Friday Night Surprise: Down Goes #2 Clemson, Syracuse For The Win

((Screengrab/ACC Digital Network-ESPN))

Maybe Friday night's Clemson vs. Syracuse game at the Carrier Dome could be called a "Trap" game. After all--the Tigers were rolling, 2nd in the country and widely assumed to be the only challenger to top rated Alabama.

Well, as Lee Corso once said; "Not so fast my friend".....

Syracuse pulled off what might be considered the "Biggest" upset win of the season this week so far as they beat Clemson 27-24 in front of a raucous Carrier Dome crowd.

There were indications this game might turn out an upset as early in the evening--with just a minute left in the first half--Clemson QB Kelly Bryant was laid out by Syracuse Defensive Tackle Chris Slayton. Bryant who was already nursing a left ankle injury, was down on the turf for a couple of minutes and needed help back to the locker room. He would be diagnosed with a concussion at halftime and never returned.

Meanwhile Syracuse QB Eric Dungey thought by many to be a top prospect going into the season--actually played like one Friday night. Dungey threw for 278 yards and 3 TD's. But it was The Big Orange defense which controlled the game---keeping Clemson off the field and holding them to just 317 total yards on the night.

As for Clemson, the loss may not knock them out of College Football playoff contention, but it does drop them to 4-1 in the ACC Atlantic, a game behind North Carolina State and with a slew of games left that mid-week would have been considered gimmes---now no longer looked at that way.