With 11;27 to play in the first quarter, the Orange cut the lead to 14-7.

 

On the first play of the game Clemson’s quarterback Deshaun Watson throws a 64-yard pass to Charone Peake and then on the next play running back Wayne Gallman scores from 11 yards out to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead with 14:27 to play in the opening quarter.

On Syracuse’s first play, the Orange fumbled and the Tigers recovered at the 23-yard line. Watson scored from the three on second and goal a few plays later to give them a 14-0 lead with 13:01 to play in the first quarter.

 

The top-ranked Clemson Tigers will visit Syracuse, N.Y. today at 3:30 p.m. in the Carrier Dome. The game will be televised locally on ABC and nationally on ESPN2.

About Clemson: The Tigers come into the game ranked No. 1 by the Associated Press and the College Football Playoff rankings. Clemson is 9-0 for the first time since 1981 when they won the national championship. The Tigers have already clinched the ACC’s Atlantic Division.

About Syracuse: After opening the season with three straight win, the Orange have lost six straight games. They are coming off a 41-17 loss to Louisville. They have given up at least 41 points in four of the last five games.

Syracuse’s offense: Quarterback Eric Dungey will miss the game with a head injury. That means walk-on Zack Mahoney will make his second start of the season. He was 16 of 38 for 154 yards and three touchdowns in the Orange’s 34-24 loss to LSU on September 26. He also threw an interception in the loss. Syracuse ranks 116th nationally in total offense at 331.6 yards per game.

Syracuse’s defense: The Orange ranks 100th in total defense, yielding 438.0 yards per game. They are allowing 274.2 yards a game through the air, which ranks 110th in the country. They have allowed 45, 44, 45 and 41 points in four of the last five games to South Florida, Virginia, Florida State and Louisville.

Records: Clemson (9-0, 6-0 ACC); Syracuse (3-6, 1-4 ACC)

Series record: Clemson leads the series 2-1

Games in Syracuse: Clemson leads 1-0

First meeting: Syracuse 41, Clemson 0 in the 1995 Gator Bowl

Last Meeting: Clemson won 16-6 in 2014

Last Syracuse win: The 1995 Gator Bowl

Streak: Clemson has won two straight in the series

Injuries: Clemson – Out: LB Korrin Wiggins (knee); WR Mike Williams (neck); C Zach Riggs (knee); WR Ray Ray McCloud (knee); OG Tyrone Crowder (foot). Syracuse – Out: WR Sean Avant (lower body); CB Corey Winfield (lower body); LB Parris Bennett (upper body); DE Luke Arciniega (upper body); QB Eric Dungey (concussion); S Daivon Ellison (upper body); TE Kendall Moore (upper body).

Stat worth noting: Clemson has now won 12 straight games which is the second longest streak in the country to Ohio State’s 22 straight. It is also the second longest winning streak in Clemson history. From 1980-’82, Clemson won 13th straight. The 12 straight wins is the seventh best figure all-time in ACC history.

Second stat worth noting: Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson in the last four games has a passing efficiency rating of 171.52. During that time Watson completed  93 of 132 passes (.704) for 1,243 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has not thrown an interception. He has totaled 1,534 yards and 13 touchdowns despite playing a little more than one half in one of those games.

Third stat worth noting: Watson is 24 of 28 for 295 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter this season. He has not thrown an interception in the fourth quarter. He is completing 85.7 percent of his passes, which is the best in the nation. His 197.78 passing efficiency rating in the fourth quarter is the fourth best in the country.