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Syracuse Football: Six Takeaways From Streak-Breaking Win Over North Carolina
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- Syracuse Football: Six Takeaways From Streak-Breaking Win Over North Carolina
(Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images)
The Syracuse Orange football team snapped its 11-game losing streak to Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) schools with a dramatic 31-30 overtime win over the North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday night in Chapel Hill, N.C.
With the win, the Orange are now 3-4 and 1-4 inside the league. The win also keeps the Orange's bowl hopes alive and avenges a loss from 2025.
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Here's what you need to know.
Overtime win number two by going for two
For the second time this season, Syracuse won an overtime time game in a dramatic fashion. In similar fashion to the win over the UConn Huskies , head coach Fran Brown elected to go for a two-point conversion to win the game rather than go for a one-point play to extend the game into another overtime period. Both times have resulted in Orange wins.
Brown is now 5-0 in his career in overtime, with two wins in the 2024 season, along with one win in the 2025 season.
Steve Angeli and steps up big
After struggling for much of the early part of the season, Angeli returned to the starting quarterback spot for the Orange and made some pivotal plays to help lead the Orange to victory. Angeli's big throws included a third down conversion to Calvin Russell III, a fourth down touchdown throw to Russell in overtime, along with the game winning conversion.
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Angeli's box score included 256 yards through the air and two passing touchdowns.
Calvin Russell breakout game
The freshman wide receiver proved why he was one of the most coveted recruits in program history. Russell scored that touchdown in overtime to move the score to 30-29 and then followed it up with an impressive catch along the goal line that proved to be the game-winning play on the two-point conversion. Russell finished with eight catches 86 yards and a touchdown. Orange fans have to be excited about the future of the young pass catcher.
Umari Hatcher adds to his big season
After being slowed down for most for the first half, Hatcher broke out for a long score in the second half. The senior wideout scored on an 76 yard touchdown, the largest scoring play of the game for either team. Hatcher finished with four catches for 103 yards and a touchdown.
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Special teams almost cost the team a victory
Syracuse scored with less than two minutes to go to tie the game at 23-23. However Shay Barker missed the go-ahead extra point. Barker's missed extra point was the fifth extra point missed this season.
Up next
Syracuse is back in action Saturday at home against SMU. Kick off is set for noon ET. The Mustangs won big over California 59-20.
