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CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — A week ago against Virginia Tech, Syracuse scored 35 points across the second half and its single possession of overtime. The scoring barrage resulted in the Orange completing an 18-point comeback victory — their largest since 2012 — and clinching bowl eligibility for the third consecutive season.

Coming off a 41-13 loss to then-No. 19 Pitt the week prior, SU’s second-half surge helped it start November — a month it historically struggles in — 1-0. To begin their final road trip of the regular season, the Orange failed to continue their momentum from the overtime thriller.

Against Boston College Saturday, Syracuse struggled to stop BC’s rushing offense — allowing a season-high 313 yards on the ground. While quarterback Kyle McCord totaled 392 yards and two touchdowns, a key third-quarter fumble led to the Eagles retaking the lead and never looking back.

Here are some observations from Syracuse’s (6-3, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) 37-31 loss to Boston College (5-4, 2-3 ACC) on Saturday:

BC rushing game

Boston College has made it clear throughout the season that its offensive identity lives in the rushing game. The Eagles ran the ball seven straight times to start the game, including a 41-yard rush from junior Jordan McDonald. BC got down to SU’s five-yard line but was held to a field goal attempt.

Though Liam Connor missed the chip shot, the Eagles totaled 67 yards on the ground and zero through the air on their opening drive. Rather than using Kye Robichaux and Treshaun Ward — BC’s leaders in rushing attempts other than quarterback Thomas Castellanos — it turned to McDonald early on. On the second drive, Boston College went empty on two plays and couldn’t get much going, forcing a punt. The Eagles totaled nine runs and two pass attempts on their first two drives.

Following a Syracuse turnover, the Eagles put the ball on the ground again and made SU pay. Robichaux got the bulk of the carries this time and exploded down the right sideline for a 34-yard touchdown. Across its first three drives, BC totaled 104 rushing yards and 8.7 yards per carry.

To begin the second quarter, McDonald jumped back into action and immediately broke another big run. The junior broke free for 14 yards, then rushed for 18 later in the drive. The Eagles didn’t complete their first pass until 21 minutes into the game when Castellanos hit Lewis Bond for six. While the Orange had -3 rushing yards, BC had 154 and led by 14.

The Orange made multiple stops and answered with a 21-0 run. To close the half, the Eagles added another big run, but Castellanos threw an interception to stall the threat. BC finished with 169 rushing yards in the first half with McDonald totaling 96.

However, the Orange made a statement to start the second half, stopping two straight runs before a sack forced a punt. Just when it looked like SU’s rushing defense turned a corner, the Eagles punched it in the mouth.

On BC’s second drive, Robichaux ran for 41 up the middle on the first play then scored two plays later. The drive pushed him to 131 rushing yards. McDonald then extended BC’s lead to nine with his first rushing touchdown at the end of the third quarter, pushing totals to 266 overall — the most SU has conceded this season.

The Eagles attack kept pushing in the fourth quarter, closing out the game. They finished with 313 rushing yards and just 65 passing yards.

Stopping Ezeiruaku

Against the Hokies last week, the Orange faced the ACC’s top pass rusher in Antwaun Powell-Ryland. SU limited Powell-Ryland — who entered the game with a league-leading 11.0 sacks — to just three total tackles and one sack.

Facing the Eagles meant matching up with another star edge rusher, Donovan Ezeiruaku. The senior leads the conference in tackles for loss (12), and Syracuse had trouble containing him.

Ezeiruaku often lined up along the left edge facing off with SU right tackle Savion Washington. Other times, he lined up at the second level. On third down near the end of the first quarter, he was perched along the right edge and breezed past Da’Metrius Weatherspoon to sack McCord for an 11-yard loss.

After the Eagles went up 14-0, McCord dropped back and Ezeiruaku bull-rushed Weatherspoon, nearly forcing an interception. Weatherspoon exited after the play and didn’t return until the second half. BC’s pass rusher recorded two quarterback hits and a sack in the first half but also opened the door for Quintayvious Hutchins to record two sacks.

Maybe the biggest play of the day for Ezeiruaku came in the third quarter, when he strip-sacked McCord and recorded a safety, just barely missing a touchdown after he kicked the ball through the back of the end zone.

McCord spreads the wealth

While the Eagles rarely threw the ball, the Orange once again allowed McCord to sling it. The quarterback started the game 2-for-6 with four straight incompletions but then went on a torrid stretch.

McCord hit Darrell Gill Jr. for 38 yards on a third-and-21 and then Oronde Gadsden II for 30. On Syracuse’s first score, McCord ripped a tight spiral to Gadsden’s back shoulder, where only he could catch it. Gadsden tucked the ball with one hand, using the wrist of his right hand to corral it in the right corner for six.

He hit Jackson Meeks on the following drive for 25 yards, setting up LeQuint Allen Jr.’s game-tying score. McCord was just 11-of-20 at the half but made his mark in an area the Eagles couldn’t match. In the second half, McCord added on, hitting Trebor Peña three times before an 11-yard pass to Meeks. Again, the Orange scored on the ground.

Trailing by nine in the fourth quarter, McCord completed six straight passes before a 12-yard touchdown pass to Gill Jr. However, McCord’s big day wasn’t enough to salvage a win.

Miscues across the board

With two middling ACC teams matching up amid a windy day in November, there was bound to be some miscues — especially in the kicking game. While SU claims the worst kicking unit in the conference at a six-for-12 mark on field goals, it was the Eagles who faced kicking woes.

BC had kicked just one field goal all season before the game, converting on the chance. However, after a strong rushing first drive, the Eagles attempted a 29-yard chip shot and missed wide right. A few minutes later, Boston College punted the ball away and punter Ivan Zivenko dropped the snap. Zivenko recovered but shanked it.

However, SU couldn’t capitalize on those mistakes and had special teams’ issues of its own. On a BC punt, Justin Barron ran offsides, giving the Eagles more room to work with instead of being pinned in their own end. Following BC’s second score, the Orange committed a holding penalty on the kickoff, pushing them back.

SU intercepted a Castellanos tipped pass late in the first half, but it again didn’t take advantage of it. McCord’s own turnover led to the safety later in the game, flipping the game back and forth. A face mask from Barron set up more BC rushes that the Orange could never stop, resulting in their loss.

Published on November 9, 2024 at 3:53 pm

Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky