In 1998, a Syracuse football quarterback named Donovan McNabb beat a ranked Virginia Tech team with a last-minute TD throw to tight end Stephen Brominski. Syracuse won that game 28-26.
In 2021, Syracuse football quarterback Garrett Shrader is looking to end a 3-game losing streak of close games. Within the last minute, on a 4th-down play and another close loss looming, Garrett heaves a 45-yard touchdown pass to Damien Alford to beat Virginia Tech 41-36.
Okay Orange fans over the age of 30, nobody is saying Shrader right now is McNabb or trying to hurt your feelings by diminishing probably the biggest comeback win in Syracuse football history. It is possible to compare our memorable moments with the current day program without insulting your experiences.
I’m 49 and I became the fan I am because of Don McPherson and then McNabb so I love our history and never belittle it. What I do know is watching that game go from “I can’t handle this if we lose another one by 2-3 points” to “WE WON” on that one throw is definitely comparable.
The ending of the Syracuse football win over Virginia Tech was incredible.
The Syracuse Orange football program now sits at 4-4, which leaves them two games away from bowl eligibility with 4 games left to play. They’ve also either beaten or met the expectations that many “Vegas experts” set for them with the over/under win total before the season of either 3.5 or 4 wins depending on the place and time you bet.
With three straight losses by three points each, people were calling for Head Coach Dino Babers’ job and were filled with gloom and doom until that touchdown throw literally made seconds before Shrader would be laid out on his back gasping for breath.
If Shrader doesn’t connect with Alford, it’s likely the voices of those with pitchforks would have only grown louder that this team couldn’t win. And also with this win, the administration probably took a deep sigh of relief that they can say at the very least expectations were met and thus no need to find an out in an expensive contract should the fan base get restless.
McNabb to Brominski. Doug Flutie and the Hail Mary over Miami. Joe Montana to Dwight Clark. The Immaculate Reception. Oftentimes in history, legends can be made or even lost on one throw and especially if this team does become bowl eligible, Shrader to Alford deserves mention in Syracuse football folklore as a moment that brought fans excitement and joy.
The legend will grow as young fans will tell their kids and relive this moment with friends and when the highlight reel of this season is played, that throw will be amongst the top moments, if not the moment, when this team got the win they needed.