Syracuse: 2024 Holiday Bowl Champions

 

SAN DIEGO -- — Kyle McCord threw for 453 yards and five touchdowns to break Deshaun Watson's Atlantic Coast Conference season passing record and lead No. 22 Syracuse to a 52-35 victory over depleted-yet-scrappy Washington State in the Holiday Bowl on Friday night.

LeQuint Allen rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns for his second straight 1,000-yard season for the Orange (10-3), who had their first 10-win season since 2018. Fran Brown joined Paul Pasqualoni (1991) as the only Orange coaches since World War II to win 10 game in their first season.

McCord, the national passing leader, came in with 4,326 yards, which was fifth on the ACC's season list, and needed 268 yards to break Watson's record of 4,593, which he set in 15 games in 2016 at Clemson. McCord broke the record by a yard on the Orange's first play of the second half on a 50-yard pass to Darrell Gill Jr., who made a beautiful over-the-shoulder catch. McCord finished with 4,779 yards.

McCord was 24 of 34. Gill had 145 yards on four catches and Jackson Meeks had five catches for 110 yards. Trebor Pena and Oronde Gadsden each had two touchdown catches.

The Cougars (8-5) lost their fourth straight game but were spirited despite losing coach Jake Dickert to Wake Forest, quarterback John Mateer to Oklahoma, both coordinators and the quarterbacks and running backs coach, as well as having more than 20 players enter the transfer portal.

Zevi Eckhaus, who threw only seven passes in the regular season as Mateer's backup, threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns, with two interceptions. Kyle Williams had 10 catches for 172 yards to break Dez Bryant's Holiday Bowl record of 168 yards receiving in 2008.

Washington State took a 21-14 lead with two touchdowns in just more than a minute late in the first quarter. Kyle Williams caught a short pass and turned it into a 66-yard touchdown. On the ensuing Syracuse possession, Leon Neal Jr. blocked a punt and Josh Meredith returned it 12 yards for a score.

Syracuse scored three times in the second quarter for a 35-21 lead. McCord threw scoring passes of 18 and 5 yards to Oronde Gadsden II sandwiched around a 2-yard touchdown run by Allen.

Syracuse was a 17-point favorite according to .

The Takeaway

Syracuse: McCord extended his school single-season records to 4,779 yards passing, 34 touchdown passes, 391 completions and 558 attempts.

Washington State: The Cougars scored first, on Eckhaus' 4-yard keeper midway through the first quarter and kept it close until they were overwhelmed in the second half.

Up next

Syracuse opens its 2025 schedule against Tennessee at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Aug. 30.

Washington State must hire a new coach for next season, which begins Aug. 30 in Pullman against Idaho, its neighbor on the Palouse.

Syracuse: 2018 Camping World Bowl Champions

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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Syracuse sent Eric Dungey out a winner, and got a good look at its future.

Dungey capped his record-setting college career by throwing for 303 yards, Abdul Adams and Trishton Jackson combined to score three touchdowns in their Syracuse debuts and the 17th-ranked Orange got their first 10-win season since 2001 by topping No. 15 West Virginia 34-18 in the Camping World Bowl on Friday.

"The trophy is really, really heavy," Syracuse coach Dino Babers said. "And I'm glad we got it."

The Orange ended with a flourish, too: Down 18-17 going into the final quarter, they scored 17 points in the first 5:01 of the fourth.

"Just very thankful," Dungey said, talking through tears. "I've been through a lot. ... All I want to do is compete. I'll get grief for crying, but I've been through a lot here. All I can say is I'm very thankful."

Adams rushed for two first-half scores, and Jackson hauled in a TD pass from Dungey on the first play of the fourth quarter for Syracuse (10-3), which survived a game that featured eight lead changes. Adams (from Oklahoma) and Jackson (from Michigan State) are transfers who had to sit out a year, which by NCAA rule was satisfied at the end of the first semester.

Their touchdowns counted; their year will not. Under the new NCAA rule on redshirting, Adams and Jackson still have two remaining seasons of eligibility, and both are expected to play big roles for the Orange in 2019.

"It's going to be fun to watch Syracuse in the future," Dungey said.

Jack Allison, making his first collegiate start because West Virginia star quarterback Will Grier elected to skip the bowl game and focus on preparing for the NFL, completed 17 of 35 passes for 277 yards for the Mountaineers (8-4). Besides Grier, West Virginia was also without two of his three top targets this season -- Gary Jennings was ruled out long ago with an ankle injury, and Marcus Simms was a surprise scratch.

"I can make a bunch of excuses," West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said. "We played a good team. Give Coach Babers a lot of credit. They played good all year."

He also gave Allison high marks. Allison had thrown 10 passes this season before Friday.

"Proud of him," Holgorsen said. "He's had how many snaps this year, 10, 11? I thought his demeanor was good."

Kennedy McCoy had a 3-yard touchdown run for West Virginia on a direct snap, and Evan Staley made four field goals for the Mountaineers.

Kendall Coleman had three sacks for the Orange. Andre Szmyt made a pair of field goals for Syracuse, ending his freshman season with 30 -- one shy of the Football Bowl Subdivision record set in 2003 by Georgia's Billy Bennett.

THE TAKEAWAY

Syracuse: Dungey came into the game holding or sharing 18 Syracuse records, and got another one in his collegiate finale. He passed Ryan Nassib (9,190) for most passing yards in Syracuse history, finishing his career with 9,340. "The only thing I care about is we got to 10 wins for the first time since 2001," Dungey said. ... Adams said he learned midseason that he could play in the bowl game. "I knew I would be ready," he said.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers fell in a bowl game for the third consecutive season, but probably have a good idea about their starting quarterback in 2019. Allison had nine completions go for more than 15 yards.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Syracuse will end the season in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2001, when it finished No. 14. The last time the Orange finished a season higher than that was 1992, when they were No. 6.

RARE MISS

Staley came in as one of 13 major college kickers to be 75-for-75 or better on extra-point tries over the last two seasons. He missed his first PAT attempt Friday, the ball bouncing off the right upright. Going back to his senior high school season, Staley -- who was only 7 years old when he told late coach Bill Stewart that he was going to West Virginia -- had made 101 consecutive PAT tries.

UP NEXT

Syracuse: Visit Liberty -- and new coach Hugh Freeze -- on Aug. 31, 2019.

West Virginia: Host James Madison on Aug. 31, 2019.

Syracuse: 2013 Texas Bowl Champions

It wasn't pretty by any means, but a late touchdown run from quarterback Terrel Hunt gave Syracuse a 21-17 win over Minnesota on Friday night to claim the 2013 Texas Bowl title.

Despite leading by two scores early in the fourth quarter, Syracuse found itself needing to rally in the closing minutes to reclaim the lead. Hunt evaded a handful of Golden Gophers to run into the end zone from 12 yards out to give the Orange a four-point lead with just 1:11 remaining on the clock.

It seemed the Orange had the game in the bag midway through the third quarter. Minnesota's offense hadn't scored a touchdown since Nov. 9, and the Gophers were struggling to get much of anything going. Two touchdowns in about three minutes gave UM the lead, though, and it seemed the Orange had lost all momentum. But the Orange rallied thanks to a 70-yard Brisly Estime punt return, Hunt's score and Minnesota failing to connect on a hail mary try as time ran out.

After an up-and-down season under first-year coach Scott Shafer, it was a fitting way to end the year. The team could've folded after the two quick scores, and it's a testament to Schafer, the coaching staff and the players for battling back the way they did in the final minutes.

Box Score Hero:

Mitch Leidner: 11/22, 205 yards, 2 TD

Terrel Hunt: 19/29, 188 yards; 15 carries, 74 yards, 2 TD

Jerome Smith: 16 carries, 74 yards, 1 TD

Drew Wolitarsky: 4 receptions, 94 yards, 1 TD

Rankings Ramifications: Even with the win, Syracuse won't come anywhere close to the top 25 at the end of the season. It was a nice victory for the Orange and it will certainly give the program some momentum heading into the offseason, but that's about it.

But Did They Cover? Minnesota opened as a 4.5-point favorite, though the line shifted a point or two on most sites by kickoff. The Gophers obviously failed to cover. The two teams came in below the opening over/under line of 47.5 points.

March Madness 2013: Final Four!

Syracuse: 2012 New Era Pinstripe Bowl Champions

Syracuse routs West Virginia in Pinstripe Bowl

The Orange's Prince-Tyson Gulley rushes for 217 yards and scores three times in a 38-14 victory over the Mountaineers.

Associated Press
4:10 PM PST, December 29, 2012

NEW YORK -- Prince-Tyson Gulley ran for 217 yards and had three touchdowns, Syracuse scored twice on safeties and the Orange bid a snow-covered farewell to the Big East with a 38-14 victory over West Virginia in the Pinstripe Bowl on Saturday.

Syracuse (8-5) will enter the Atlantic Coast Conference on a roll after finishing this season with six wins in its last seven games, capped by its second postseason victory at Yankee Stadium in the last three years.

In a bowl game played in a baseball stadium with weather better suited for a playoff game in Green Bay, the team that plays in a dome ended up being better equipped to handle the elements.

The Orange leaned on their running game to plow through former Big East rival West Virginia (7-6) and the snow. Jerome Smith added 158 yards rushing.

Geno Smith connected with Stedman Bailey for two touchdown passes, but the Mountaineers' quarterback also was sacked in the end zone in the first half and called for intentional grounding in the end zone in the second half as he tried to avoid another sack.

Smith, who was an early Heisman Trophy front-runner as the Mountaineers got off to a 5-0 start this season, was 18 for 26 for 197 yards in the final game of his record-breaking career. The NFL awaits.

Same goes for Ryan Nassib, though Syracuse didn't ask much of its talented senior quarterback. He threw two touchdown passes and an interception. His most impressive feat on this day was surviving being driven into the frozen turf by Terence Garvin on a sack in the first half. Nassib missed only one play.

Snow fell just about all game, giving most of the field a white dusting. Fans were bundled and players not in the game tried to do the same. It took a while for those potent offenses — both ranked in the top 25 nationally in yards per game — to heat up, which seemed appropriate considering the conditions.

A goal-line stand by West Virginia in the second quarter kept Syracuse out of the end zone, but set up the Orange for a scoring run.

Left at their own 1, the Mountaineers tried to pass out of their end zone, but Smith was smothered by blitzing linebackers Cameron Lynch and Siriki Diabate for a safety to make it 5-0 — a baseball score, of course.

The Orange followed that up with a 33-yard touchdown run by Gulley to make it 12-0 with 6:07 left in the second.

The Mountaineers responded with their first sustained drive and Bailey took a quick pass, darted and broke tackles, and scooted 32 yards to the end zone to make it 12-7.

The Orange extended the lead to 12 points with a touchdown drive to start the second half when the Orange caught a break — and touchdown pass. Nassib's throw was tipped around the goal line, but floated safely into the waiting arms of intended receiver Beckett Wales for an 11-yard score.

West Virginia appeared to answer with a touchdown of its own, when Andrew Buie broke free for a TD run on fourth-and-2. Not so fast. A holding call on the Mountaineers wiped out the play and sent coach Dana Holgorsen on to the field screaming at the officials.

It didn't help. Instead of a touchdown, a punt.

Moments later another close call, this time on a fumble by Smith which was reviewed to determine if it was an incomplete pass, went Syracuse's way, and again the Orange capitalized.

On the next play, Gulley broke through the line bounced to the outside and went 67 yards for a touchdown to make it 26-7 with 6:52 left in the third.

West Virginia wouldn't let Syracuse pull away. Smith found Bailey deep down the sideline beating one-on-one coverage for a 29-yard score 1:11 later.

Right back came the Orange, nine plays, 70 yards, with Gulley taking a swing pass from Nassib 10 yards for his third touchdown of the day.

A minute and half later, Brandon Sharpe was taking down Smith in the end zone, when the quarterback made a futile attempt to dump the pass off. The officials dropped the flag and the second safety of the day made it 35-14 with 1:08 left in the third.

The 60th meeting between these teams, but first in a bowl, ended up being a romp in the snow for Syracuse.