Virginia Cavaliers running back Jordan Ellis (10) celebrates with teammates after scoring the game winning touchdown against the Syracuse Orange in the third overtime at Scott Stadium. The Cavaliers won 44-38 in triple overtime. — Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

Triple-Overtime Thriller: The Last Time Virginia Played Syracuse

Nearly seven years ago, the Cavaliers defeated the Orange in triple overtime on a night to remember at Scott Stadium

Author:
Matt Newton
Publish date:
Sep 21, 2022 4:01 PM EDT

In this story:

It's been nearly a decade since Syracuse officially joined the ACC, but when Virginia and Syracuse play each other on Friday night, it will be just the second meeting between these two teams as ACC foes.

Thanks to the ACC's division scheduling model, which is finally getting replaced after this season, the Cavaliers and Orange have met on the gridiron only once since Cuse joined the ranks of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

That one game was one to remember, though.

On October 17th, 2015, Syracuse brought a 3-2 record to Charlottesville to face a UVA football team that was 1-4 nearly halfway through the final season of the Mike London era.

A scoreless first quarter was no indication of the chaos that was to ensue in the remainder of the game. The Orange defense struck first, as Antwan Cordy scooped up a Virginia fumble and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown. Virginia responded with a long scoring drive punctuated by an 11-yard touchdown run by Taquan "Smoke" Mizzell. Then, the Cavalier defense scored a touchdown of their own, as Wilfred Wahee collected a Cuse fumble and brought it back 32 yards for a touchdown.

That scoop n' score gave UVA a 14-7 lead late in the second quarter, but the Orange had a few tricks up their sleeve to end the half on a high note. Syracuse executed a fake punt to keep alive a drive that eventually ended in a one-yard touchdown run for Jordan Fredericks. Virginia got the ball back, but Matt Johns had his pass intercepted, giving possession back to Cuse in plus territory. The Orange needed only one play to cash in, as freshman quarterback Eric Dungey scrambled and hurdled Quin Blanding before getting hit into the end zone for a highlight touchdown run.

Syracuse extended its lead to 24-14 by the end of the third quarter, but Virginia responded with a 15-play drive capped off by a touchdown pass from Johns to tight end Charlie Hopkins.

The UVA defense got a stop and then the Cavaliers chewed up the remaining 6:52 of regulation on a long 19-play, 88-yard drive, which ended with a 25-yard Ian Frye field goal to tie the game at 24-24 as time expired.

While the four quarters of regulation already delivered an entertaining game, the crowd at Scott Stadium was in for an even wilder finish, as three overtimes were needed to determine a victor.

Syracuse got the ball first and needed just five plays to score a touchdown as Dungey found Ervin Phillips for a seven-yard score. Not to be outdone, UVA matched Cuse's TD and did so in only three plays. Virginia was forced to start its possession from the Syracuse 40-yard line due to a targeting penalty on Syracuse's touchdown play. On third and six from the 36-yard line, Matt Johns rolled to his right and lofted a ball deep into the end zone, where it was hauled in by Canaan Severin despite being double-covered.

Virginia also needed only three plays to score again to start the second overtime period, with Mizell finding a gap for a 13-yard touchdown run, his second of the game.

Once again, a UVA penalty helped Cuse out with field position, and the Orange scored on their first play from scrimmage on a 12-yard touchdown pass from Dungey to Steve Ishmael to force a third overtime.

Finally, the Virginia defense came up with a stop, as David Dean and Micah Kaiser got to Dungey for a sack on third down, forcing the Orange to attempt a 48-yard field goal, which Cole Murphy missed wide right.

Not content to win the game with a field goal, UVA punched the ball in from three yards out on a walk-off touchdown run by redshirt freshman Jordan Ellis, giving Virginia a thrilling 44-38 triple overtime victory over Syracuse.

See the full highlights from the game in the video below, courtesy of Virginia Sports TV:

The win gave the Hoos a 3-2 edge in the all-time series between Virginia and Syracuse and UVA has won each of the last three meetings. Friday's matchup marks the first time Virginia will play at Syracuse since 2005 in what is now called the JMA Wireless Dome. With the Atlantic Coast Conference switching to a new scheduling model beginning in 2023, UVA and Syracuse will play every other season from now on - as long as the ACC continues to exist that is.

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