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First-year head coach Fran Brown said Syracuse’s matchup versus Georgia Tech was personal. On Tuesday, GT head coach Brent Key detailed the Yellow Jackets’ key to winning their third straight game was playing the most physically tough football from about noon to 4 p.m.

SU tight end Oronde Gadsden II revealed postgame that Brown, who values toughness as one of his four key elements of D.A.R.T., showed the clip to his team “over and over again” throughout the week. Leading up to the game, Brown said Syracuse defensive back Duce Chestnut echoed the desire to be physically tough from noon to 4 p.m.

“I took it personal when (Key) talked about it wasn’t about X’s and O’s, it was about coming here being physical and tough for four hours,” Brown said postgame. “We from the northeast, like (what do you) mean by that? (Saying) we don’t play football like we’re not physical and tough, I took that very personal.”

In Brown’s first game as head coach facing an Atlantic Coast Conference and AP Top 25 opponent, Syracuse (2-0, 1-0 ACC) defeated No. 23 Georgia Tech (2-1, 1-1 ACC) 31-28. The victory marked SU’s first win over an AP Top 25 team since it beat then-No. 15 NC State 24-9 on Oct. 15, 2022.

The Orange were spearheaded by a career-best day under center from Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord. Coming off a 38-22 victory over Ohio, in which McCord posted career highs in completions (27), attempts (39), passing yards (354) and touchdown passes (four), the signal caller went 32-for-46 passing while throwing for 381 yards and four touchdowns — setting new career-bests.

When the Orange lost 31-22 to GT on Nov. 18, 2023, they didn’t have a quarterback because of Garrett Shrader’s injuries. A day later, they didn’t have a head coach. Dino Babers was dismissed after eight seasons at the helm. Now, the program is revitalized under Brown’s tutelage and a revamped roster.

“What I remember most from last year is that we lost,” SU wide receiver Umari Hatcher said of facing Georgia Tech. “Now coming back, different program, just everything, it’s a great feeling to get a great dub (and) beat Georgia Tech … (we) just got our get back from last year.”

The Orange put the ball in McCord’s hands early and often. To begin the game, he completed 4-of-6 passes for 69 yards. The fourth was hauled in by Trebor Peña near the left pylon, who found the corner of the end zone less than three minutes into the game to give SU a 7-0 lead.

Defensively, Syracuse forced GT into back-to-back third downs, but couldn’t hold. The Yellow Jackets moved the ball just outside the red zone and on a second-and-2 from the 21-yard line, SU linebacker Derek McDonald nearly sacked GT quarterback Haynes King. Instead, King — who Brown compared to Vince Young pregame — slipped free and sprinted into the end zone to knot the game at 7-7.

Trying to answer back, the Orange advanced the ball 49 yards on 13 plays down to Georgia Tech’s 26-yard line. SU was forced to attempt a field goal, but the kick was blocked. The Yellow Jackets, however, couldn’t capitalize on the opportunity as they went three-and-out.

To begin SU’s ensuing drive, McCord and Peña instantly connected for a 21-yard gain getting it beyond midfield. Despite facing third-and-15 two plays later, McCord and Peña diced through GT’s secondary again, connecting on a 32-yard strike. Completions to Gadsden and Jackson Meeks — two of SU’s eight players to have a reception — advanced Syracuse to the 10-yard line.

“It makes my job a lot easier when you look across the field and there’s mismatches everywhere,” McCord said.

In his second game with SU, quarterback Kyle McCord passed for 381 yards and four touchdowns in Syracuse’s 31-28 victory over No. 23 Georgia Tech. Joe Zhao | Video Editor

Then, McCord found Peña again for a score. After breaking free from GT defensive back Omar Daniels, McCord hit Peña on a fade giving the Orange a 14-7 lead just over two minutes into the second quarter. Peña, who missed almost all of 2023, leads SU with five total touchdowns thus far in 2024 with 12 receptions and 166 receiving yards.

SU immediately forced a punt in response. After primarily passing on its last drive, Syracuse used a perfect balance of runs and passes to get into the red zone on eight plays. On the ninth play, McCord dropped back and hit Gadsden wide open in the middle of the end zone, extending Syracuse’s lead to 21-7 with 6:19 remaining in the first half.

In dire need of an answer, Georgia Tech got exactly what it needed on its first play of the ensuing drive. King perfectly placed a deep ball to Eric Singleton Jr. on a go-route. Two plays later, on third-and-6 from just outside the red zone, King’s number was called on a quarterback power run. Running through a hole on the left side, King picked up his second rushing touchdown of the game.

A sloppy end to the half, which saw Syracuse have a punt blocked and Georgia Tech miss a field goal as time expired, led the Orange into halftime with a 21-14 lead. The Yellow Jackets received the second-half kickoff but instantly went three-and-out. Syracuse responded with a 15-play, 65-yard drive that resulted in a Brady Denaburg field goal, extending its lead to 24-14.

The Yellow Jackets had run rampant in their two previous games, including a 24-21 win over then-No. 10 Florida State. On 70 rushing attempts, they totaled 415 yards. Meanwhile, in its opener versus Ohio, SU surrendered 255 rushing yards on 39 carries. The Orange, despite being without linebacker Marlowe Wax, were much improved against GT, allowing 112 yards on 24 carries.

Syracuse’s biggest defensive stand came on the first drive of the fourth quarter. With GT on its 35-yard line, Key kept his offense on the field on fourth-and-1. King lined up under center and handed the ball off to Anthony Carrie. Yet right as the running back received the ball, he was met instantly by SU edge rusher Fadil Diggs in the backfield for a turnover on downs.

“When (Key’s) going for it, he’s saying I’m tougher than you,” Brown said. “And then I’m saying, when we go for it, we’re tougher than you.”

On the 17-yard line seven plays later, McCord fired to Gadsden, who extended the ball into the end zone, giving the Orange a 31-14 lead with just under nine minutes remaining. Georgia Tech responded with a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive and proceeded to recover an onside kick. GT running back Jamal Haynes took advantage of SU’s special teams woes, breaking off a 15-yard touchdown run and bringing Syracuse’s lead to 31-28 with 2:31.

While the Yellow Jackets forced Syracuse into a third-and-10 scenario, McCord remained calm in the pocket before firing a bullet to Gadsden for a first down. GT still had all three of its timeouts but after running back LeQuint Allen Jr. ripped off four and 24-yard runs consecutively, the Orange sealed a 2-0 start to the Brown era.

“Don’t give no ammo to me, you give ammo to me I’m coming at you,” Brown said.

Published on September 7, 2024 at 3:48 pm

Contact Justin: justingirshon@gmail.com | @JustinGirshon