Syracuse Stuns North Carolina 31-30 in Overtime on Angeli to Russell Two-Point Pass

Eleven straight ACC losses. A backup quarterback making his first start in more than a month. A 10-point deficit in the third quarter, a missed extra point in the final two minutes and a touchdown allowed on the first possession of overtime. Syracuse had every reason to lose this game in Chapel Hill.

Instead, Steve Angeli threw to Calvin Russell III on back-to-back snaps, once for a fourth-down touchdown and once for the two-point conversion, and Syracuse walked out of Kenan Stadium with a 31-30 overtime win over North Carolina on Saturday night, Oct. 24.

The win snapped Syracuse's 11-game ACC losing streak and lifted the Orange to 3-4 overall and 1-4 in conference play. North Carolina fell to 4-3 and 2-2, missing a chance at its first three-game winning streak under second-year coach Bill Belichick.

Carolina comes out flying

North Carolina did not waste time. The Tar Heels took the opening kickoff and went 83 yards in seven plays, with Jaylen McGill ripping off runs of 18 and 16 yards and Billy Edwards Jr. hitting Jelani Thurman for 28. Edwards found Jordan Shipp for a 5-yard touchdown, and Carolina led 7-0 with 11:40 left in the first quarter.

The next drive was slower but just as effective, 13 plays and 60 yards before the Syracuse defense held at the 9. Rece Verhoff made a 27-yard field goal, and it was 10-0 after one quarter. Edwards was nearly perfect early, completing his first 11 passes.

Syracuse finally answered with a grinding 16-play, 88-yard drive that took 7:15. Ahmad Miller opened it with runs of 13 and 10 yards, Ju'Juan Johnson converted a fourth-and-1, and Angeli found Russell for 20 yards on a third down after penalties had pushed the Orange back. Miller later broke a 19-yard run, Angeli hit Daunte Bacheyie for 24 yards to the 5, and Miller punched it in from 2 yards out with 9:40 left in the half.

The teams traded field goals before the break. Verhoff hit from 39 for a 13-7 lead, and Syracuse answered with a 10-play, 58-yard drive that featured a 25-yard Johnson run on fourth-and-1. Shay Barker drilled a 30-yarder as time expired, and Carolina led 13-10 at the half.

Ten points down, then one swing

Carolina extended the lead early in the third quarter with a 10-play, 70-yard drive. Facing fourth-and-1 at the Syracuse 25, Demon June broke loose for a touchdown with 8:26 left in the third, and the Tar Heels led 20-10.

Syracuse then came up empty on fourth down twice in a row. Miller was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-1 at the Carolina 45 late in the third quarter, and early in the fourth Angeli's fourth-and-3 pass to Tyshawn Russell fell incomplete at the 38.

The defense kept the Orange alive. Chris D'Appolonia sacked Edwards for a 14-yard loss to force one punt, and Carolina went three-and-out again early in the fourth quarter. After that second punt, Syracuse needed one play. Angeli found Umari Hatcher deep down the left side, and Hatcher turned it into a 76-yard touchdown with 11:01 left. It was 20-17.

Carolina answered with a 71-yard drive that reached first-and-goal at the 6, but the Syracuse defense gave up just 2 yards on the next three plays. Verhoff kicked a 22-yard field goal with 7:12 left, and the Tar Heels led 23-17.

Tied, and then almost not

Syracuse put together its best drive of the night when it needed it most, 11 plays and 75 yards in 5:18. Angeli found Russell three times for 46 yards, including a 28-yard strike to the Carolina 8, and Tylik Hill scored from 3 yards out with 1:54 to play.

The extra point failed. The game was tied 23-23, not won.

Carolina still had a chance to win it in regulation and moved into Syracuse territory with help from a roughing the passer penalty. But on fourth-and-3 at the Syracuse 39, Tunmise Adeleye sacked Edwards with 51 seconds left. Syracuse got to the Carolina 42 before a sack and a broken-up fourth-and-18 pass sent the game to overtime.

Overtime drama

Carolina got the ball first and scored in six plays. Edwards hit Shipp for 20 yards on third-and-10, then found June for a 3-yard touchdown on third down. Verhoff's kick made it 30-23.

Syracuse's answer did not start well. A false start and a botched exchange left the Orange facing third-and-11 at the 26. Angeli found Russell for 16 yards to the 10. Three plays later, on fourth-and-4 from the 4, Angeli went back to Russell for the touchdown.

Then came the decision, and Syracuse went for the win. Angeli hit Russell right at the goal line, with Russell stretching the ball toward the front-right pylon. Officials reviewed it and let the call stand. Syracuse 31, North Carolina 30.

Russell said the review put his celebration on hold. "I was ready to go ballistic, but then I heard the ref say it was under review," he said.

Belichick, asked about the play, did not claim to have a good look. "I mean, I couldn't see much. Yeah, it's hard to tell. I don't know," he said.

Angeli steps in

Angeli was making his first start since a Sept. 17 loss at Pittsburgh, pressed into duty after injuries to Amari Odom and Malachi Nelson. He finished 20-of-34 for 256 yards and two touchdowns, including the winner.

Hatcher caught four passes for 103 yards, and the 76-yard score was the longest play Carolina had allowed all season. Russell was the go-to target late, with the third-down catch on the first touchdown drive, three catches on the tying drive and both overtime scores.

Miller carried the offense on the ground with 125 yards on 30 carries and the Orange's first touchdown. Johnson and Hill each added 38 rushing yards. On defense, Zyian Moultrie-Goddard and D'Appolonia had eight tackles apiece, and Nissi Ogbebor added a team-high four quarterback hurries.

The stats that matter

Syracuse outgained Carolina 455 to 372, and held McGill to 62 rushing yards and June to 53. Edwards threw for a season-high 271 yards on 27-of-44 passing with two touchdowns, and Shipp caught eight passes for 102 yards. Thurman added 77 yards on seven catches.

The numbers that decided the night, though, were small ones. Carolina's offense stalled inside the Syracuse 10 twice and settled for field goals both times. Syracuse scored touchdowns on all three of its trips inside the Carolina 10, then added the two points that won it. The full numbers are in the official box score (opens in a new tab), and Syracuse's game recap (opens in a new tab) has every drive.

What it means and what's next

For Syracuse, this was relief more than anything. Fran Brown is now 5-0 in overtime games, and this was the second time this season the Orange won an overtime game on a final-play two-point conversion, after a 42-41 win at UConn. Brown described the feeling as "a weight lifted off our shoulders."

Next on the schedule was a Halloween home game against SMU at the JMA Wireless Dome, followed by a visit from Clemson on Nov. 7.

For North Carolina, it was a missed opportunity to move closer to bowl eligibility, and the schedule does not get easier. Next on the schedule was a Halloween home game against No. 1 Miami.

The last word

Russell was ready to celebrate before the officials were. "I was ready to go ballistic," he said, until the word came down that the play was under review. When the call stood, so did an ACC losing streak that finally ended.

Sources: Syracuse Athletics recap and box score, The Associated Press, Field Level Media, GoHeels and EssentiallySports. More college football coverage on Undrafted.

Photos: Syracuse Athletics.