Can Syracuse pull off a top 10 upset? It’s possible, but rare

Since the ACC era began in 2013, Syracuse is just 2-12 in games against Top Ten ranked teams, beating No. 6 Miami last season and No. 2 Clemson in the Dome in 2017.

In fact, this century the Orange technically has only two other victories against Top Ten teams, including back-to-back seasons against a current ACC opponent from the Big East days, and a win over a team (Louisville in 2012) ranked 10th by one poll and 11th by another.

Here is a look at SU football's wins against top 10 teams over the past 25 years.

2001 v. No. 4 Virginia Tech, 22-14

This game was dubbed by the Hokies as the "Lollipopgate" game. Leading the heavily favored Hokies 17-7 early in the fourth quarter in front of a stunned home crowd on a cold Blacksburg day, SU kicker Colin Barber lined up for a 45-yard FG.

As recapped years later by hokiesports.com and shared to all Tech fans, "Barber and holder Jared Jones used the leftover stem of a butterscotch Dum Dum to line up (the) field goal attempt, causing Tech's coaching staff to go ballistic, claiming an unfair advantage, with DC Bud Foster going on the field the field to pick up the stem."

Syracuse held on for a 22-14 upset win gaining a late safety, in what would turn out to be a rare 10-win (10-3) season.

2002 v. No. 8 Virginia Tech, 50-42 (3OT)

In an absolute wild three OT afternoon in front of a sold-out Dome rooting on the 3-6 Orangemen, SU delivered big time against the rival Hokies.

Damien Rhodes scored the tying touchdown with just over 4:00 to play, then scampered the full 25 yards from the overtime scrimmage spot in the third OT, and scored the mandatory successive two-point conversion to put the 'Cuse up 50-42.

Safety Maurice McClain then picked off Virginia Tech QB Bryan Randall in the end zone to seal a jubilant Dome celebration and provided the highlight of a 4-8 final record.

2017 v. No. 2 Clemson, 27-24

In Dino Babers second season, SU was 3-3 when the number-two and undefeated Tigers came to town for a mid-October, Friday the 13th evening tilt.

Defending national champion Clemson was three touchdown favorites, had won 34 of its previous 36 games, but both the Tigers coaches and players failed to get mentally ready to play inside the Loud House.

With SU up three with 6:00 to play, thanks to Eric Dungey's big game (278 yards passing, 3TDs) and a strong defensive effort, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney elected to punt on a 4th-and-6 just inside SU territory at midfield, but called a fake punt, deep pass play instead, and it fell incomplete. SU then held on to shock the nation.

2024 v. No. 6 Miami, 42-38

Anytime you can help coach your team to come back from a 21-point deficit certainly deserves notice. So it was that Fran Brown closed out his first regular season of his head coaching career in stellar fashion, with his team responding and making a defining statement with its rally.

Kyle McCord capped off his brief campus career by adding to his SU single-season passing yardage mark with 380 yards and three touchdowns, outdueling Heisman Trophy finalist and eventual No. 1 NFL draft selection, Canes QB Cam Ward in the process.

Can Brown's second squad make it back-to-back seasons with a Top-10 shocker on Saturday? It would certainly echo unexpected joy in what's turning out to be a challenging season to get back to postseason play.

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