Syracuse football at Clemson: Live score, updates

Clemson, S.C. — The Syracuse football team takes on the Clemson Tigers at noon Saturday here at Memorial Stadium.

The game will air on ESPN.

See in-game team and individual stats here.

Note: Refresh this page throughout Syracuse’s game at Clemson to see the latest updates

Second quarter

HALFTIME: Syracuse 24, Clemson 14

Syracuse didn’t finish the half the way it wanted to, but it’ll take the 10-point lead.

The Orange has controlled the clock through its rushing attack, which has kept Clemson’s crowd out of the game. Syracuse has also played a rather clean game defensively.

Busted coverages have been few and, aside from Adam Randall’s 60-yard run, Syracuse has allowed just 28 rushing yards.

The Orange cannot take its foot off the pedal, though. If Syracuse is to win this game, Clemson’s confidence has to be low. The best way to ensure that is to get a stop coming out of halftime and another score immediately after.

Syracuse’s pass coverage has to improve also. Klubnik is completing 71% of his passes and already has two touchdowns. Elijah Robinson’s pass rush is going to have to pressure Klubnik if Syracuse is going to stop the Tigers’ comeback attempt.

The Orange has the opportunity to begin conference play with a win while sending Clemson to 0-2 in ACC play. If Syracuse can replicate its first quarter at some point in the second half, Clemson is in trouble.

Score update: Syracuse 24, Clemson 14 with 1:06 remaining

Syracuse forced a three-and-out and did nothing with it. The punt pinned Clemson inside its 10-yard line, but that didn’t stop the Tigers from marching 92 yards down the field for a touchdown.

Clemson has now cut the deficit to 10 points and will receive the second half kickoff. Just like that, the Tigers have a chance to win the middle eight and make this a close game.

7:10 remaining, Syracuse ball at own 24

The Clemson faithful have begun booing the Tigers. After going down 24-7, Clemson was just held to a three-and-out.

Syracuse is on the path to causing even more Dabo Swinney-Cade Klubnik discourse this week.

Score update: Syracuse 24, Clemson 7 with 9:13 remaining

Clemson looks like an undisciplined team. The Tigers committed two roughing the passer penalties on the drive, which got Syracuse up to Clemson’s 37-yard line.

After an 11-yard rush from Willis, who is up to 77 yards on nine carries, Darrell Gill Jr. caught a 22-yard slot fade for a touchdown.

Syracuse has seriously quieted the crowd in Death Valley.

Score update: Syracuse 17, Clemson 7 with 14:56 remaining

Syracuse has run the ball and dominated the time-of-possession battle. The Orange possessed the ball for 10 minutes and 40 seconds in the first quarter. The second quarter resumed right where the Orange left off with a nine-yard Will Nixon touchdown rush.

First quarter

END FIRST QUARTER: Syracuse 10, Clemson 7

Fran Brown was not shy in sharing how good he thought Clemson’s defensive line is during his Monday press conference. So far, Jeff Nixon has schemed the Syracuse to make sure the Tigers’ front doesn’t impact the game.

Angeli is getting the ball out of his hands quickly, the Orange have implemented the no-huddle offense and it has opened up the running game.

The Orange had 98 rushing yards on 7.5 yards per carry in the opening frame. Running the ball effectively is the easiest way to cancel out a hostile crowd. If this keeps up, Syracuse has a chance to head home with an upset victory.

Score update: Syracuse 10, Clemson 7 with 3:21 remaining

Syracuse had a chance to get off the field on third down but Devin Grant missed the sack on Cade Klubnik. The Orange still forced a fourth down but the one yard was picked up by defensive tackle Peter Woods.

How did Clemson score? Berry Buxton III was left one-on-one with Bryant Wesco Jr. on a blitz and got beat. Klubnik heaved the ball and Clemson got on the board with a 38-yard touchdown.

Score update: Syracuse 10, Clemson 0 with 7:40 remaining

Clemson’s defense did its job. After allowing an onside kick, the Tigers allowed Syracuse to march down to the Clemson five-yard line. However, deflections and batted balls forced the Orange to settle for a 23-yard field goal.

Syracuse’s offense seems to have corrected its problem with slow starts in the last two weeks. Cook and Ross-Simmons both have two catches of at least 12 yards through two drives in this one.

11:00 remaining, Syracuse ball at own 46

Syracuse caught Clemson slipping. After marching down the field for an opening-drive touchdown, the Greg Delaine recovered a surprise onside kick for the Orange.

Fran Brown is rolling the dice early.

Score update: Syracuse 7, Clemson 0 with 11:01 remaining

Syracuse avoided an injury scare to quarterback Steve Angeli, who left the game for one play after grabbing his knee.

A drive that featured a 32-yard run from Yasin Willis and a 17-yard catch by Johntay Cook II was capped off by a 12-yard Justus Ross-Simmons touchdown catch.

Ross-Simmons remains at one touchdown per game this season while Syracuse has scored opening-drive touchdowns in back-to-back games.

Two healthy teams

Fran Brown said Thursday that he expects Yasin Willis, Devin Grant and Trevion Mack to return from injury Saturday. According to the ACC injury report, all three will be available against the Tigers.

Brown also said he expects wide receiver Emanuel Ross to make his season debut, which was reflected in the injury report. Fellow wide receiver Tyshawn Russell was mentioned as a possible inactive for Brown but was not on the injury report.

Starting safety Duce Chesnut, who was listed as questionable, avoided an inactive designation.

Clemson is also set to regain four starters: left tackle Tristan Leigh, right guard Elyjah Thurmon, wide receiver Antonio Williams and safety Khalil Barnes.

Pregame

Fran Brown believes Clemson is a few plays away from being undefeated, and so does Dabo Swinney. Brown believes Clemson was decimated by injuries in last week’s loss to Georgia Tech. According to Thursday’s injury report, the Tigers may see four starters return to the field Saturday.

With a healthy team, Clemson may be all that Brown has hyped the Tigers to be. But his team still has to play ball and aim for an upset in the hostile environment known as Death Valley. Like Clemson, Syracuse is expected to regain some starters Saturday, including leading rusher Yasin Willis and left tackle Trevion Mack.

ACC openers and games against the Tigers have not been kind to the Orange. But Syracuse must brush that to the side and realize the opportunity in front of it.

After essentially sending Clemson to the College Football Playoff last season, the Orange can add another highlight win to Brown’s résumé and shatter the Tigers’ playoff dreams.

Steve Angeli leads the nation in passing, Demetres Samuel Jr. leads the nation in deflections and Dan Villari has the second-most receiving yards among all tight ends.

With Clemson’s offense struggling, Syracuse can leave Saturday with a momentum-building win if its offensive line holds up and its defense plays, at the minimum, disciplined football.

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