Syracuse stages comeback for overtime victory against UConn

Steve Angeli and Justus Ross-Simmons hooked up for a 6-yard touchdown in overtime as host Syracuse rallied for a 27-20 victory over UConn on Saturday.

Angeli put a perfect ball near the front-right pylon and Ross-Simmons made an athletic catch against tight coverage. The Huskies drove to the 4 on their OT possession, but Antoine Deslauriers broke up the fourth-down pass to secure the win.

Angeli finished 33-of-53 for 417 yards with two touchdowns, an interception and a fumble for Syracuse (1-1), which overcame a 17-6 fourth-quarter deficit. Yasin Willis rushed 11 times for 48 yards and a score for the Orange, while Ross-Simmons finished with five catches for 83 yards and two TDs.

Mel Brown ran for a long touchdown and tight end John Neider threw a score on a trick play to highlight the action for UConn (1-1). Joey Fagnano passed for 259 yards for the visitors.

The Huskies opened the scoring on the first play of the second quarter. Neider, a tight end, took a swing pass from Fagnano and found a wide-open Alex Honig for a 15-yard TD.

After getting stopped on fourth down twice earlier in the game, the Orange got on the scoreboard on Tripp Woody's 38-yard field goal with 3:37 left in the half.

Syracuse's momentum did not last long, however, as UConn found the end zone 2 1/2 minutes later. Brown took a handoff around the left edge on third-and-1 and sprinted up the sideline for a 45-yard touchdown.

The Orange and Huskies exchanged field goals, leaving the scoreboard reading 17-6 -- and that score remained until less than six minutes were left in regulation.

Angeli found Ross-Simmons for a 53-yard touchdown with 5:41 remaining in the fourth quarter. The ensuing two-point conversion failed, but the Orange jumped in front with 48 seconds left in regulation as Willis plunged in from 3 yards out.

The two-point conversion gave the Orange a 20-17 lead, but completions of 27 and 16 yards from Fagnano to Skyler Bell set the stage for Chris Freeman's 41-yard kick with one second left, forcing overtime.

--Field Level Media