It was an extraordinary day on Saturday, the 11th of November 2023 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
Crazed fans packed Yankee Stadium for a special 100th anniversary of the first football game ever played at the original Yankee Stadium back in 1923.
It also marked the 76th meeting between Pittsburgh and Syracuse and fortunately for the Cuse they won, 28-13. It also snapped a 5-game losing streak for their team.
The Pittsburgh/Syracuse Game
The game was crazy from start to finish, with Syracuse (QB) Garrett Shrader back from his ACL injury. It had an old-school vibe, as Syracuse only called two pass plays the entire game.
They also ran the ball from the ‘“wildcat formation” with (TE) Dan Villari lined up as the wildcat quarterback. It gave them a unique advantage, as Pittsburgh wasn’t exactly sure what was coming at them.
Syracuse TE Dan Villari (89) – All Syracuse/fan nation
Villari is a transfer from Michigan, a former quarterback converted into a tight end. The Orange felt that Shrader was not healthy enough with his shoulder to throw the ball and found an old-school way to win the game for at least one game.
The wildcat worked against Pittsburgh, as they could not stop it in the second half, despite knowing it was coming their way. The Orange took a 13-7 halftime deficit and scored 21 unanswered points despite barely throwing the football.
Shrader was split out wide while running the ball from his original quarterback position. He wasn’t able to show if his shoulder was actually healthy enough to throw any passes.
Sixty-six of Syracuse’s 74 plays were on the ground and not one wideout made a catch. The four that did make an execution were: fullback Elijah Wright (Solvay), tight end Max Mang, running back LeQuint Allen, and Shrader.
However, one of his two completed passes was for a touchdown in the first quarter to put the Orange up 7-0. It was also interesting to watch offensive coordinator Jason Beck split three offensive linemen out wide too.
The play-caller from Virginia was trying to pull out as many stops in his offensive game plan as he could, in order for the Orange who are now (5-5), to break its five-game losing streak and keep its bowl hopes alive.
Syracuse OC Jason Beck – Dennis Nett/syracuse.com
Beck is known for his bag of trick play calls, but this was the wackiest, yet effective game plan I’ve ever seen in any level of football (college and/or pro).
The many things that I like about college football being better than the NFL are they finally changed to a running clock after first downs, the offenses are faster in tempo, and are more creative even though the NFL has tried to catch up too.
Conclusion
To say Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi was caught off guard by the Syracuse Orange’s game plan was an understatement.
His (2-7) team had no answers to the Orange’s wildcat offense in the second half, and they would be 100 percent correct. They didn’t have a chance to win that game.
It was a complete win for the Orange after a not-so-great first half, as the Orange are one win away from Bowl eligibility.
It wouldn’t surprise me, if the Orange win out the next two games, as they go on the road at Georgia Tech on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 8:00 pm on prime time.
The team then finishes off the regular season with a 2:00 pm kickoff, against Wake Forest on Saturday, Nov 25 at the JMA Wireless Dome.
Go Cuse!
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