CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Steve Angeli threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with a lower leg injury, Justus Ross-Simmons hauled in two TD passes and Syracuse upset heavily-favored Clemson 34-21 on Saturday sending the Tigers to their worst start ever under coach Dabo Swinney.
Angeli threw first half TD passes to Ross-Simmons and Darrell Gill Jr. while Will Nixon scored on a 9-yard run as the Orange (3-1, 1-0 ACC) built a 27-14 lead before Angeli left with a non-contact lower leg injury late in the third quarter after rolling out of the pocket.
Rickie Collins added a touchdown pass in relief for Syracuse, which entered the game as a 17 1/2-point road underdog but never trailed.
“I’m thankful we got a chance to beat Clemson, a blue blood in college football, but we got a long way to go," Syracuse coach Fran Brown said. ”I’m just happy for the community. I can’t wait to get back and see the community party and having fun tonight, especially our college students on campus."
Then Brown added, “I’m so excited to get back (to Syracuse). Hopefully I can eat for free.”
First-team preseason All-American Cade Klubnik struggled with accuracy and finding open receivers once again despite finishing 37 of 60 passes for 363 yards and three touchdowns for Clemson, which started 1-3 for the first time since 2004 when Swinney was the Tigers wide receivers coach under Tommy Bowden.
Adam Randall added 130 yards rushing and a touchdown and Bryant Wesco Jr. had two TD catches for the Tigers (1-3, 0-2), who began the season ranked No. 4 in the nation but have seen their national championship hopes evaporate in the first four weeks of the season.
Clemson became the ninth team to be ranked in top 5 in the Associated Press preseason poll to start the season 1-3 or worse, per Sportradar.
Swinney expressed frustration over the loss and his team’s inability to play complementary football, and added that his players are hurting right now.
Swinney also appeared emotional on the field after the game while the school's alma mater was played, adding that this was “a very low day” for him.
“We are beat up emotionally and physically, but we will rally and get back to work,” Swinney said. “There is no quit in me or my team. We have to reset our goals. We can’t dwell on missed opportunities. ... It’s still a long season and we have to find a way to win a game.”
Syracuse took full advantage of two first-half gambles by Brown and three costly Clemson penalties to build a 24-14 halftime lead.
After Angeli completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to a leaping Ross-Simmons on the game's first possession, Brown caught Clemson off guard with an onside kick and Syracuse recovered. Brown then gambled again going for it on fourth and 3 near midfield and succeeded again, leading to a field goal giving the Orange a 10-0 lead before Clemson's offense stepped on the field.
“We were playing to win the game,” Brown said. “... Let’s see who we are, see what we’re about, right?”
Johntay Cook II had five catches for 113 yards and Yasin Willis added 94 yards on the ground for Syracuse.
Halftime lasted more than two hours due to a lightning delay.
Faking injuries?
After the game Klubnik pointed out that Syracuse had a lot of injuries on defense that stopped play — and perhaps some of Clemson's momentum. “They stopped us on third downs and then they would have an injury when we really got going.” Klubnik said. "That’s up to them if they want to be honest about that.”
The takeaway
Syracuse: The Orange dominated Clemson at the line of scrimmage in the first half, rushing for 123 yards on 19 carries while outgaining Clemson 303-240 before the break. Brown's aggressive calls in the first quarter set the tone for Syracuse.
Clemson: The Tigers repeatedly hurt themselves in the first half on defense with two roughing the quarterback penalties and another unnecessary roughness call resulting in 45 yards and three Syracuse first downs in the first half alone. That's not smart football.
Up next
Syracuse: Hosts Duke on Saturday.
Clemson: At North Carolina on Oct. 4. ___
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