This has to be one of the scariest Halloweens on record for SMU fans, after a shocking loss to Syracuse has seriously hurt their shot at an ACC Championship Game appearance, and may have also ended their chance at a College Football Playoff appearance.
The Mustangs headed to central New York as the No. 19 team in the nation with some serious buzz around them potentially making it to the playoffs come the end of the season.
However, the Orange — a fitting team to pull off a Halloween upset — had other ideas, winning this one 30-27.
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Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli scores a touchdown during the first half against SMU. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
One of SMU’s big problems on the day involved its offensive line.
Quarterback Kevin Jennings continued his strong season with a whopping 351 passing yards and two touchdowns.
However, there may have been some more that got away, as the Mustangs allowed the Orange to sack him six times, including once with seconds on the clock as SMU worked to get into field goal range.
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Meanwhile, Syracuse’s Steve Angeli was good for 200 yards and a rushing touchdown, but none of it was as big as the go-ahead touchdown.
With just 17 seconds left on the clock, Angeli hit tight end Noah Meyers to give Syracuse the lead.
There was still time for SMU to potentially send this one to overtime, but an incomplete pass, the aforementioned sixth sack of the day, and a bizarre final play that went nowhere and resulted in a fumble meant Syracuse had secured the upset.
You’ve got to love a Halloween field-storming. With Big Bird, Ninja Turtles, and more swarming the field, it always feels a bit like a fever dream.
Fans run on the field after Syracuse beat No. 19 SMU in a stunning, Halloween upset. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus))
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That was SMU’s second loss of the season, the first of which came just three games into the season against Louisville.
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While a 6-2 record is solid, a loss to an unranked team that came in under .500 is going to be a tough sell for the CFP committee.