Future records will show the Orange beat the Boilermakers at the JMA Wireless Dome. In reality, a series of horrible miscues on Syracuse’s final offensive drive — all of them Purdue penalties — allowed the home team to escape with a victory.
The trouble began, somehow, on a go-ahead touchdown by the Boilermakers with 57 seconds remaining in the game. Aidan O’Connell gave Purdue a 29-25 lead with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Payne Durham.
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However, two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls — including one on Purdue coach Jeff Brohm — netted Syracuse an extra 25 yards before its ensuing drive. Purdue had to kick off from its 10-yard line:
Syracuse took over at midfield after a 27-yard return. It appeared briefly that the good field position wouldn’t matter as Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader threw three straight incompletions. But a 10-yard defensive holding penalty on third-and-10 netted the Orange a first down at the Purdue 40.
Once again, Shrader threw three straight incompletions, but another penalty — this time for pass interference — netted another 15 yards for SU to the Purdue 25. The next play saw Shrader throw a 25-yard touchdown to Oronde Gadsden II.
To recap: Syracuse gained 50 yards in penalties and 25 yards of offense on its final drive.
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Purdue, which apparently just couldn’t help itself at that point, committed another three penalties before receiving the ball: an offside penalty on the point-after attempt and two more unsportsmanlike penalties that resulted in this kick:
Purdue started its last offensive drive at its 25. One failed hook-and-lateral later, Syracuse was escaping the Carrier Dome with a gifted victory to move to 3-0 on the season.
Perhaps Syracuse coach Dino Babers will send Brohm a Christmas card for the Boilermakers’ thoughtfulness.
