Sports SUmmary: SU football howls to 6-0 in Wolfpack battle
Sports SUmmary: SU football howls to 6-0 in Wolfpack battle
Saturday was a good day to be an Orange. They beat No. 15 NC State 24-9, bringing them to 6-0 for the first time since 1987. The win tasted extra sweet, since it also makes them bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018.
Earlier this week Syracuse head coach Dino Babers predicted the game was going to be a 15-round heavyweight fight, and that’s precisely how it went. It wasn’t an exciting game; it was more of a grind-it-out game.
The No. 18 Orange had to showcase their resiliency due to injuries and interceptions. Injuries seem to be a weekly occurrence for the Orange, but this week might have been the most crucial. But there is still some hope.
Starting cornerback Garrett Williams sustained a foot injury and went into the tent. Williams was then seen in the third quarter on the sidelines in street clothes. In the post-game press conference, Babers said he felt optimistic about Williams and his future availability.
“Garrett Williams was the last athlete that I saw before I walked up here,” Babers said. “He was looking me eye-to-eye, and I told him that I expect him back, lickity-split, and he said he’ll see what he can do.”
Garrett Shrader didn’t have his greatest performance Saturday afternoon. He threw two picks and almost added two more, though luckily for him the defenders couldn’t hold on to the ball. One of his picks was in the second quarter on 2nd and 10 when he thought that the official was throwing a flag and it was a free play.
Shrader comically described what he thought was happening during that pick play.
“One of ’em we thought we got them to jump off sides, I looked at the ref reach for his pocket and I couldn’t sit there and watch the flag come out,” Shrader said. “Everybody else did too, cause you know, they abandoned the play.”
Schrader said he felt like an idiot after making that play.
Shrader did toss two touchdown passes, and he made the necessary throws down the stretch to keep the Orange in the lead. Syracuse held the lead for the entirety of the game.
Orande Gadsden III continues to be a shining star for the Orange. It seems he keeps one-upping his performance from the previous week.
Gadsden had his best game of the season against the Wolfpack, recording eight receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown came on the opening drive of the game and set the tone for Syracuse.
Sean Tucker made history by surpassing Floyd Little’s sixth-place record on Syracuse’s all-time rushing list. Tucker rushed for 98 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
Syracuse will look to ride this momentum as they head to Death Valley next week to take on the No. 4 Clemson Tigers (7-0).
