Syracuse 52, Washington State 35: another offensive explosion leads to Holiday Bowl win

The Orange set a new program record for points scored in a bowl game.

SAN DIEGO, CA — Syracuse Orange football fans got to see one last offensive explosion to close out the 2024 season, as fierce resistance from the Washington State Cougars wasn’t enough to stop ‘Cuse from coming out on top 52-35 in the 2024 Holiday Bowl.

Kyle McCord threw for 453 yards and five touchdowns, setting new ACC single-season records for completions and passing yards, as well as new program records for most passing TDs and passing yards in a bowl game. LeQuint Allen secured his second straight thousand-yard rushing season, adding two scores on the ground and another through the air. Jackson Meeks got to a thousand yards receiving with over 100 on the day, while Darrell Gill had a team-high 145 through the air.

Both offenses combined for nearly 1,100 total yards and over 80 points in a total shootout, but it was the Orange who stayed out in front in the end to beat a frisky Washington State team.

Syracuse caps off year one under Fran Brown by getting to 10 wins for the first time since 2018. It did so by playing the vast majority of the roster that secured the Holiday Bowl appearance — the only notable absences were Fadil Diggs and Devin Grant, both of whom sat out with injuries. It’s also just the second time an SU coach got to double-digit wins in his first season, along with Paul Pasqualoni in 1991.

Syracuse received the ball first, with Trebor Pena picking up 17 on a right-to-left end around to begin the drive. However, McCord missed his first three throws of the night in succession, forcing SU to punt.

The Cougs trotted out senior transfer Zevi Eckhaus, a three-year starter at FCS Bryant, for his first career FBS start. After a pair of runs set up a 3rd-and-5 on the opening series, Eckhaus completed one over the middle to Carlos Hernandez for a gain of eight.

He followed that up by connecting with leading Wazzu receiver Kyle Williams (1,026 yards during the regular season) for a pair of splash plays. Then with 2nd-and-Goal at the 4, Eckhaus took it up the middle himself for the score.

SU went to the ground on their next possession, with Allen plowing forward for gains of eight and 14. After Allen was stuffed on his third attempt, McCord found Gill for a back-shoulder grab down the left sideline. The 29-yard gain set up ‘Cuse deep in enemy territory.

Two plays later, McCord went to the sideline again and found his favorite target Trebor Pena for a 19-yard touchdown.

Syracuse attempted a wild two-point conversion, with kicker Jackson Kennedy running from a stacked left side of the field to take the snap in stride, but he was forced out of bounds short.

The Orange defense stood tall on the next drive, stopping Wazzu near midfield. Pena then had a big return, going 34 yards down the far sideline to nearly get back to the other side of the field.

It took just four plays for SU to claim their first lead. McCord found Meeks in single coverage twice for a combined 37 yards, then Allen blew through a hole in the middle for a 12-yard TD which put the Orange back in front.

The two-point try was good this time on a nice bubble screen to Allen, making it 14-7.

WSU responded in kind by having Williams split the defense and take off for a 66-yard score. The Cougars then took their first lead of the game toward the end of the first quarter. Syracuse went three-and-out, and a blocked punt was taken right to the house by WSU receiver Josh Meredith to put the Cougs up 21-14.

Syracuse’s offense got back on track in the second quarter, with big-yard catches from Meeks and Oronde Gadsden, as well as a handful of chunk runs from Allen. A seven play, 75-yard drive was capped off by a wide-open OG TD grab to tie things up again.

WSU put together the start of another solid drive, but Eckhaus got greedy and launched a deep ball straight into the hands of Alijah Clark — only the second of his college career and the sole one in his Orange tenure.

It also catapulted momentum firmly in SU’s favor. They charged 94 yards in eight plays, ending things with Allen’s second rushing TD.

Wazzu again marched to midfield and then well beyond it to the edge of the redzone. Opting to try a 4th-and-1 from the 19 proved to be the wrong call, as rather than at least getting three points, the Cougs got none thanks to this stuff:

Allen and McCord both used their legs to move the chains back to Wazzu territory, then a pair of defensive penalties got ‘Cuse in goal-to-go mode again. A nicely-designed bunch play left Gadsden with just enough space to grab his second score of the night, doubling the lead before halftime.

Eckhaus got WSU back into Orange territory but a Denis Jaquez sack and subsequent pressure forced a field goal try. Jack Janikowski lined up for the 41-yard attempt, but with the laces out to the side, he banked it just wide to the left. Syracuse came back on its next possession to go down the field 55 yards, but like WSU, also missed a field goal, with Kennedy’s 39-yard attempt also sailing wide left.

Both offenses found their groove once again late in the third quarter. The Cougars responded on their next possession after the Syracuse field goal miss. A 10-play, 79-yard drive was capped off by a throw on the move from Eckhaus to Hernandez for 42 yards and a WSU touchdown.

In less than a minute of game time, Yasin Willis returned the kickoff for 43 yards and two plays later, McCord found Pena on a wide receiver screen. He would go 45 yards all the way to the house as Syracuse entered the fourth quarter up 42-28.

Once again Wazzu moved the ball some, but an underthrown pass from Eckhaus resulted in sophomore Jahil Martin nabbing his first career pick.

On one of the biggest plays of the game, McCord unleashed the deep ball on 3rd-and-21, launching a pass nearly 50 yards down the field to Gill. The Orange were back in the end zone two plays later, but a sack left SU settling for a chip shot FG.

Now down three scores, Wazzu drove the ball once last time in an attempt to complete a miraculous comeback, but were forced into a FG try on a 4th-and-16. Janikowski again missed to the left. A three-play drive for 80 yards from Syracuse capped off by a receiving TD from Allen sealed the win for good.

Washington State added one final TD with just nine seconds left in the game… and they do deserve a ton of credit for making this a very enjoyable game.

At the end of the night, it was Fran Brown getting dunked in Gatorade followed by him turning the tables and dousing some of his guys in eggnog to conclude a fantastic first season of the Fran-chise.