College football: Syracuse upends N.C. State, goes to 6-0 overall, becomes bowl eligible

Oct. 16—SYRACUSE — Part of the sold-out crowd stormed the field to celebrate a seismic victory with the still unbeaten Syracuse University football team Saturday.

Quarterback Garrett Shrader connected with Oronde Gadsden II for two touchdown passes to back a dominant defensive performance and the 18th-ranked Orange beat the No. 13/15 North Carolina State Wolfpack, 24-9, with 49,705 spectators packed in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Syracuse improved to 6-0 overall for the first time since 1987 and just the third time since 1935, and is off to its first 3-0 start in the Atlantic Coast Conference since joining the league in 2013.

The victory played out in front of the 10th sellout crowd in team history for the first matchup with top-20 teams facing off at the Dome in 24 seasons.

Syracuse is bowl eligible for the first time since 2018 and will play at No. 4/5 Clemson (6-0, 4-0) at noon Saturday.

"I've been doing this for quite a while and we're really excited about obviously starting 6-0, that is something that's extremely special," SU coach Dino Babers said. "I just care so much about these players and the things they have gone through, and it's amazing what people can do when they all stay together."

Syracuse fed off the frenzied crowd to start quickly and marched up the field as Shrader hit Gadsden II for a 12-yard touchdown pass. That pushed SU out to a 7-0 lead less than three minutes in and produced the fifth opening-drive score in six games.

Shrader and Gadsden II hooked up again for a pivotal 17-yard score late in the third quarter to extend SU's advantage to 17-6. SU running back Sean Tucker sealed the victory with a 25-yard touchdown run with 2 minutes, 20 seconds left, extending SU's lead to 24-9.

Gadsden II hauled in career highs of eight receptions for 141 yards — tallying his second multi-touchdown game while becoming the first ACC receiver this season to record three 100-yard outings.

"He's consistent, a really heady football player, he has a high football IQ and knows how to find space and get open, he does a lot of good things," Shrader said of his top target. "We want to keep getting him the ball as much as we can."

The smothering Orange defense gave Wolfpack quarterback Jack Chambers all he could handle in his first start replacing ACC Preseason Player of the Year Devin Leary, who was ruled out for the remainder of the season earlier in the day due to a torn pectoral that will require surgery.

Syracuse limited N.C. State to 87 yards of total offense on 27 plays in the first half and held a 10-3 edge at the break. The unit held strong at the end of two lengthy possessions in the second half to force the Wolfpack (5-2, 1-2) to settle for a pair of Christopher Dunn field goals in its comeback bid.

Jatius Geer provided 1.5 sacks in the second half while Mikel Jones and Leon Lowery also took down the quarterback in key spots. Linebacker Marlowe Wax tallied a team-high 10 tackles, his fourth double-digit effort of the campaign.

The stout performance came despite star cornerback Garrett Williams leaving with an apparent leg injury in the second quarter and not returning. He was on the sidelines for the second half and Babers did not update his status afterward.

Syracuse entered as the ACC leaders in scoring defense and total defense, ranking top 10 nationally in each category.

"We're just going to keep showing people what we're capable of (on defense)," Jones said afterward.

Shrader completed 16 of 25 passes for 210 yards, adding 81 net rushing yards on 16 attempts. He threw two interceptions, including a pick in the end zone. The Wolfpack entered leading the ACC in interceptions.

Tucker delivered 98 net rush yards on 14 totes, taking his first carry 38 yards to move past Floyd Little for sixth place on the SU career rushing leaders list.

The Dome crowd came unglued as the final seconds ticked before the student section and some others rushed the field. SU fans last created such a scene in 2017 after stunning No. 2 Clemson at home.

Players said afterward that they were told by fellow students of plans to run onto the field if they pulled out the win.

"It didn't feel real," Jones said. "That hasn't happened since I've been here, so to see it actually happen, it was like a surreal moment."

The celebratory afternoon also included past program icons as SU honored Jim Brown, Ernie Davis and Floyd Little with a Ring of Honor ceremony at halftime. Family members of each legendary running back were on hand to represent them, and Brown sent in a video message that was played to the live crowd.

Former SU star Donovan McNabb, who was the starting quarterback for the last top-20 clash at the Dome in 1998, was also present and received a large ovation.

The team most recently sold out the Dome for the 2019 home opener against Clemson prior to Saturday.