DALLAS (FWAA) The Syracuse Orange ended No. 2 Clemson's 11-game win streak with a stunning 27-24 victory in the Carrier Dome last Friday, toppling its highest-ranked opponent since 1984. For ending the nation's longest win streak and beating the defending national champions, the Orange earned the Football Writers Association of America National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 14.
The announcement came on "Off Campus with Mark Packer" on ESPNU Radio on SiriusXM. Each Monday during the season, the FWAA National Team of the Week will be unveiled during the program, which airs weekdays from 4-7 p.m. ET.
Junior quarterback Eric Dungey threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns and added 21 carries for 61 yards to account for 339 of the Orange's 440 total yards. He opened the game leading Syracuse on a 10-play scoring drive to set the tone at 7-0, and the Orange racked up 270 yards in the first half against a Clemson defense that entered only giving up 264 total yards per game. With the score tied at 24-24 going into the fourth quarter, Dungey led the clinching drive, a 16-play, six-minute march to set up Cole Murphy's 30-yard game-winning field goal.
"I'm very proud of the young men. The seniors, Zaire Franklin, Parris Bennett, Steve Ishmael, Ervin Philips, Jamar McGloster that senior class," Syracuse head coach Dino Babers said. "Three head football coaches. All the things they've been through. To have an opportunity like that is something they will never forget for the rest of their lives."
Syracuse, which fought off four ties but never trailed, tallied the most total yards (440) and points (27) Clemson has given up this season. Aided by four sacks, the Orange also held the Tigers to 113 yards rushing, less than half (237.3 ypg) of their season average.
This is Syracuse's second time to win the FWAA award, and first since 2004.
The other National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Oct. 14 were:
Arizona State (3-3): Manny Wilkins completed 29 of 41 passes for 245 yards as the Sun Devils stunned No. 5 Washington, 13-7. The Sun Devils held down a Washington offense that had been averagining 43 points per game to record their seventh straight win over Washington in Tempe, dating back to 2001.
California (4-3): The Bears dominated No. 8 Washington State in a 37-3 win, beating a top-10 team for the first time since 2003 and only the second time since 1978. Cal's defense sacked WSU's Luke Falk nine times, forced seven turnovers, and had 12 tackles for loss, holding an offense averaging 39.7 points per game to only a field goal and 328 total yards, almost 150 yards below WSU's season average of 474.4 per game.
The Football Writers Association of America has named a national team of the week since the 2002 season. Members of the 12-person FWAA All-America Committee – plus one fan vote from Twitter – decide the weekly honor.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football.
The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key
executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas
that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.
For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson
at tiger@fwaa.com.