DALLAS (FWAA) – The Syracuse Orange
ended No. 2 Clemson's 11-game win streak with a stunning 27-24 victory
in the Carrier Dome last Friday, toppling its highest-ranked opponent
since 1984. For ending the nation's longest win streak and beating
the defending national champions, the Orange earned the
Football Writers Association of America National Team of the Week
honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 14.
The announcement came on "Off Campus with Mark Packer" on ESPNU
Radio on SiriusXM. Each Monday during the season, the FWAA National
Team of the Week will be unveiled during the program, which airs
weekdays from 4-7 p.m. ET.
Junior quarterback Eric Dungey threw for 278 yards and three
touchdowns and added 21 carries for 61 yards to account for 339
of the Orange's 440 total yards. He opened the game leading Syracuse
on a 10-play scoring drive to set the tone at 7-0, and the Orange
racked up 270 yards in the first half against a Clemson defense
that entered only giving up 264 total yards per game. With the score
tied at 24-24 going into the fourth quarter, Dungey led the clinching
drive, a 16-play, six-minute march to set up Cole Murphy's 30-yard
game-winning field goal.
"I'm very proud of the young men. The seniors, Zaire Franklin,
Parris Bennett, Steve Ishmael, Ervin Philips, Jamar McGloster –
that senior class," Syracuse head coach Dino Babers said. "Three
head football coaches. All the things they've been through. To have
an opportunity like that is something they will never forget for
the rest of their lives."
Syracuse, which fought off four ties but never trailed, tallied
the most total yards (440) and points (27) Clemson has given up
this season. Aided by four sacks, the Orange also held the Tigers
to 113 yards rushing, less than half (237.3 ypg) of their season
average.
This is Syracuse's second time to win the FWAA award, and first
since 2004.
The other National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend
of Oct. 14 were:
• Arizona State (3-3): Manny Wilkins completed
29 of 41 passes for 245 yards as the Sun Devils stunned No.
5 Washington, 13-7. The Sun Devils held down a Washington offense
that had been averagining 43 points per game to record their
seventh straight win over Washington in Tempe, dating back to
2001.
• California (4-3): The Bears dominated
No. 8 Washington State in a 37-3 win, beating a
top-10 team for the first time since 2003 and only the second
time since 1978. Cal's defense sacked WSU's Luke Falk nine times,
forced seven turnovers, and had 12 tackles for loss, holding
an offense averaging 39.7 points per game to only a field goal
and 328 total yards, almost 150 yards below WSU's season average
of 474.4 per game.
The Football Writers Association of America has named a national
team of the week since the 2002 season. Members of the 12-person
FWAA All-America Committee – plus one fan vote from Twitter –
decide the weekly honor.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football.
The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key
executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas
that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.
For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson
at tiger@fwaa.com.
2017 FWAA ALL-AMERICA
COMMITTEE |
Kirk Bohls |
Austin American-Statesman |
National |
Ken Capps |
TexasFootball.com |
C-USA |
Tim Griffin |
Cox Communications |
Big12 |
Clay Henry |
Hawgs Illustrated |
SEC |
Joey Johnston |
FanRag Sports |
American Athletic |
Bobby La Gesse |
Land of 10 |
Big Ten |
Stefanie Loh |
Seattle Times |
Pac-12 |
Nate Mink |
Syracuse Post-Standard |
ACC |
Matt Roberson |
Jonesboro Sun |
Sun Belt |
Phil Steele |
Phil Steele Publications |
Independents/Mountain West |
John Wagner |
Toledo Blade |
Mid-American |
|