Why Syracuse will win | Syracusefan.com

Why Syracuse will win

SWC75

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Here is a history of the series:

The Holy Cross I remember was our punching bag during the 1960’s after Colgate decided to give up the series. The 5-3 game was one of the last games Ben Schwartzwalder coached, when everything had fallen apart at the end of his tenure. Beginning with the 1959 game and going through the 1971 game, we out-scored the Crusaders 414-86 in 11 games, (38-8). I think the one score of that period that probably most resembles what will happen tomorrow is the last of those 11 games, a game I saw during my freshman year on the Hill, the 63-21 game. Since I did the “Why Holy Cross Will Win” segment using descriptions of the 1957-58 games, I decided to do a similar summary of that 1971 in preparation for what will actually happen on Saturday. The Post Standard Archive didn’t have this so I went to the Boston Globe, which headlined the article “Syracuse makes Holy Cross wince.”

1971:

“Big Time football is big time football. The fact that a team has a good season or a mediocre one is academic. Yesterday holy cross’s sporty new cylinder football machine ran up against Syracuse’s Big Eight, (I assume this is a reference to the top Eastern Independents), and the result was one of the crusader’s worst football defeats ever. The Orange Machine obliterated outmanned Holy Cross 63-21 at Archbold Stadium before a crowd of 18,308.”

HC coach Ed Doherty: “We were out-everythinged There is really nothing you can say. You can’t rationalize a game like that. You have to forget it and chalk up the game to experience.”

“If the crusaders came into the game with visions of upsetting the struggling Orange, their dreams turned into nigthmares before you could say “Hold that line”, something the Crusaders were unable to do. In the first half the Orange scored 7 of the 8 time they had the ball to take a 42-7 halftime edge. The only time they failed to score, they fumbled on the first play of the drive and Holy cross capitalized by scoring their only touchdown of the half.” Doherty: “The first quarter turned everything around and ti made us play catch-up.”

“Syracuse was without the services of four starters…but the orange didn’t miss them as wave after wave of substitutes hit the Cross ranks like a tank ramming a paper wall.” Doherty: Their injuries sure didn’t make a difference. In fact, the ones that were in there probably played better than the injured ones could ever have.” The article cited speedy Ron page who made his orange debut with two scores, one form 50 yards out that I can still remember. “Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder played ‘musical quarterback’ throughout most of the game, alternating three signal callers, the most prominent senior quarterback Frank Ruggiero, making the first start of his career.”

“Though Ruggiero passed for two touchdowns and 109 yards for the day, the Orange played it like Ohio State. They didn’t throw a pass until the second quarter. then, in their fourth touchdown drive, Ruggiero reverted to the other extreme, throwing 6 of 7 passes as Syracuse pulled away.”

Syracuse scored 21 points in each of the first two quarters, 7 in the third and 14 more in the fourth, building up a 56-7 lead before the crusaders got a couple of late scores against the deep bench reserves. Page’s 50 yarder was actually the opening score, followed by a 1 yard dive by Roger Praetorious and a 5 yard run by Page. HC got their only score on a 21 yard pass from Mickey Connolly to Scott Lodde after the fumble. But there was to be no comeback and Ruggiero answered with an 11 yarder to Brian Hambleton. Jim Cummings made up for his fumble with a 6 yard scoring run and Dennis Finnegan dived over from the 2 to make it 42-7 at the half. Praetorious bulled over form the 5 for the only third quarter score. Ruggiero passed 20 yards to Dick Steiner to make it 56-7. A 47 yard run by Joe Wilson with pulled the crusaders to within 56-14 but a 37 yard pick six by Tim Williams answered to make it 63-14. Fran Meagher ran it in from the 7 for the final count, SU 63 Holy Cross 21.

Page ran the ball 5 times for 87 yards (174.9) and 2 scores. John Rosella had 81 yards on 8 carries (10.1) but didn’t score. Ruggiero was 7 for 12 for 109 yards, 2 TDs and no interceptions. The leading receiver was Gary “No” Sweat with 3 for 53 yards but no scores. Steiner had 2 for 33 yards and score. Syracuse ran for 3331 yards and passed for 117 more for a total of 448 yards. That’s not a lot today but it was then and I think rushing yards convert into points more readily than passing yards because it doesn’t matter if the field shrinks. HC had 210 yards rushing and 95 passing for 310. Interceptions are not in the box score for some reason. We lost 3 fumbles to their one, indicating it could have been worse. SU didn’t have a huge differential in first downs 23-15. We put our yards together the way a baseball team scores more when they put their hits together.

It would be 27 years before we scored that many points again and we’ve only done it once since then. We are do for another game like that tomorrow.

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Pride of Schenectady: Switch to offense paved way for Page's record-setting career

2-2 and 8+ to go!

LET’S GO ORANGE!!!
 
I wonder what happens when Holy Cross plays Liberty? Do the Christians win?
 
I wonder what happens when Holy Cross plays Liberty? Do the Christians win?


When the Mormons beat the Catholics- just barely:

I believe that's Bill O'Donnell on the call. he was the Voice of the Orange in the 50's through 1965, when he was hired by the Baltimore Orioles. Joel Mareiness succeeded Bill as the VOTO, followed by Doug Logan and, eventually Matt Park.
 

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