Syracuse Stuns Purdue on Late Touchdown
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Syracuse lost a 10 point fourth quarter lead but scored with seven seconds remaining to shock Purdue 32-29 inside the JMA Wireless Dome to improve to 3-0 on the season. Garrett Shrader hit Oronde Gadsden from 25 yards out to stun the Boilermakers. It was their second scoring connection of the afternoon and gave the Orange the victory.
Purdue controlled all of the action in the first half on both sides of the ball. The Boilermakers defense kept the Orange out of rhythm and shut down Sean Tucker, while the Purdue offense moved the ball at will. Despite all of that, Purdue had just a 9-3 lead heading into the locker room.
In the third quarter, Syracuse used a 17 play, 84 yard drive to take its first lead of the game capped by a Garrett Shrader to Isaiah Jones three yard touchdown pass. On Purdue's next possession, Syracuse appeared to get a stop to turn the ball back over to the offense when Steven Linton sacked Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell on third down. However, he lined up offsides to extend the drive.
That drive would end with a touchdown pass to tight end Payne Durham to give the Boilermakers the lead back early in the fourth quarter. Syracuse responded though as Shrader hit Oronde Gadsden on a 46 yard throwback on fourth and one to take the lead back. A two point conversion put the Orange up 18-15 with 8:17 left to play.
Moments later, Syracuse further took momentum as O'Connell was pressured and threw the ball right into the arms of Caleb Okechukwu, who returned it untouched for a touchdown. O'Connell was not done though, as he hit Charlie Jones on a 55-yard scoring strike to trim the lead back to three.
After Purdue missed a field goal with 2:53 left, Syracuse could not run the clock out and gave the ball back to the Boilermakers. O'Connell led Purdue on what appeared to be the game winning drive capped by a touchdown pass to Durham to take the lead back with 51 seconds remaining.
After two penalties on Purdue gave Syracuse excellent field position at midfield, Shrader hit Gadsden on a corner route in the final seconds to secure the win.
Next up for the Orange is Virginia, who comes to the JMA Wireless Dome for a Friday night til on September 23rd.
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