Winning Plays- Boston College

[SWC75]

This season I will once again be charting Syracuse’s games in terms of “winning plays”. I look at the results of each play and decide which team got the minimum they wanted out of the play. Rather than making instinctive judgments, I use a formula:

- On first down, the offensive team wants to get at least a third of the way to a new first down: they will have two more plays before they might have to surrender the ball and if they gain that same amount of yards on each of those two plays, they’ll get the first down. If they don’t make it a third of the way to a new first down, the defense won the play.
- On second down, the offense wants to get at least halfway to a new first down by the same logic.
- On third and fourth down, they want to get the first down.
- Penalties, if added onto a play by the referees, are added on to the results above. If the offense gains 5 yards on first down but there was holding and they lost yardage instead, the defense won the play. If a running back made a 25 yard run on first and ten and the holding was 20 yards downfield, turning it into a 5 yard gain, that’s still a win for the offense. If the defense is penalized and it’s tacked on, again the net result is what is evaluated. The penalties I’ve listed negated the play entirely and are a “loss” for the penalized team and thus a win for their opponent.
- If a penalty was not tacked onto a play, it’s a lost play for the team being penalized. I'll count them separate from the other plays from scrimmage because I don't know if the intended play before the penalty would have been a run or a pass - so I wouldn't know where to put it in the chart below.
- A turnover is, obviously, a win for the team that wound up with the ball.
- On a kick-off a touchback brings the ball out to the 25 yard line. Teams still seem to be trying to kick the ball into the end zone and avoid a runback if they can, so any kick-off that results in the receiving team starting between their goal line and their 25 is a win for the kicking team. Beyond that, the receiving team wins.
- On a punt, a touchback takes the ball out of the 20. So any punt that results in the other team taking over from their goal line to their 20 is a win for the punting team. If the next change in field position is at least 40 yards, the punting team has also won the play.
- A successful place kick is, obviously, a win for the kicking team.
- Any play that results in a touchdown is, obviously, a win for that team that scores it.
- A “victory play” where a team accepts a loss just to let the clock run out, is a win for the offensive team.

I will indicate in parenthesis how many yards there were to go to get a new first down, (if other than 10), unless it was for no gain or negative yardage. If it was a touchdown, (“TD)” a scramble/sack (“S”) a victory play (“V”) or involved a penalty (P). I’ll treat a scramble or a sack as a passing play as the Cuse.com play by play now tells you when it’s either of those two. 1R means first down running plays. 1P means first down passing plays, etc.

I have decided to list the “Big Plays” at the bottom of each team’s summary. A big play is a play from scrimmage of over 20 yards, (or 20+ yards lost), kickoff returns of +25 yards, punt returns of +20, blocked kicks, missed kicks, and turnovers on fumbles, interceptions and downs.

When SYRACUSE had the ball:

Drive Starts: SU 17, SU 35, SU 25, SU 29, SU 5, BC 35, SU 5, SU 19, SU 27, BC 37, BC 34, BC 46 = 410/12 = SU 34 with 790 yards to go.

KO: BC 25, BC 32, BC 22, BC 25, BC 25, BC 25
Total: Syracuse 5 Boston College 1
P: Blocked, 41 to BC 42
Total: Syracuse 1 Boston College 1
FG: No Good from 40, Good from 47, Good from 20
Total: Syracuse 2 Boston College 1
XP: Try for 2 – No Good, Try for 2 – No Good, Kick- Good, Kick -Good
Total: Syracuse 2 Boston College 2
Kicking plays total: Syracuse 10 Boston College 5

1r: 3, -3, 19, 5, 4, 4, -2, 19, 6, 0, 1, 9, 2, 10, 7, 6, 5TD, 4, 0v
Total: Syracuse 13 Boston College 6
1p: 14, 17(12), 12, 19, 2, 4, 10, 8, 6, 23, -3(s), 26, 16, 8TD, 5
Total: Syracuse 13 Boston College 2
First Down Total: Syracuse 26 Boston College 8
2r: 10(5), -3(p), 6(12), 4912), 1(6), -6, 7(3), 3(4), 29TD
Total: Syracuse 5 Boston College 4
2p: I, 6, -7(s), -3(s), 5(2), 14(13), 3(4), I, I, 12(1), 18(8), 58TD
Total: Syracuse 7 Boston College 6
Second Down Total: Syracuse 12 Boston College 10
3r: 8(13), 9(8), 9(1)
Total: Syracuse 2 Boston College 1
3p: -3(s)Fumble, I -13(s), I, 8(5), -4(s)
Total: Syracuse 1 Boston College 5
Third Down Total: Syracuse 3 Boston College 6
4r: none
Total: Syracuse 0 Boston College 0
4p: 0(s) (per Cuse.com Apparently a scramble back to the line of scrimmage is a sack.)
Total: Syracuse 0 Boston College 1
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 0 Boston College 1

Total on running plays: Syracuse 20 Boston College 11
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 21 Boston College 14
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 41 Boston College 25

Penalties not tacked on to plays: -5, -2, +5, -5, -10, -15, -5,-5, +15 Syracuse 2 Boston College 7

Game total when SYRACUSE had the ball: Syracuse 53 Boston College 37

Big Plays: 35KOR, Recovered Fumble, 23pts, 26pts, 58pass TD, Recovered Fumble, 29TD


When BOSTON COLLEGE had the ball:

Drive Starts: SU 17, SU 15, BC 22, BC 42, BC 25, BC 37, BC 32, BC 22, BC 25, BC 25, BC 25, BC 25 = 448/12 = BC 37 with 752 yards to go.

KO: SU 17, SU 35, SU 25, SU 25, On-sides BC 46
Total: Syracuse 2 Boston College 3
P: 30 to SU 5, 32 to SU 5, 43 to SU 27
Total: Syracuse 0 Boston College 3
FG: Good from 28, No Good from 46, No Good from 45
Total: Syracuse 2 Boston College 1
XP: Kick- Good, Kick- Good, Try for 2 – No good.
Total: Syracuse 1 Boston College 2
Kicking plays total: Syracuse 5 Boston College 9

1r: 6, 4, 3, 5, 6, 4, 0, 2, 6, 6, 5, 7, 8, 0, -1, 3(5), 5
Total: Syracuse 12 Boston College 7
1p: I, 33(5), 8, 6, 5, I, 13, I, I, 7, 3, 9, 3TD
Total: Syracuse 8 Boston College 5
First Down Total: Syracuse 20 Boston College 12
2r: 6, 2(4), -3, 4, 1(4), -1, 1, 2(4), 794), -3, 0, 5TD, 4(2)
Total: Syracuse 8 Boston College 6
2p: 7(6), -7(s)Fumble, 9(2), 12(4), I, 12(8), -79s), 5(11), -5(s)Fumble, I, 10, 9(7), 13(1), 7(5)
Total: Syracuse 8 Boston College 7
Second Down Total: Syracuse 16 Boston College 13
3r: 4(1), 4(3), 2(2)
Total: Syracuse 3 Boston College 0
3p: I, 7TD, I, 7(7), 5(21), 8(8), 8(20), 30(4), I, 5
Total: Syracuse 4 Boston College 6
Third Down Total: Syracuse 7 Boston College 6
4r: none
Total: Syracuse 0 Boston College 0
4p: none
Total: Syracuse 0 Boston College 0
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 0 Boston College 0

Total on running plays: Syracuse 23 Boston College 13
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 20 Boston College 18
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 43 Boston College 31

Penalties not tacked on to plays: -5, +10, -5, -10, +11, -2, -1/2, 0 Syracuse 6 Boston College 2

Game total when BOSTON COLLEGE had the ball: Syracuse 54 Boston College 42

Big Plays: Recovered Fumble, Blocked Punt, 33 pass, 30 pass


Overall Game Total: Syracuse 107 Boston College 79


Comments: We tore it up on 1st down (26-8), especially on passes (13-2). Our troubles came after that (15-17).

We won this game 107-79 = +28 plays. The closest games to this in the Dino Babers era:
2016 Syracuse 101 Colgate 74 = +27 We won 33-7
2018 Syracuse 109 Connecticut 83 = +26 We won 51-21
2019 Syracuse 107 Duke 78 = +29 We won 49-6
2021 Syracuse 86 Ohio U. 63 = +23 We won 29-9
2022 Syracuse 89 North Carolina State 65 = +24 We won 24-9
This one should have been easier than it was.

 

[SWC75]

When SYRACUSE had the ball:

Drive Starts: 341/10 = S34, 482/12 = S40, 302/11 = S27, 424/13 = S33, 368/10 =S37, 248/8 =S31, 290/12 = S24, 403/15 = S27, 348/13, 324/12 = S27, 373/13 = S27 410/12 = S34 TOTAL: 4,313/141 = S31 with 9,787 yards to go

KO: 4-2 + 9-0 + 6-0 + 5-1 + 8-2 + 5-0 + 3-1 + 3-2 + 3-2 + 1-1 + 5-1 + 5-1 = 57-13
P: 3-0 + 1-1 + 3-3 + 3-0 + 0-0 + 1-1 + 4-3 + 0-6 + 2-5 + 4-4 + 1-3 + 1-1 = 23-27
FG: 1-0 + 2-0 + 1-1 + 5-0 + 1-0 + 1-0 + 0-0 + 1-0 + 3-1 + 1-1 + 0-2 + 2-1 = 18-6
XP: 4-0 + 6-0 + 4-0 + 1-0 + 8-0 + 3-0 + 3-0 + 3-0 + 0-0 = 0-0 = 4-0 + 2-2 = 38-2
Kicking plays total: 12-2, 18-1, 14-4 + 14-1 + 17-2 + 10-1 + 10-4 + 7-8 + 8-8 + 6-6 + 10-6 + 10-5 = 136-48

1r: 15-5 + 15-10 + 9-7 + 6-15 + 16-3 + 7-9 + 7-6 + 5-8 + 4-4 + 11-3 + 10-7 + 13-6 = 118-83
1p: 7-5 + 7-4 + 7-7 + 6-7 + 11-0 + 5-7 + 7-6 + 6-8 + 6-6 + 1-5 + 9-6 + 13-2 = 85-63
First Down Total: 22-10 + 22-14 + 16-14 + 12-22 + 27-3 + 12-16 + 14-12 + 11-16 + 10-10 + 12-8 + 19-13 + 26-8 = 203-146
2r: 8-3 + 10-7 + 7-7 + 3-6 + 7-4 + 7-2 + 4-1 + 2-2 + 3-4 + 4-6 + 3-4 + 5-4 = 63-50
2p: 7-5 + 9-3 + 3-5 + 7-5 + 6-0 + 9-2 + 6-6 + 4-10 + 1-7 + 1-5 + 2-8 + 7-6 = 62-62
Second Down Total: 15-8 + 19-10 + 10-12 + 10-11 + 13-4 + 16-4 + 10-7 + 6-12 + 4-11 + 5-11 + 5-12 + 12-10 = 125-112
3r: 7-2 + 4-0 + 1-2 + 2-3 + 6-2 + 3-2 + 2-2 + 2-1 + 3-2 + 0-3 + 1-2 + 2-1 = 33-22
3p: 0-3 + 3-4 + 3-6 + 4-7 + 1-0 + 1-1 + 1-6 + 2-8 + 1-8 + 1-7 + 3-4 + 1-5 = 21-59
Third Down Total: 7-5 + 7-4 + 4-8 + 6-10 + 7-2 + 4-3 + 3-8 + 4-9 + 4-10 + 1-10 + 4-6 + 3-6 = 54-81
4r: 0-0 + 0-1 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 1-0 + 1-0 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 0-0 = 2-1
4p: 0-0 + 0-0 + 1-0 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 0-1 + 0-2 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 1-0 + 0-1 = 2-4
Fourth Down Total: 0-0 + 0-1 + 1-0 + 0-0 + 1-0 + 1-0 + 0-1 + 0-2 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 1-0 + 0-1 = 4-5

Total on running plays: 30-10 + 29-18 + 17-16 + 11-24 + 30-9 + 18-13 + 13-9 + 9-11 + 10-10 + 15-12 + 14-13 + 20-11 = 216-156
Total on passing plays: 14-13 + 19-11 + 14-18 + 17-19 + 18-0 + 15-10 + 14-19 + 12-28 + 8-21 + 3-17 + 15-18 + 21-14 = 170-188
Total on plays from scrimmage: 44-23 + 48-29 + 31-34 + 28-43 + 48-9 + 33-23 + 27-28 + 21-39 + 18-31 + 18-29 + 29-31 + 41-25 = 386-344

Penalties not tacked on to plays: 0-16 + 1-2 + 7-4 + 3-10 + 0-5 + 0-3 + 0-7 + 2-3 + 5-3 + 0-6 + 0-1 + 2-7 = 20-67

Game total when SYRACUSE had the ball: 56-41 + 67-32 + 52-42 + 45-54 + 65-16 + 43-27 + 37-39 + 30-50 + 31-42 + 24-41 + 39-38 + 53-37 = 542-459


When OPPONENT had the ball:

Drive Starts: 199/9 = L22, 269/11 = C24, 352/13 = P27, 556/14 = V40, 259/10 = W26, 229/9 = NCS 25 400/13 = C31, 628/19 = ND45, 461/13 = P35, 488/12 = FS41, 335/12 = WF28 448/12 = B37 TOTAL: 4,624/147= O31 with 10,076 yards to go

KO: 0-2 + 2-1 + 2-3 + 1-3 + 1-0 + 2-2 + 0-6 + 2-6 + 1-3 + 1-5 + 3-5 + 2-3 = 17-39
P: 1-2 + 3-3 + 1-2 + 0-4 + 7-2 + 1-3 + 0-2 + 1-3 + 4-3 + 0-3 + 1-3 + 0-3 = 19-33
FG: 0-0 + 0-0 + 1-1 + 2-0 + 0-0 + 0-3 + 0-2 + 0-3 + 0-1 + 1-1 + 0-1 + 2-1 = 6-13
XP: 0-1 + 0-2 + 2-2 + 1-2 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 1-2 + 0-5 + 0-2 + 0-5 + 0-6 + 1-2 = 5-29
Kicking plays total: 1-5 + 5-6 + 6-8 + 4-9 + 8-2 + 3-8 + 1-12 + 3-17 + 5-9 + 2-14 + 4-15 + 5-9 = 47-114

1r: 7-9 + 8-8 + 8-2 + 4-9 + 8-4 + 10-6 + 9-16 + 9-19 + 12-13 + 6-13 + 9-18 + 12-7 = 102-124
1p: 4-3 + 1-1 + 14-10 + 10-6 + 1-1 + 5-4 + 7-6 + 3-4 + 3-5 + 6-8 + 9-8 + 8-5 = 71-61
First Down Total: 11-12 + 9-9 + 22-12 + 14-15 + 9-5 + 15-10 + 16-22 + 12-23 + 15-18 + 12-21 + 18-26 + 20-12 = 173-185
2r: 3-5 + 5-4 + 3-4 + 3-7 + 7-3 + 3-4 + 7-18 + 8-12 + 2-13 + 5-11 + 6-10 + 8-6 = 60-97
2p: 7-3 + 2-3 + 6-13 + 7-7 + 3-0 + 9-6 + 3-2 + 1-3 + 4-4 + 5-5 + 4-14 + 8-7 = 59-67
Second Down Total: 10-8 + 7-7 + 9-17 + 10-14 + 10-3 + 12-10 + 10-20 + 9-15 + 6-17 + 10-16 + 10-24 + 16-13 = 119-164
3r: 3-2 + 0-3 + 1-2 + 0-1 + 5-2 + 3-5 + 3-4 + 3-4 + 3-4 + 1-1 + 2-5 + 3-0 = 27-33
3p: 3-3 + 6-2 + 5-8 + 9-2 + 4-0 + 7-1 + 5-2 + 6-2 + 3-5 + 4-3 + 5-2 + 4-6 = 61-36
Third Down Total: 6-5 + 6-5 + 6-10 + 9-3 + 9-2 + 10-6 + 8-6 + 9-6 + 6-9 + 5-4 + 7-7 + 7-6 = 88-69
4r: 2-0 + 0-0 + 1-1 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 0-2 + 1-2 + 0-1 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 1-1 + 0-0 = 5-7
4p: 0-0 + 1-0 + 0-0 + 1-1 + 0-0 + 1-1 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 0-0 + 1-1 + 0-0 0-0 = 4-3
Fourth Down Total: 2-0 + 1-0 + 1-1 + 1-1 + 0-0 + 1-3 + 1-2 + 0-1 + 0-0 + 1-1 + 1-1 + 0-0 = 9-10

Total on running plays: 15-16 + 13-15 + 13-9 + 7-17 + 20-9 + 16-17 + 20-40 + 20-36 + 17-30 + 12-25 + 18-34 + 23-13 = 194-261
Total on passing plays: 14-9 + 10-6 + 25-31 + 27-16 + 8-1 + 22-12 + 15-10 + 10-9 + 10-14 + 16-17 + 18-24 + 20-18 = 195-167
Total on plays from scrimmage: 29-25 + 23-21 + 38-40 + 34-33 + 28-10 + 38-29 + 35-50 + 30-45 + 27-44 + 28-42 + 36-58 + 43-31 = 389-428

Penalties not tacked on to plays: 6-2 + 1-0 + 3-2 + 5-3 + 2-0 + 5-1 + 4-1 + 3-1 + 3-0 + 5-3 + 3-3 + 6-2 = 46-18

Game total when SYRACUSE had the ball: 56-41 + 67-32 + 52-42 + 45-54 + 65-16 + 43-27 + 37-39 + 30-50 + 31-42 + 24-41 + 39-38 + 53-37 = 542-459

Game total when OPPONENT had the ball: 36-32 + 29-27 + 47-50 + 43-45 + 38-12 + 46-38 + 40-63 + 36-63 + 35-53 + 35-59 + 43-76 + 54-42 = 482-560

Overall Game Totals: 92-73 + 96-59 + 99-92 + 88-99 + 103-28 + 89-65 + 77-102 + 66-113 + 66-105 + 59-100 + 82-114 + 107-79 = 1,024-1,019

Comments: In the six game winning streak, we kicked off 42 times and punted 16 times. Since then, we’ve kicked off 28 times and punted 30 times. That’s not a good trend. Our punting, which was 15-8 through seven games is now 23-27 after going 8-19 since then. We were 95-15 on our kicking plays through the Clemson game. Since then, we are 41-33.

We are 328-258 on first and second down and 35-24 on third down runs, (which means they weren’t third and long). We are a pathetic 20-63 on third down passes but 61-36 against their third down passes. Third down passes are HARD. You need to either pass before then or run the ball so well that you can have third down runs.

Our advantage in the kicking game has been reduced to 136-48 vs. 110-51. We were 84-83 against opposition running plays prior to the Clemson game. We are 110-178 since.

 

[SWC75]

HISTORICAL WINNING PLAYS (Babers Era – game totals only)

2016
Syracuse 101 Colgate 74 = +27
Syracuse 99 Louisville 132 = -33
Syracuse 95 South Florida 116 = -21
Syracuse 91 Connecticut 99 = -8
Syracuse 98 Notre Dame 111 = -13
Syracuse 72 Wake Forest 101 = -29
Syracuse 103 Virginia Tech 104 = -1
Syracuse 93 Boston College 84 = +9
Syracuse 74 Clemson 120 = -46
Syracuse 71 North Carolina State 103 = -32
Syracuse 71 Florida State 120 = -49
Syracuse 107 Pittsburgh 118 = -11
TOTAL: Syracuse 1075 Opponent 1282 = -207 We 'won' 2 of 12 games.

2017
Syracuse 132 Central Connecticut 65 = +67
Syracuse 104 Middle Tennessee 98 = +6
Syracuse 107 Central Michigan 100 = +7
Syracuse 80 Louisiana State 103 = -23
Syracuse 93 North Carolina State 112 = -19
Syracuse 97 Pittsburgh 96 = +1
Syracuse 95 Clemson 97= -2
Syracuse 86 Miami 119 = -33
Syracuse 90 Florida State 108 = -18
Syracuse 120 Wake Forest 125 = -5
Syracuse 96 Louisville 100 = -4
Syracuse 77 Boston College 87 = -10
TOTAL: Syracuse 1177 Opponents 1210 = -33 We ‘won’ 4 of12 games

2018
Syracuse 109 Western Michigan 96 = +13
Syracuse 139 Wagner 65 = +74
Syracuse 113 Florida State 77 = +36
Syracuse 109 Connecticut 83 = +26
Syracuse 86 Clemson 102= -16
Syracuse 99 Pittsburgh 97 = +2
Syracuse 113 North Carolina 115 = -2
Syracuse 113 North Carolina State 96 = +17
Syracuse 117 Wake Forest 107 = +10
Syracuse 124 Louisville 83 = +41
Syracuse 86 Notre Dame 99 = -13
Syracuse 110 Boston College 96 = +14
Syracuse 116 West Virginia 79 +37
TOTAL: Syracuse 1434 Opponents 1195 = +239 We ‘won’ 10 of 13 games

2019
Syracuse 104 Liberty 84 = +20
Syracuse 82 Maryland 112 = -30
Syracuse 77 Clemson 113 = -36
Syracuse 113 Western Michigan 99 =+14
Syracuse 110 Holy Cross 67 = +43
Syracuse 78 North Carolina State 100 = -22
Syracuse 92 Pittsburgh 114 = -22
Syracuse 96 Florida State 115 = -19
Syracuse 76 Boston College 119 = -43
Syracuse 107 Duke 78 = +29
Syracuse 85 Louisville 104 = -19
Syracuse 118 Wake Forest 111 = +7
TOTAL: Syracuse 1138 Opponents 1216 = -78 We ‘won’ 5 of 12 games

2020
Syracuse 70 North Carolina 114 = -44
Syracuse 78 Pittsburgh 89 = -11
Syracuse 108 Georgia Tech 102 = +6
Syracuse 79 Duke 114 = -35
Syracuse 77 Liberty 93 = -16
Syracuse 72 Clemson 112 = -40
Syracuse 76 Wake Forest 99 = -23
Syracuse 68 Boston College 96 = -28
Syracuse 76 Louisville 81 = -5
Syracuse 76 North Carolina State 108 = -32
Syracuse 82 Notre Dame 100 = -18
TOTAL: Syracuse 862 Opponents 1108 = -248 We ‘won’ 1 of 11 games

2021
Syracuse 86 Ohio U. 63 = +23
Syracuse 64 Rutgers 101 = -37
Syracuse 103 Albany 69 = +34
Syracuse 79 Liberty 83 = -4
Syracuse 79 Florida State 90 = -11
Syracuse 102 Wake Forest 92 = +10
Syracuse 79 Clemson 99 = -20
Syracuse 90 Virginia Tech 94 = -4
Syracuse 86 Boston College 79 = +7
Syracuse 56 Louisville 91 = -35
Syracuse 65 North Carolina State 88 = -23
Syracuse 67 Pittsburgh 95 = -28
TOTAL: Syracuse 956 opponents 1044 = -88 We ‘won’ 4 of 12 games

2022
Syracuse 92 Louisville 73 = +19
Syracuse 96 Connecticut 59 = +37
Syracuse 99 Purdue 92 = +7
Syracuse 88 Virginia 99 = -11
Syracuse 103 Wagner 28 = +75
Syracuse 89 North Carolina State 65 = +24
Syracuse 77 Clemson 102 = -25
Syracuse 66 Notre Dame 113 = -47
Syracuse 66 Pittsburgh 95 = -29
Syracuse 59 Florida State 100 = -41
Syracuse 82 Wake Forest 114 = -32
Syracuse 107 Boston College 79 = +28 We’ve ‘won’ 6 of 12 games
TOTAL: Syracuse 1,024 opponents 1,019 = +5
Totals since 2016: Syracuse has won 7,666 plays, (48.7) and 31 games, (36.9%). The opposition has won 8,074 plays and 53 games. They’ve obtained their goals on 408 more plays than we have in 84 games, an average of 4.9 plays a game.