California Steals One at Syracuse on a Late Pick-six
Take away the pick-six and this is an 18-14 Syracuse win. Instead Kingston Lopa returned an interception 24 yards with 4:51 left in the fourth quarter, California took its first lead since the third, and the Bears left with a 21-18 win.
Syracuse built a 12-0 lead without much trouble. Tripp Woody kicked field goals of 25 and 33 yards, and Steve Angeli hit Daunte Bacheyie from 23 yards with 8:50 left in the second quarter (the two-point try failed, so it was 12-0). California answered quickly. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw a 14-yard touchdown to Chase Hendricks to cut it to 12-7, then tossed a 2-yarder to Jordan King early in the third quarter to take a 14-12 lead.
Syracuse got it back with Ju'Juan Johnson's 2-yard run with 1:38 left in the third, 18-14, and missed another two-point try. That is two failed two-pointers. Make both and Syracuse has 22, which would have beaten 21. The lead changed three times, and the last change was the Lopa return.
The numbers say Syracuse should have won. It outgained California 439 yards to 251, with 319 through the air, and Angeli threw 50 passes for 307 yards. He also threw three interceptions, one of them to Lopa. California's offense produced 14 points on 182 passing yards and 69 rushing yards on 24 carries, and the defense had three sacks and a touchdown. California is 1-1, and so is Syracuse.
Fantasy owners got a split decision. Both quarterbacks were in the top three, and a Syracuse tight end was the best non-quarterback on the page.