Syracuse 30, No. 19 SMU 27: Angeli finds Meyers with 17 seconds left

A final drive with no spare possession

Steve Angeli found Noah Meyers for a two-yard touchdown with 17 seconds remaining, lifting Syracuse past No. 19 SMU 30-27 at the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday. Syracuse improved to 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the ACC; SMU fell to 6-2 and 4-2.

The Orange began the winning possession at their own 32 with 3:36 left, trailing by four. Angeli took them 68 yards in 11 plays. A fourth-and-one completion to David Clement kept the drive alive, and consecutive 15-yard completions to Calvin Russell III and Daunte Bacheyie carried it to the two.

Meyers supplied the finish after a run failed to gain ground and Syracuse called timeout. Chase Geter recovered a loose lateral on SMU’s final play to end the game. The late touchdown completed a ten-point response after Syracuse had fallen behind 27-20 with 9:04 remaining.

Pressure makes the difference

SMU’s offense moved the ball more consistently over the full afternoon. Kevin Jennings completed 29 of 36 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns, while the Mustangs outgained Syracuse 421-338. Syracuse’s defense countered with four sacks and limited SMU to 70 rushing yards.

That pressure mattered on the possession between Syracuse’s final two scores. After Tripp Woody’s 26-yard field goal made it 27-23, the Orange forced a three-and-out. Tunmise Adeleye’s sack helped return the ball to Angeli with enough time to work the whole field.

Angeli finished 21 of 34 for 200 yards, one passing touchdown and no interceptions. He also opened Syracuse’s scoring with a 26-yard run. Umari Hatcher caught six passes for 65 yards; Jennings found eight different receivers, led in yardage by Yannick Smith’s 95.

The result gives Syracuse consecutive conference wins and an even overall record before Clemson visits on November 7 at noon. SMU returns home to face Virginia Tech on November 6 with a second conference defeat.

Syracuse won by creating one more useful possession, then converting it. The earlier field goal kept a touchdown sufficient to win, the defense delivered the stop, and Angeli’s final drive turned that opportunity into the deciding score.