Running in-game thread: Syracuse
PREGAME
They don't do "color rush" games in college like they've done for mid-week prime time games in the NFL, but you'd never it from the uniforms both State and Syracuse are wearing tonight. The Wolfpack is debuting its new "Stealth Wolf" white camo uniforms. The Orange, meanwhile, is taking its nickname literally woith bright orange from head-to-toe, -- making the players look like a bunch of walking, talking traffic cones. ...
With all the attention on State's new starting quarterback Bailey Hockman, it should be noted that there is some questions surrounding Syracuse's quarterback as well. Apparently, Tommy DeVito is suffering from some kind of "upper body" issue (translated to bruised or broken ribs) and is clearly wearing a flak jacket while warming up before the game. Presumably he'll still be wearing it once we kick this thing off, so that's something to keep an eye on -- especially if the Wolfpack can put some pressure on him and hit him a few times. ....
It's Military Appreciation Night at Carter-Finley and a large group of service men and women are on the field to participate in the pregame festivities. Syracuse wins the coin toss and will take the ball first ...
FIRST QUARTER
The game couldn't have gotten off to a better start for the Wolfpack. A holding penalty on the kickoff return set Syracuse back at its own 10 ... a third down tackle just short of the sticks by Isaiah Moore and a short punt set State up in great field position. A downfield completion from Hockman to Devin Carter for 27 yards then put the Wolfpack in business. But for all the promise the drive had at the start, it ended in typical fashion for State, which has had trouble punching the ball into the end zone all season. New quarterback. Same result ... drive stalls at the 15 and the Wolfpack has to settle for a short Christopher Dunn FG ... State 3, Syracuse 0
Apparently the N in Hockman's name on the back of his uniform is backwards. I'm attempting to get a screenshot of it, so stay tuned ...
Meanwhile, yet another Wolfpack drive (this time a 10-play possession) stalls and Dunn hits yet another field goal. State has dominated this one so far, but only leads 6-0 ... Wolfpack 6, Orange 0
During the break following the score, newly minted Hall of Famer Torry Holt was honored on the field. He got a standing ovation during the ceremony, in which he received a Hall of Fame plaque. The highlight of his apperaance, however, came at the very end. Instead of walking off the field, the legendary Wolfpack wide receiver took off down field and caught a pass from another former State star -- quarterback Mike Glennon -- and took it all the way into the end zone with the ball raised high over his head. Needless to say, the crowd loved it ...
Here it is ... photographic proof of the typo on Hockman's back
Someone at the print shop is going to lose their job over this
In addition to being just plain bad on offense thus far, #Syracuse isn't helping itself on special teams, either. The Orange just committed a holding penalty on a touchback … it will start at its own 10 for the second time tonight. ...
State defense gives up a first down but ends the quarter with a fourth straight stop
End of 1 ... State 6, Syracuse 0
SECOND QUARTER
There's a tug-o-war between State's Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC going on during the quarter break. From the looks of things, the Air Force guys won ...
Tug o war
Devin Leary in at quarterback to start the quarter for the Wolfpack ... and he immediately floats a beauty of a pass to Thayer Thomas for 23 yards ...
On third third and 17 from midfield, Leary eluded several tackles in the backfield and had a chance to throw downfield to a wide open Thayer Thomas waving his arms frantically in the end zone. But the redshirt freshman didn't see him and got hit as he attempted to throw it. A wild play that took about 20 minutes to unfold (okay, maybe 20 seconds) ... all for an incomplete pass. ...
Trenton Gill is averaging 53 yards per punt on his two kicks tonight. Problem is, they've both been touchbacks, so the new is only 33 yards ...
One play after LB Louis Acceus gets a 12-yard sack, DeVito throws it away under pressure from Acceus and gets his second intentional grounding penalty of the night, setting up third and bus ride ...
The Leary experiment lasted only one possession. Hockman back in at QB ...and he immediately hits Carter for 23 ... Say this about the Wolfpack tonight. It isn't scoring a lot of points, but it has at least produced some "chunk plays." So that's an improvement ...
Hockman nearly gets Tabari Hines killed with a dump pass over the middle on a third and 13 play. Syracuse LB Eric Coley sniffed it out and absolutely leveled the graduate receiver. Hines got right up, though. And State punts .... Still 6-0 ... one play away from wasting away a domiant half to this point ...
Commercial for Wegmans flashes on the Jumbotron …. they're really hitting this area hard, aren't they? People lined up for hours just to get into the store when it opened up a couple of weekends ago. I hear Wegman's is a great store and all, but c'mon folks. It's just a grocery store ...
Leave it to Thayer Thomas to finally complete a touchdown pass ... 32-yards to a WIDE OPEN Trent Pennix. His second TD of the year ... only one behind team leader Matthew McKay ... It's also Pennix's first career touchdown ... Wolfpack 13, Orange 0, just over a minute left in the half ...
Leave it to Thayer Thomas to finally complete a touchdown pass ... 32-yards to a WIDE OPEN Trent Pennix. His second TD of the year ... only one behind team leader Matthew McKay ...
This is what happens when you get greedy ... Syracuse looked satisfied to head to the locker room down 13 and not try to do anything crazy, so State coach Dave Doeren calls time out with 33 seconds left in the half in an attempt to perhaps get the ball back. But after the timeout, DeVito completes a 52-yarder to Trishton Jackson and now the Orange is getting close to field goal range ...
But Syracuse doesn't accept the gift. Usually accurate kicker Andre Szmyt shtoinks one off the left upright
Halftime ... State 13, Syracuse 0
THIRD QUARTER
A promising drive ends in the turnover to start the second half. But the threat ends with an interception just outside the red zone. Hockman has come close to making a big rookie mistake for two games now. It finally happened. Syracuse has now had a takeaway in 10 straight games ...
But thanks to sack No. 6, the turnover doesn't hurt the Wolfpack. A three-and-out gives it right back ... albeit 50 yards farther back. ...
Hockman hits Emeka Emezie for a 37-yard completion. It's the sixth pass play of more than 20 yards tonight for the Wolfpack. Coming into this game, State had only eight such plays all season in its first five games combined ...
Yet another drive into the red zone ends in a short Christopher Dunn field goal. The Wolfpack even had two tries at it after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Orange on third and goal gave it a first down at the 5-yard line. But even that didn't help. What's really mystifying about these situations is that State has a tight end in Cary Angeline who is 6-foot-7 ... and yet I haven't seen it throw a jump ball to him in that situation all season. He wasn't even on the field for this possession. Not sure why they don't give it a try at least once.
State's seventh sack of the night (and Acceus' third) limits the damage on Syracuse's best drive of the night. Szmyt with a 32-yard field goal puts the Orange on the board, but it's still Wolfpack 16, Syracuse 3
End of 3 ... State 16, Syracuse 3
FOURTH QUARTER
State's defense may be getting tired ... Syracuse is driving again ... now inside the 25. This one isn't over by any stretch of the imagination. All the missed opportunities by the offense may still come back to haunt the Wolfpack. It's only a 13-point lead with more than 11 minutes left. ...
James Smith-Williams is down with what appears to be a right leg injury. He walks off under his own power, though slowly. He hasn't been the same player since returning from a previous leg injury two weeks ago at Florida State ...
State's defense comes up big again. This time on a fourth and six play from the 20. DeVito was flushed out of the pocket and had to try a desperation heave into the end zone. It was nearly caught, but the play wouldn't have counted even if it had been because receiver Cameron Jordan stepped out of bounds on his way downfield ...
For the second time tonight, Syracuse is called for a major penalty on a punt that wasn't returned. This time it's unnecessary roughness after the whistle. Orange starts at its own six with 7:50 left. ...
State's defense kept bending. Now it finally breaks (with the help). DeVito hits Trishon Jackson for a 2-yard touchdown that narrows the Wolfpack lead to 16-10. It was a 13-play, 90-yard drive that was aided by two pass interference calls on Kishawn Miller. The first one was a marginal call made all the more damaging by the fact that the officials missed a blatant holding call on a Syracuse lineman in the backfield. This one isn't over yet with 3 minutes remaining ...
Wolfpack reverts to old bad habits and can't convert a third-and-short. Gill will punt it away. With two just under two minutes left, the defense is going to have to hold one more time. We're going down to the wire, folks ...
Trenton Gill picks a bad time to have his worst punt of the night ... Syracuse is 76 yards away with 1:48 left ...
A false start call on Syracuse not only costs the Orange five yards, but a 10 second runoff on the clock. Problem is, a State defender may have hit DeVito upstairs after the whistle had blown. No call, though ... 24 seconds left. Syracuse at midfield ...
Eighth sack of the night ... by Murchison saves this one for the Wolfpack
It wasn't pretty, but it counts ... Final score: State 16, Syracuse 10
