Syracuse escaped Saturday’s matchup against the UConn Huskies with a 27–20 overtime win, but boy oh boy was it a close one for the Orange.
Halfway through the fourth quarter, the Huskies held a 17–6 lead, and looked well in control of things. But after being kept out of the end zone all game, Syracuse finally broke through on their final two drives of regulation, punching in two touchdowns to take a 20–17 lead.
While the Huskies would force overtime with a late field goal, the Orange triumphed in the extra period.
Syracuse accomplished the No. 1 goal—leave with a win—but the fashion in which they did it was clearly unsatisfactory to coach Fran Brown.
After the game, Orange players did not head immediately to the locker room, but rather to the goal line, where they ran a few extra wind sprints on coach’s orders.
Every kid who played youth sports with a coach a bit too eager to toughen up a group of eight-year-olds knows the pain of these sprints.
The Orange host Colgate next week, and will undoubtedly do their best to put forth a performance on the field that does not result in extra sprints after the game.
