Syracuse struck first and never trailed, using a balanced offensive attack to silence the Memorial Stadium crowd. Quarterback Steve Angeli set the tone with a 12-yard touchdown strike to Justus Ross-Simmons, and the Orange kept Clemson on its heels.
By halftime, Syracuse had built a 24–14 lead behind Angeli’s two touchdown passes and a nine-yard scoring run from Will Nixon. Clemson’s lone highlight of the half came when Cade Klubnik connected with Bryant Wesco Jr. for a 38-yard score and later hit Adam Randall from six yards out to briefly cut into the deficit.
Third-Quarter Collapse Sinks Tigers
Any hopes of a Clemson rally were snuffed out in the third quarter. After a Tripp Woody 49-yard field goal stretched the lead to 27–14, backup QB Rickie Collins found Ross-Simmons for an 18-yard dagger following a Tiger fumble. That quick strike ballooned the margin to 34–14, leaving Death Valley in stunned silence.
Clemson’s defense, which registered three sacks, still struggled to contain Syracuse’s efficiency. The Orange went 4-for-4 in the red zone and committed no turnovers.
Klubnik’s Effort Not Enough
Klubnik tried to rally the Tigers in the fourth quarter, engineering an 81-yard drive capped by a nine-yard touchdown toss to Wesco Jr. The senior quarterback finished 37-of-60 for 363 yards, three touchdowns, and one costly interception.
Randall added a career-best 130 rushing yards, while Wesco Jr. hauled in two touchdowns. Still, Clemson’s offense sputtered on third down (just 2-of-11) and came up empty on three of four fourth-down tries.
What It Means
Clemson drops to 1–3 overall, 0–2 in the ACC, raising serious questions about its ability to contend in the conference. Syracuse improves to 3–1, opening league play with a statement win on the road.
For Dabo Swinney’s Tigers, the margin of error is now razor-thin. A season that began with playoff aspirations has already turned into a fight for survival.