SWC75
Bored Historian
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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: S35, S21, S25, S40, S47, S23, S22, S35 = 248/8 = S31 with 552 yards to go
KO: NCS25, NCS25, NCS25, NCS25, NCS25
Total: Syracuse 5 NC State 0
P: 36 to NCS 49, to NCS 20
Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 1
FG: Good from 25
Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 0
XP: Good, Good, Good
Total: Syracuse 3 NC State 0
Kicking plays total: Syracuse 10 NC State 1
1r: 38, 0, 17(p), 11, 5, 0, 9, 5, 0, 0, 0, 3, 5, -7(p) 2, -1
Total: Syracuse 7 NC State 9
1p: 5, -6, I, 12, I, I, I, INTERCEPTION, I, 9, I, 17td
Total: Syracuse 5 NC State 7
First Down Total: Syracuse 12 NC State 16
2r: 4(5), 10, 13, -1, 11(1), 4, 0, 4(5), 25TD
Total: Syracuse 7 NC State 2
2p: 10(5), 12TD, I, 24, 8(1), 8, INTERCEPTION, 36, 9(8), 19, 11(20)
Total: Syracuse 9 NC State 2
Second Down Total: Syracuse 16 NC State 4
3r: 0, 8(2), 5(p), 0, 2(1)
Total: Syracuse 3 NC State 2
3p: I, 35(14)
Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 1
Third Down Total: Syracuse 4 NC State 3
4r: 2(1)
Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 0
4p: none
Total: Syracuse 0 NC State 0
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 0
Total on running plays: Syracuse 18 NC State 13
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 15 NC State 10
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 33 NC State 23
Penalties not tacked on to plays: -5, -5, -5 Syracuse 0 NC State 3
Game total when SYRACUSE had the ball: Syracuse 43 NC State 27
Big Plays: 38 run, 24 pass, 36 pass, 35 pass, 25TD run
When NC STATE had the ball:
Drive Starts: NCS 25, NCS 49, NCS 25, NCS 20, NCS 20, NCS 15, NCS 25, NCS 25, NCS 25 = 229/9 = NCS 25 with 671 yards to go.
KO: S35, S25, S22, S35
Total: Syracuse 2 NC State 2
P: 52 to S21, 32 to S40, 42 to S48, 48 to S23
Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 3
FG: Good from 20, Good from 42 Good from 36
Total: Syracuse 0 NC State 3
XP: none
Total: Syracuse 0 NC State 0
Kicking plays total: Syracuse 3 NC State 8
1r: 3, 3, 8, 0, 3, -5, 8(15), 1, 6, 0, 2, 7, 5, 7, 1, 2
Total: Syracuse 10 NC State 6
1p: I, 8, 12, I, 4, -3(s), I, 9, -9(s)
Total: Syracuse 5 NC State 4
First Down Total: Syracuse 15 NC State 10
2r: 497), 3(2), 2, 0, 7(3), 5(5), -12
Total: Syracuse 3 NC State 4
2p: 2(7), 18, 8(15), -7(s), -1, 3(7), I, 8(3), 6(9), 8, 5(6), I, I, 18, I, I
Total: Syracuse 9 NC State 6
Second Down Total: Syracuse 12 NC State 10
3r: 5(8), 9, 13(4), 4(4), 4(19), 5(3), 1, 2(1)
Total: Syracuse 3 NC State 5
3p: I, 4(5), I, I, 21, -8(s), 11(13), I
Total: Syracuse 7 NC State 1
Third Down Total: Syracuse 10 NC State 6
4r: 6(1), 7(2)
Total: Syracuse 0 NC State 2
4p: 16(2), I
Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 1
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 3
Total on running plays: Syracuse 16 NC State 17
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 22 NC State 12
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 38 NC State 29
Penalties not tacked on to plays: -5, -5, -5, -5, -5, +15 Syracuse 5 NC State 1
Game total when NC STATE had the ball: Syracuse 46 NC State 38
Big Plays: Interception, Interception, 21 pass
Overall game total: Syracuse 89 NC State 65
Comments: We had 5 first down runs that went nowhere and our last eight such plays gained a net 2 yards after our first eight had produced 85. We also had 6 incomplete passes and an interception. All told, our first down plays produced just 124 of our 389 yards. But we were a terror on second down, winning the runs 7-2 and the passes 9-2, (16-4), and gaining 207 on that down. Our third down defense was excellent (10-6), especially on passes, where we won 7 of 8 plays.
At 89-65, this was a +24 game. These are the closest games to this one in the Babers Era, (2016-22):
2016 Syracuse 101 Colgate 74 = +27 We won 33-7
2018 Syracuse 109 Connecticut 83 = +26 We won 51-21
2019 Syracuse 104 Liberty 84 = +20 We won 24-0
2019 Syracuse 107 Duke 78 = +29 We won 49-7
2021 Syracuse 86 Ohio U. 63 = +23 We won 29-9
2022 Syracuse 92 Louisville 73 = +19 We won 31-7
That’s an average victory margin of 27 points a game. Don’t’ let us roll you!
- 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: S35, S21, S25, S40, S47, S23, S22, S35 = 248/8 = S31 with 552 yards to go
KO: NCS25, NCS25, NCS25, NCS25, NCS25
Total: Syracuse 5 NC State 0
P: 36 to NCS 49, to NCS 20
Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 1
FG: Good from 25
Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 0
XP: Good, Good, Good
Total: Syracuse 3 NC State 0
Kicking plays total: Syracuse 10 NC State 1
1r: 38, 0, 17(p), 11, 5, 0, 9, 5, 0, 0, 0, 3, 5, -7(p) 2, -1
Total: Syracuse 7 NC State 9
1p: 5, -6, I, 12, I, I, I, INTERCEPTION, I, 9, I, 17td
Total: Syracuse 5 NC State 7
First Down Total: Syracuse 12 NC State 16
2r: 4(5), 10, 13, -1, 11(1), 4, 0, 4(5), 25TD
Total: Syracuse 7 NC State 2
2p: 10(5), 12TD, I, 24, 8(1), 8, INTERCEPTION, 36, 9(8), 19, 11(20)
Total: Syracuse 9 NC State 2
Second Down Total: Syracuse 16 NC State 4
3r: 0, 8(2), 5(p), 0, 2(1)
Total: Syracuse 3 NC State 2
3p: I, 35(14)
Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 1
Third Down Total: Syracuse 4 NC State 3
4r: 2(1)
Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 0
4p: none
Total: Syracuse 0 NC State 0
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 0
Total on running plays: Syracuse 18 NC State 13
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 15 NC State 10
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 33 NC State 23
Penalties not tacked on to plays: -5, -5, -5 Syracuse 0 NC State 3
Game total when SYRACUSE had the ball: Syracuse 43 NC State 27
Big Plays: 38 run, 24 pass, 36 pass, 35 pass, 25TD run
When NC STATE had the ball:
Drive Starts: NCS 25, NCS 49, NCS 25, NCS 20, NCS 20, NCS 15, NCS 25, NCS 25, NCS 25 = 229/9 = NCS 25 with 671 yards to go.
KO: S35, S25, S22, S35
Total: Syracuse 2 NC State 2
P: 52 to S21, 32 to S40, 42 to S48, 48 to S23
Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 3
FG: Good from 20, Good from 42 Good from 36
Total: Syracuse 0 NC State 3
XP: none
Total: Syracuse 0 NC State 0
Kicking plays total: Syracuse 3 NC State 8
1r: 3, 3, 8, 0, 3, -5, 8(15), 1, 6, 0, 2, 7, 5, 7, 1, 2
Total: Syracuse 10 NC State 6
1p: I, 8, 12, I, 4, -3(s), I, 9, -9(s)
Total: Syracuse 5 NC State 4
First Down Total: Syracuse 15 NC State 10
2r: 497), 3(2), 2, 0, 7(3), 5(5), -12
Total: Syracuse 3 NC State 4
2p: 2(7), 18, 8(15), -7(s), -1, 3(7), I, 8(3), 6(9), 8, 5(6), I, I, 18, I, I
Total: Syracuse 9 NC State 6
Second Down Total: Syracuse 12 NC State 10
3r: 5(8), 9, 13(4), 4(4), 4(19), 5(3), 1, 2(1)
Total: Syracuse 3 NC State 5
3p: I, 4(5), I, I, 21, -8(s), 11(13), I
Total: Syracuse 7 NC State 1
Third Down Total: Syracuse 10 NC State 6
4r: 6(1), 7(2)
Total: Syracuse 0 NC State 2
4p: 16(2), I
Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 1
Fourth Down Total: Syracuse 1 NC State 3
Total on running plays: Syracuse 16 NC State 17
Total on passing plays: Syracuse 22 NC State 12
Total on plays from scrimmage: Syracuse 38 NC State 29
Penalties not tacked on to plays: -5, -5, -5, -5, -5, +15 Syracuse 5 NC State 1
Game total when NC STATE had the ball: Syracuse 46 NC State 38
Big Plays: Interception, Interception, 21 pass
Overall game total: Syracuse 89 NC State 65
Comments: We had 5 first down runs that went nowhere and our last eight such plays gained a net 2 yards after our first eight had produced 85. We also had 6 incomplete passes and an interception. All told, our first down plays produced just 124 of our 389 yards. But we were a terror on second down, winning the runs 7-2 and the passes 9-2, (16-4), and gaining 207 on that down. Our third down defense was excellent (10-6), especially on passes, where we won 7 of 8 plays.
At 89-65, this was a +24 game. These are the closest games to this one in the Babers Era, (2016-22):
2016 Syracuse 101 Colgate 74 = +27 We won 33-7
2018 Syracuse 109 Connecticut 83 = +26 We won 51-21
2019 Syracuse 104 Liberty 84 = +20 We won 24-0
2019 Syracuse 107 Duke 78 = +29 We won 49-7
2021 Syracuse 86 Ohio U. 63 = +23 We won 29-9
2022 Syracuse 92 Louisville 73 = +19 We won 31-7
That’s an average victory margin of 27 points a game. Don’t’ let us roll you!