Orange Rallies for 31-27 Win at Missouri

Saturday, November 17

Columbia, Mo.

7:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

6-5 , 4-2

Missouri

5-6 , 2-5

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Syracuse

Missouri

Alec Lemon scores the game-winning touchdown

Alec Lemon celebrates his game-winning touchdown catch at Missouri.

Photo by: Charles Wainwright

11/17/2012 6:28:00 PM | Football

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COLUMBIA, Mo. - Syracuse (6-5) pulled off another thrilling comeback, rallying from a 17-3 deficit to defeat Missouri (5-6) in its non-conference finale, 31-27, Saturday, Nov. 17 in front of 63,045 fans at Faurot Field/Memorial Stadium. Senior Alec Lemon capped a 21-point fourth quarter for the Orange by catching a 17-yard touchdown from quarterback Ryan Nassib with 20 seconds to play to win it for Syracuse.

With the victory, SU climbed over the .500 mark for the first time in 2012 and became bowl eligible for the second time in three seasons. For Missouri, the loss to put an end to its 18-game home non-conference winning streak that dated back to 2005.

Lemon finished with 12 catches for 244 yards and two touchdowns to record his fifth game of at least 100 receiving yards this year. His performance was five yards short of the SU single-game record of 249 yards established by Scott Schwedes in 1985 against Boston College. In the fourth quarter alone, Lemon caught seven balls for 140 yards and both touchdowns. He made four receptions and accounted for all 81 yards on SU's game-winning drive, a march that started at the Orange 19-yard line after a 46-yard field goal by Andrew Baggett put the Tigers in front, 27-24, with 1:52 to play.

Working with only one timeout, Nassib quickly completed two passes to Lemon to move the ball to the Missouri 36. After three straight incompletions, and facing a 4th-and-10, Nassib hit Lemon for 19 more yards and a first down. On the next play, Nassib delivered another strike to Lemon who sprinted into the end zone, silencing a raucous Faurot Field crowd.

The Tigers had one final possession, but after an 11-yard completion, backup quarterback Corbin Berkstresser was intercepted by Keon Lyn, sealing the Orange victory.

Nassib was 26-of-40 through the air for 385 yards to raise his career total to 8,845 yards, supplanting Marvin Graves (8,466 yards) as the Orange's all-time leading passer. It was Nassib's seventh career 300-yard passing game, and his sixth of the season. He also set the Orange season record for touchdown passes (23) with his two TD tosses to Lemon. Nassib now ranks third on the BIG EAST career list for the most passing touchdowns with 67.

The Orange defense recorded four sacks and 10 tackles for a loss in the contest. Jay Bromley accounted for two sacks, while Marquis Spruill had one. Brandon Sharpe and Micah Robinson combined for the other. Cameron Lynch led SU with a career-high nine tackles, including five solo stops.

Early on, Mizzouri rode the arm of quarterback James Franklin to a 14-3 lead. Franklin connected with Dorial Green-Beckham for a 70-yard touchdown less than two minutes into the game. After a 44-yard field goal by Ross Krautman pulled SU to within 7-3, Franklin found Jimmie Hunt for a 30-yard score with 4:48 left in the opening period.

The Tigers added to their advantage in the second quarter as Baggett capped off a 10-play, 67-yard drive with a 20-yard field goal to give the Tigers a 17-3 margin. On the ensuing drive, the Orange responded with its first touchdown of the game as Prince-Tyson Gulley took it in from a yard out. Krautman added the extra point to make it 17-10 Missouri at halftime.

After a scoreless third quarter, Nassib hooked up with Lemon for a 13-yard touchdown pass 46 seconds into the fourth to tie the game, 17-17. A Kendial Lawrence three-yard touchdown run for the Tigers was anwered with an eight-yard TD burst by Jerome Smith and the two sides were knotted again, this time at 24-24 with 5:33 remaining.

On the next Missouri series, the Tigers went three-and-out and Syracuse took over at the Missouri 47 after a 25-yard punt. However, the Tigers regained the momentum when Nassib's first-down pass deflected off Beckett Wales and into the arms of Randy Ponder for an interception. Ponder returned the miscue to midfield and the Tigers took over with 4:24 to play.

The Tigers advanced down to the SU 25-yard line where it faced a 3rd-and-1. Missouri put the ball in Lawrence's hands and he was smothered by Siriki Diabate for a 3-yard loss. That stop forced Baggett's go-head field goal and gave the Orange one more chance.

It was an opportunity Nassib and Lemon seized as the two seniors drove the Orange down the field for the winning points.

Franklin, who threw for 237 yards in the first half, had 40 yards in the second half before exiting in the fourth quarter with an injury. His final line was 17-for-23 for 279 yards and two touchdowns. Berkstresser was 4-of-8 for 85 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Lawrence paced the Missouri ground attack with 119 yards and a score.

Defensively, Missouri's Zaviar Gooden recorded a game-high 15 tackles.

Syracuse topped 500 yards of total offense for the sixth time this season. The Orange tallied 508 yards (385 passing, 123 rushing) against the Tigers, including 301 in the second half.

The Orange wraps up the 2012 regular season at Temple on Friday, Nov. 23. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. at Lincoln Financial Field. The game will be televised live nationally on ESPN2.