Despite a late rally from #23 Georgia Tech, Syracuse held on to secure their first ACC victory of the season. The Orange’s impressive performance was led by quarterback Kyle McCord and a markedly improved run defense.
McCord’s Career Highs:
Photo Cred: USA Today
Kyle McCord continued his strong form from Week 1, delivering a standout performance against Georgia Tech. He completed 32 of 49 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns. He matched his career high for touchdowns and setting new career highs in completions, attempts, and passing yards. Notably, all of these records were previously set just the week before against Ohio.
McCord’s offensive weapons capitalized on his record-breaking day. Trebor Pena excelled with six receptions for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Additionally, tight end Oronde Gadsden II caught six passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns. Through the first two weeks of the season, McCord has accumulated 59 completions for 735 yards and eight touchdowns, demonstrating his ability to lead and elevate his teammates.
Run Defense Steps Up:
Photo Cred: SI
After struggling defensively in their previous game, where they allowed over 200 rushing yards and two touchdowns to Ohio’s Anthony Tyus II, Syracuse made significant improvements. Georgia Tech entered the game with a strong rushing attack, averaging around 200 yards per game in their first two contests. Syracuse’s defense rose to the challenge, limiting Georgia Tech’s running backs to an average of just 2.5 yards per carry.
This is a notable improvement from the 12.7 yards per carry Syracuse allowed against Tyus II. Overall, the Orange restricted the Yellow Jackets to 112 rushing yards. Despite this, Georgia Tech’s quarterback Haynes King contributed with his legs, rushing six times for 67 yards and scoring both of Georgia Tech’s early touchdowns. Without King’s performance, the Yellow Jackets would have struggled to mount a late-game surge.
Special Teams Miscues:
Photo Cred: USA Today
While Syracuse excelled on offense and defense, their special teams made several critical errors that kept Georgia Tech in the game. Brady Denaburg missed a 43-yard field goal in the first quarter that could have given Syracuse a 10-7 lead, though he did make a 33-yard field goal later and converted all four extra points. The special teams’ problems persisted when a punt was blocked near the end of the second quarter, giving Georgia Tech a short field starting at their own 41-yard line.
Syracuse was fortunate that Georgia Tech missed a field goal attempt to end the half. The most significant mistake came late in the fourth quarter when Syracuse allowed Georgia Tech to recover an onside kick. This gave the Yellow Jackets a chance to score again with 2:30 left on the clock. Fortunately for Syracuse, their offense was able to run down the clock on the ensuing possession, preserving their victory.
With the second-easiest strength of schedule in the ACC, Syracuse is well-positioned to climb into the AP Top 25. Their next matchup will be against Stanford on Friday, September 20, at the JMA Wireless Dome.
