Syracuse tight end Noah Meyers catches 2-yard pass to beat SMU 30-27

Steve Angeli connected with Noah Meyers on a two-yard touchdown pass with 17 seconds remaining to give Syracuse a 30-27 victory over No. 19 SMU on Saturday. The final score capped a dramatic end to a game where the Mustangs held the lead until the Orange closed the gap in the final minutes.

Syracuse received possession of the ball at its own 32-yard line with 3 minutes and 36 seconds left on the clock, trailing 27-23. Angeli directed an 11-play drive that culminated in the winning strike. This marked Meyers' second career touchdown for the Orange. The tight end, who transferred from Western Kentucky, had recorded six receptions for 73 yards in the season prior to this game.

Angeli finished the contest with 200 passing yards on 21 of 34 attempts. He also ran for a 26-yard touchdown early in the first quarter to open the scoring. Umari Hatcher led the Orange offense in receiving with six catches for 65 yards. Coach Fran Brown described Angeli as a leader who sees the field effectively. Brown noted that the team's recent patience is yielding results as playmakers begin to create more opportunities.

SMU appeared to take the lead for good in the fourth quarter. Kevin Jennings threw two touchdown passes, and Kendrick Raphael ran for 14 yards to give the Mustangs a 27-20 advantage with nine minutes left. Tripp Woody then kicked a field goal to reduce the Syracuse deficit to one point, putting them at 27-23 with 5 minutes and 26 seconds remaining.

Jennings completed 29 of 36 passes for 351 yards. His scoring targets included Jalen Hale and Yamir Knight. Knight finished with six receptions for 80 yards, while Raphael added five catches for 33 yards and rushed for 51 yards. The Mustangs' defense, which had allowed opponents to convert on third down at a rate of 27.3% entering the game, held Syracuse to four conversions on 17 attempts. Syracuse did convert on all three of its fourth-down chances, including a one-yard run by Ahmad Miller.

The game featured a pivotal defensive penalty with 12 minutes left. Angeli was called for intentional grounding from the end zone, which awarded SMU a safety. This play shifted the momentum and set up the subsequent SMU scoring drive. SMU coach Rhett Lashlee stated that his team should not have been in that position. He cited a lack of effective rushing, turnovers, and critical penalties on special teams and offense as factors in the loss.

The Mustangs totaled 421 offensive yards, a figure well below their season average of 470. Lashlee noted that the team took more sacks in this game than they had in the rest of the year combined. Syracuse held SMU to nine points, which was below the Mustangs' scoring average.

This victory marks Syracuse's first win over a ranked team since November 30, 2024. The Orange improve to 4-4 overall and 2-4 in the ACC. SMU falls to 6-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play. SMU will play at home against Virginia Tech on Friday. Syracuse hosts Clemson on November 7.

The win extends Syracuse's recent momentum, as the team has now won two consecutive games. The result also puts a bowl game within reach for the Orange, a possibility that seemed distant earlier in the season. SMU may see its ranking slip in the coming weeks following the defeat.