Syracuse Football: Top 10 Plays of Week 3 Versus Central Michigan
By Josh Peelman
1. Evan Foster Pick-Six
Syracuse Football had a heck of a defense out there on Saturday afternoon. No play was bigger for the team though than the pick-six play by Evan Foster.
Anyone who has followed the program through thick and thin over the last decade or so know this team has not returned many interceptions for touchdowns. Heck punt and kick returns for touchdowns probably happen more. So it should come as no surprise that Head Coach Dino Babers and myself thought this play was the play of the game.
At this point early in the game, but late in the first quarter, Central Michigan had already proven to the Orange that they had come to play. They clearly looked like the team that beat Kansas on the road the week before. They had already dominated in the passing game and was making our secondary look foolish. However, that all changed on this play.
Pressed up against their own end zone on the 9-yard line, Central Michigan’s Quarterback Shane Morris dropped back to pass. He looked to his left and shrugged off his first read, opting for his second receiver doing a slant across the middle. The pass tucked in just right and in the perfect spot for the receiver to haul it in. Unfortunately for the Chippewas, the receiver mishandled it, bobbling it into the air. That gave the Orange enough chance to tackle the receiver to break up the play even more
Evan Foster then saw the pass fly towards him and he picked it off. He would then just surge straight ahead and barrel into the end zone. The interception took place 24 yards or so from the goal line, so the return didn’t take much effort. Also the offense didn’t have much time to defend the return. As a result, the Orange scored and tied the game at 10.
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The Chippewas would take the lead one more time early in the second quarter. After that, the Orange would hold them scoreless the rest of the game. This play turned the momentum of the game and soon after the team would go on a roll. That run effectively ended the game with multiple scores. Hence, it is our play of the game this week.