PLAYERS TO WATCH
–RB Dontae Strickland made two receptions for 3 yards against Notre Dame. He moved ahead of Duane Kinnon (61 catches, 1988-90) and ranks third all-time among Syracuse running backs with 62 career catches.
–PK Andre Szmyt connected on a 28-yard field goal with 10 seconds to remaining against Notre Dame to break the ACC single-season record for most made field goals. The kick was his 28th make of the year, eclipsing the previous record of 27 he shared with Florida State’s Sebastian Janikowski (1998), Gary Cismesia (2007), Roberto Aguayo (2014) and Clemson’s Greg Huegel (2015). Szmyt missed a 23-yard field-goal try earlier in the fourth quarter. It was his first miss from inside 40 yards this season. He had been 20-for-20 from that distance. He was selected as one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award on Monday.
–WR Sean Riley returned five kickoffs for 103 yards against Notre Dame to become the second player in program history with 2,000-plus kickoff return yards. Riley has 2,091 yards in 35 career games. Qadry Ismail holds the team record with 2,290 yards from 1989-92.
–DB Andre Cisco tallied his sixth interception of the season to move into a tie for the national lead. Boston College’s Hamp Cheevers and Charlotte’s Juwan Foggie had six picks entering Week 12 of the college football season. Cisco’s six interceptions are the most of any freshman in the FBS.
SERIES HISTORY: Syracuse leads Boston College 30-20. Since the Orange joined the ACC in 2013, it is 3-2 against the Eagles. Boston College defeated Syracuse 42-14 in the Carrier Dome last season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “This will make them grow up. They will go home. They will hurt. I’ll hurt and with all those, with those open wounds, they will turn to closed scars and we’ll get better and we’ll remember. If it doesn’t kill you, it makes you better. We’re going to grow from this, there’s no doubt about it. We’ll be better the next time we come into this situation.” — Syracuse coach Dino Babers, after his team lost 36-3 to No. 3 Notre Dame last week at Yankee Stadium.
