Kyle McCord threw for 470 yards and accounted for three touchdowns as Syracuse topped visiting UCon 31-24 on Saturday afternoon.
A graduate transfer from Ohio State, McCord broke the Syracuse record for passing yards in a season (3,946) and tied the Orange’s single-season record for touchdown passes (26). He also nearly topped the school mark for passing yards in a game, thanks in large part to Oronde Gadsden II, who had 11 catches for 103 yards with a touchdown and Darrell Gill Jr., who had nine catches for 177 yards.
The Huskies (7-4) saw their three-game win streak end despite Joe Fagnano’s two touchdown passes and a long rushing score from Cam Edwards. Fagnano threw for 228 yards, while Skyler Bell had 10 receptions for 113 yards.
Syracuse (8-3) held a 24-17 lead entering the fourth quarter before McCord orchestrated a drive that he punctuated with a 1-yard keeper. The Orange forced a turnover on downs on the next Huskies possession, but UConn eventually got into the end zone with 1:29 remaining – on a 2-yard pass from Fagnano to TJ Sheffield – to get within 31-24.
Syracuse recovered the onside kick to seal the win.
The Orange wasted no time getting in sync offensively, as McCord found Gill for 53 yards on the first play of the game and then hooked up with Gadsden for a 22-yard TD on the ensuing snap.
The Orange missed a 36-yard field goal on their next trip – and it proved costly as the Huskies promptly tied the game at 7-7 on Edwards’ 71-yard TD sprint on fourth-and-1.
Syracuse answered right back as McCord guided a 12-play, 71-yard drive that he capped with a 5-yard TD pass to Trebor Pena.
Later in the half, Syracuse unleashed a 14-play, 68-yard drive to extend the lead to 21-7. LeQuint Allen plunged in from 1 yard out for the score.
Following a touchdown pass from Fagnano to Louis Hansen, the Orange had a chance to extend their lead at halftime, but Kennedy missed from 52 yards out.
The teams exchanged field goals in the third quarter, leaving Syracuse ahead by a touchdown entering the fourth.
–Field Level Media
