Syracuse scores game-winning touchdown with 17 seconds to go to defeat No. 19 SMU 30-27

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Steve Angeli hit little-used tight end Noah Meyers on a 2-yard scoring strike with 17 seconds to go and Syracuse defeated No. 19 SMU 30-27 Saturday.

The Orange (4-4, 2-4 ACC) got the ball on their own 32-yard line with 3:36 remaining while trailing 27-23. Angeli led Syracuse on an 11-play drive capped by Meyers’ second career touchdown for the Orange. Meyers, a transfer from Western Kentucky, had six receptions for 73 yards entering the game.

“It’s absolutely awesome,” Angeli said of the winning drive. “We talked about it before the game. Let’s have our receivers go out there and make touchdown blocks. Have our tight ends also go out there and dominate. I think that’s what those guys did.”

Angeli said the winning march didn't come as a surprise.

“It’s all about preparation throughout the week. We practice these scenarios, honestly, every day in practice," Angeli said. "We were able to operate and go out and win the football game.”

It was Syracuse's first win over a ranked team since Nov. 30, 2024.

Angeli was 21 of 34 and 200 yards and opened the scoring with a 26-yard run early in the first quarter. Umari Hatcher had six catches for 65 yards.

“He's a pretty good quarterback,” Syracuse coach Fran Brown said. "He sees things the right way. He's the leader of our football team."

Brown said preaching patience in his young team is starting to pay off.

“You're putting the players in position to understand what it takes to win,” he said. “And I just feel now our playmakers are making a few more plays.”

Kevin Jennings threw for two scores and Kendrick Raphael ran 14 yards for what appeared to be a game-winner for SMU (6-2, 4-2) with nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter. His score gave the Mustangs a 27-20 lead, but Tripp Woody’s third field goal of the game brought Syracuse to 27-23 with 5:26 remaining.

Jennings was 29 of 36 for 351 yards with scoring strikes to Jalen Hale and Yamir Knight. Knight had six receptions for 80 yards. Raphael had five receptions for 33 yards and 51 more on the ground.

SMU’s defense, which entered the game allowing opponents to convert on third down only 27.3% of the time, the fourth lowest in the country, held the Orange to 4 of 17 on third down. Syracuse did go 3 for 3 on fourth down, including a 1-yard run by Ahmad Miller.

Syracuse was leading 20-17 when Angeli was penalized for intentional grounding from the end zone, awarding SMU a safety with 12 minutes to go in the game. Raphael’s score and a two-point conversion gave SMU a 27-20 lead.

“We just weren’t able to get that final stop, but we shouldn’t have been in that position,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. “Offensively, we were not able to run the ball effectively. We had the fumble, we had the turnover, they didn’t. We had the penalties that were all pretty critical, particularly on special teams and a couple holds on offense, and we took more sacks than we’d taken all year.”

The Orange held SMU nine points below their average.

SMU: The Mustangs totaled 421 yards on offense, well below their average of 470, and they just couldn’t punch it in when they needed to. SMU could fall out of the AP Top 25.

Syracuse: The Orange are picking up some mojo — two straight wins and a very winnable home game against Clemson coming up. A bowl game, which seemed out of reach, is now a distinct possibility.

SMU: Home against Virginia Tech on Friday.

Syracuse: Hosts Clemson on Nov. 7.

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This story has been corrected to show it was Meyers' second career touchdown for Syracuse.

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