Two plays away... | Syracusefan.com

Two plays away...

SUFan44

SUFan44

Hall of Fame
Joined
Aug 15, 2011
Messages
9,400
Like
18,927
I know every school and every team has a laundry list of “What If” plays throughout a season. And we undoubtedly could have lost both the N.C. State and UNC games had there been a couple plays that had gone a different way.

All that being said, it’s just really crazy to think that we could be 8-0 had our defense been able to make two stops on 4th down.

I’m really excited to see how this season finishes and really think that we have a shot to win out (ND & BC are good but not juggernauts). But man... it could have been an epic year for football — to go along with a basketball team that has a shot to win it all, too.
 
I'm right there with you ...at least when it comes to the Pitt game. Pitt's kicker misses either of the 40-something yard field goals and that's a win.

Syracuse had a few great breaks against Clemson and then were too gassed to stop the run in the 4th quarter.

But 7 points is all that separates Cuse from being undefeated
 
Two 4th down conversions away from a Top 10 ranking, a straight-shot to the ACC Championship Game and a likely GameDay date with ND on 11/17. Who knows, maybe even some CFP love...

Sadly though, we're not 8-0, we're 6-2. This is something we should still be proud of. Not many people saw this team playing like this and I'm pretty sure anyone would've signed up for a 6-2 start with no blowouts.

Take care of business this week on the road against a beatable, but pesky Wake team to get to 7-2. That is the most important task at hand. Nothing else matters for now.
 
This is just the weird way my brain works, but the nice thing about our UNC win being fairly miraculous and the NC State win being very close is that I won't obsess over the Clemson/Pitt losses as much anymore. In my head, it's now a wash.

But if we were to blow UNC and NC State both out, I would be 80 years old and going nuts over those losses still.
 
That Pitt FG kicker nailing 3 55+ yard FG's will stick with me for a while. Especially after watching him miss a chippie the following game.

7-1 would have us around 10-12 in the country right now and in the hunt for the Peach Bowl
 
The two losses were soul crushing just in how they played out. I think what most don't appreciate (and it takes me a while to calm down enough to see it) is how far above our talent level we're playing to be in this spot right now. On paper, this should never happen.
 
anomander said:
That Pitt FG kicker nailing 3 55+ yard FG's will stick with me for a while. Especially after watching him miss a chippie the following game.

7-1 would have us around 10-12 in the country right now and in the hunt for the Peach Bowl
Expand...
You're right ! Those kicks were in the mid 50 ranges! Wow. And all he had to do was miss one
 
Eric15 said:
This is just the weird way my brain works, but the nice thing about our UNC win being fairly miraculous and the NC State win being very close is that I won't obsess over the Clemson/Pitt losses as much anymore. In my head, it's now a wash.

But if we were to blow UNC and NC State both out, I would be 80 years old and going nuts over those losses still.
Expand...
Good point, here. Cuse doesn't convert that 3rd and long in the 4th Q against NCState and who knows the outcome?
 
Rocco said:
Two 4th down conversions away from a Top 10 ranking, a straight-shot to the ACC Championship Game and a likely GameDay date with ND on 11/17. Who knows, maybe even some CFP love...

Sadly though, we're not 8-0, we're 6-2. This is something we should still be proud of. Not many people saw this team playing like this and I'm pretty sure anyone would've signed up for a 6-2 start with no blowouts.

Take care of business this week on the road against a beatable, but pesky Wake team to get to 7-2. That is the most important task at hand. Nothing else matters for now.
Expand...

If Syracuse was 8-0 with a road win against Clemson we would be sitting at #3 or #4 in the CFP rankings. We easily, 8 games into the season, would have the best win on anyone's resume. 8-0 leading the ACC absolutely would get CFP love.

WILD
 
That's football though. We had every opportunity to close out both games and couldn't do it. We're also a play away from being 5-3.
 
given who controlled the games though we really should be 8-0.

never trailing vs clemson losing the last 2nd was tough
lead almost the whole game still favored to win the whole 2nd half but a few min.

jumping out, losing the lead, getting back and then getting tied at the end, its like getting tied on a hail mary
only not favored to win for 6 min

unc ahead and controlling the game, somehow losing the lead, winning was lucky in the end but still lead vast amount the game
above 75% to win half the game only not favored for part of the 4th

nc st, big lead, never trailed, nc st never had the ball in our end with a chance to go ahead.
above 75% to win almost all game

5 games we let teams get back into it the 2nd half.. need to fix that.
 
upperdeck said:
given who controlled the games though we really should be 8-0.

never trailing vs clemson losing the last 2nd was tough
lead almost the whole game still favored to win the whole 2nd half but a few min.

jumping out, losing the lead, getting back and then getting tied at the end, its like getting tied on a hail mary
only not favored to win for 6 min

unc ahead and controlling the game, somehow losing the lead, winning was lucky in the end but still lead vast amount the game
above 75% to win half the game only not favored for part of the 4th

nc st, big lead, never trailed, nc st never had the ball in our end with a chance to go ahead.
above 75% to win almost all game

5 games we let teams get back into it the 2nd half.. need to fix that.
Expand...
Maybe. The muffed punt on our own 10 yard line certainly helped.
 
Football is a 60 minute game. Clemson was having their way with us after about 40 of them. I get that people keep looking at the one play. But the real deal with Clemson was we gave them everything we had and were done at that point. They beat us, physically beat us, to the point where we couldn't move the ball at all and they were doing whatever they wanted at the end of the game.

We stop that 1 4th down and there's no guarantee they don't get a 3 and out and do the same exact thing on the next series. I think we were further away from the Clemson win that some people think.
 
UnknownOrange said:
If Syracuse was 8-0 with a road win against Clemson we would be sitting at #3 or #4 in the CFP rankings. We easily, 8 games into the season, would have the best win on anyone's resume. 8-0 leading the ACC absolutely would get CFP love.

WILD
Expand...

This is why Dino should stay here, if the pay is even close.
 
Pyle said:
Football is a 60 minute game. Clemson was having their way with us after about 40 of them. I get that people keep looking at the one play. But the real deal with Clemson was we gave them everything we had and were done at that point. They beat us, physically beat us, to the point where we couldn't move the ball at all and they were doing whatever they wanted at the end of the game.

We stop that 1 4th down and there's no guarantee they don't get a 3 and out and do the same exact thing on the next series. I think we were further away from the Clemson win that some people think.
Expand...

No we weren't. We were a fourth down completion to our TE getting called back for illegal man downfield away from being able to score, or at the very least give them very little time if they got the ball back.

One play.
 
SUFan44 said:
I know every school and every team has a laundry list of “What If” plays throughout a season. And we undoubtedly could have lost both the N.C. State and UNC games had there been a couple plays that had gone a different way.

All that being said, it’s just really crazy to think that we could be 8-0 had our defense been able to make two stops on 4th down.

I’m really excited to see how this season finishes and really think that we have a shot to win out (ND & BC are good but not juggernauts). But man... it could have been an epic year for football — to go along with a basketball team that has a shot to win it all, too.
Expand...

At Clemson if Eric completes the short passes to Johnson on 3rd down pick up a 1st down and don’t have the 4th down ineligible man downfield call. I honestly believe we would have run the clock down for the win!! Being at the Clemson game that penalty gave them all the momentum and the crowd got fired up.
 
RF2044 said:
No we weren't. We were a fourth down completion to our TE getting called back for illegal man downfield away from being able to score, or at the very least give them very little time if they got the ball back.

One play.
Expand...
You're assuming a perfect outcome after that play as well. For all we know we throw downfield on the next play and it's picked, or it's TD, or it's just incomplete, or Dungey gets rocked and fumbles. If it was the final play of the game I'd be more willing to see your point of view. It improves our chances but doesn't lock up that game. Clemson was definitely having their way with us at that point.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

SWC75
Winning Plays: Connecticut
Replies
1
Views
334
SWC75
SWC75
SWC75
    • Like
Winning Plays: California
Replies
2
Views
293
upperdeck
U
swish7
    • Like
Maybe 4 plays away from 11-1 or 7-5
Replies
5
Views
650
upperdeck
U
SWC75
Winning Plays - U of Miami
Replies
1
Views
308
SWC75
SWC75
SWC75
Winning Plays - Boston College
Replies
2
Views
339
23Zone
2

Forum statistics

Threads
172,052
Messages
4,991,384
Members
6,021
Latest member
OldeOstrom

Share this page

Online statistics

Members online
269
Guests online
3,134
Total visitors
3,403
Totals may include hidden visitors.


...
Top Bottom