Orange Remain Unbeaten

Saturday, September 23

Syracuse, N.Y.

12 PM

Syracuse University

4-0 , 0-0

Army

2-2 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Army West Point

Syracuse

9/23/2023 3:20:00 PM | Football

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Syracuse football kept its clean start to the season alive - going perfect through its nonconference schedule behind a 29-16 win over Army West Point on Saturday. It's the first time since the Orange first joined the BIG EAST in 1991 that the team swept its non-conference slate with four wins.

Garrett Shrader continued to move up the charts in the Orange victory, rushing for the 29th touchdown of his 'Cuse career. He threw for another 216 yards and a touchdown, completing 20 of his 25 passes (80-percent). Shrader is now tied for eighth all-time on the ACC quarterback rushing touchdown list and is tied for the sixth-most by a Syracuse player.

Damien Alford had a breakout game with 135 yards on nine catches, setting his career best. Alford accounted for 27 yards after the catch as well.

On the ground, Syracuse (4-0) covered 158 yards, led by LeQuint Allen's 104, his second 100-yard game of the season. Shrader accounted for 50 yards rushing as the pair each scored rushing touchdowns.

The Mob forced another two turnovers, coming on interceptions by Justin Barron and Jaeden Gould. The defense held Army to 125 rushing yards and 145 yards in the air, marking the second time this season the Orange have held an opponent under 300 total yards. 75 of those yards came on the opening possession, after the Black Knights marched down the field for the first score of the game.

Alijah Clark led the defensive unit with eight tackles and a tackle for loss. Barron and Marlowe Wax each tallied seven tackles and a tackle for loss in the win as well.

The Orange return to the JMA Wireless Dome next week for an ACC battle against Clemson. Game time is set for noon on ABC. Tickets are available at cuse.com/tickets.

After the Orange deferred possession to the second half, Army's first drive chewed up well over nine minutes of game clock, covering 75 yards. Jakobi Buchanan ran in one yard for the first score of the game and a 7-0 Army lead.

Syracuse went three-and-out on its first possession, but a booming 53-yard punt from Jack Stonehouse and Alijah Clark tackle timed up perfectly on the return pinned Army back at its own 17-yard line.

The Orange defense returned the favor with an Army stop, ending the Black Knights' second possession in just 90 seconds. Syracuse covered 42 yards before a Brady Denaburg field goal from 46-yards out cut the deficit to 7-3 with less than two minutes elipsed into the second quarter.

Later in the frame, Army then 64 yards on a clock-chewing 19 plays before booting a 38-yard field goal with 29 seconds before halftime, taking a 10-3 lead into the locker room.

On the second Syracuse possession of the third quarter, Shrader had Alford with a big chunk play for 31 yards deep into Army's zone. Two plays later, another Alford catch set up the Orange in the Army red zone. A handoff to Allen and a quick 13-yard run and Syracuse found paydirt for the first time, tying things at 10-10 with 7:59 to go in the third.

Syracuse's next drive featured four-straight first-down plays, including a 26-yard run up the middle from Allen. Four plays later, Shrader and company put the Orange ahead for the first time as Umari Hatcher reeled in a 13-yard catch. A missed PAT sat the Orange on top with a 16-10 lead late in the third, converting a 91-yard drive in just 10 plays.

The Mob forced Army into its fourth three-and-out of the game, setting up another Syracuse field goal. Allen picked up nearly 30 total yards on two plays, including a 14-yard catch-and-run into the Army red zone on the ensuing possession. Denaburg knocked through a 30-yard field goal, putting the Orange on top 19-10 with 11:36 to play.

Another four-down drive for Army came up short, gaining just two yards before Jason Simmons Jr. tipped a pass down on 4th-and-8 for the Black Knights. Syracuse took over at the Army 27 yard line with 10 minutes on the clock. Shrader ran nearly untouched for a 21-yard run, wrapping up the drive in just two plays across 27 yards. The Orange pushed their lead out to 26-10 with a second touchdown in a two-minute span.

Army's next drive was short lived - after Anwar Sparrow got home for a 10-yard sack, Justin Barron snagged an interception one play later to get the Orange back on offense. Syracuse converted the possession into three points from Denaburg, taking the lead out to 29-10 with 6:15 to play.

The Black Knights cut into the Syracuse lead late on an 80-yard pass from Daily to Noah Short, pulling Army back into a 29-16 deficit with under three minutes to go, but Army never got the ball back.

Next up for 'Cuse is a Saturday, Sept. 30 noon kick vs. Clemson at the JMA Dome. It will be Orange Out Day with all fans encouraged to wear orange. Tickets and official Orange Out t-shirts are available now.

Gallery: (9-23-2023) Syracuse vs. Army