Home is where the heart is. For the Syracuse football team, this statement continues to ring true. The Orange (4-5, 2-3) has yet to win a road game this year, after losing 27-24 to Florida State (3-5, 3-4) today. Cole Murphy's potential game-tying field goal from 43 yards missed wide left. Syracuse head coach Dino Babers had a solid performance from quarterback Eric Dungey, but that was not enough to earn the victory.
Dungey's woes on the opening drive continued against the 'Noles. Florida State defensive back Derwin James was the recipient of Dungey's opening drive interception. The junior quarterback has thrown a pick on the first drive of every road game this season. The Seminoles capitalized on the mistake, as James Blackman found Nyqwan Murray in stride for a 51-yard touchdown strike.
The following drive, backup quarterback Zack Mahoney, who played in ten games last season for the Orange, entered the game. Dungey was receiving treatment on the sideline before heading to the locker room with what appeared to be an ankle injury.
With just over three minutes to go in the first quarter, Mahoney and the 'Cuse went three and out from Florida State's 38-yard line. Syracuse kicker Cole Murphy proceeded to hook the 48-yard field goal attempt wide left.
In the second quarter, the Orange's difficulties continued. Seminoles running back Cam Akers took a handoff 54 yards to the house.
Dungey re-entered the game with over 10 minutes to go in the first half and immediately made an impact. A coverage breakdown in the Florida State secondary left Jamal Custis open for a 47-yard touchdown to cut the Florida State lead in half.
Despite the momentum shift, Cam Akers had the answer once again. This time, he broke off a 63-yard run and escaped Syracuse defenders as he crossed the goal line. Akers had 159 yards on the ground in the first half.
The Orange had the last score before half, with Dungey throwing his second touchdown pass of the today, this one 34 yards to Steve Ishmael.
With 1:18 to go in the first half, Syracuse recovered a muffed punt by D.J. Matthews at the Seminoles ten-yard line. The Orange went for it fourth and three from the four yard line but Dungey's pass fell incomplete. Florida State was up 21-14 at halftime, having scored its most points in a first half this season.
The Orange and Seminoles traded field goals to begin the third quarter. Cole Murphy hit one from 42 yards and Florida State kicker Ricky Aguayo was able to just barely get his 49-yard field goal inside the uprights.
At the end of third quarter, Syracuse wide receiver Ervin Philips broke the school record for receptions in a career at 202 catches. The Orange held strong for the rest of the third and were down seven as they entered the final quarter of play.
The 'Noles made it 27-17 in the fourth, after Aguayo nailed a 38-yard field goal with 6:48 remaining. Four minutes later, Syracuse struck back. Dungey led an impressive drive of 14 plays, 75 yards that ended in him running it in from three yards out.
With 2:55 and three timeouts, Dino Babers elected for Cole Murphy to try the onside kick. Florida State recovered but the 'Cuse defensive was stout and forced the Seminoles to punt.
The Syracuse offense stepped on the field with 1:23 to go and at its own 18-yard line needing a score. Dungey scrambled for 23 yards on the first play. The next series, Dungey picked up a first down on a third and 14, after he threw a 15-yard pass to Ishmael at midfield. Philips caught his 12th reception of the day, going down at the FSU 34. Ishmael hauled in his 12th catch of the day as well, setting the Orange up at the Seminoles 25-yard line. After an incomplete pass, it was Cole Murphy who had the chance to tie the game. For the second time today, Murphy missed it wide left, shanking the 43-yard attempt and giving Florida State the victory.
The game did not go as planned for Syracuse. The usually reliable Cole Murphy and the normally stingy defense were the biggest weaknesses in this game. Murphy missed two 40+ yard field goals only two weeks after being named the Lou Groza Kicker of the Week. Defensively, the Orange held Blackman to just 136 passing yards. The real issue was the run defense. Cam Akers barrelled his way to 199 yards on 22 carries. He also had two devastating touchdown runs of over 50 yards.
Eric Dungey, despite leaving the game temporarily because of ankle injury, played well enough to put the Orange in a position to win. He finished 24-43, with 278 yards and threw two touchdowns and one interception. Dungey rushed for over 100 yards for the second game in a row and had a quarterback keeper into the end zone. On that touchdown run, he broke the career touchdown rushing record for a quarterback. The record was formerly held by Donovan McNabb. On the receiving end of things, the duo of Steve Ishmael and Ervin Philips dominated once again. Both had 12 catches and more than 100 receiving yards.
The Orange returns to the Carrier Dome next week to take on Wake Forest. You can catch the game right here on the home for Syracuse football, 88.3 FM WAER.