Clemson, S.C. — Syracuse earned its first-ever win in Death Valley with its 34-21 defeat of Clemson on Saturday, but it came at the price of the Orange’s starting quarterback.
Steve Angeli left the game in the third quarter and had to leave the stadium in a boot and on crutches. Fran Brown said after the game that Angeli will miss multiple weeks.
“It seems like he won’t be here for a couple of weeks,” Brown said. “Steve will always be the leader of our football team. We’ve just got to support and rally around him. Make sure he’s straight.”
Angeli injured his left knee in the first half when a Clemson defender fell on him after a slide. Angeli missed just one play. However, the injury that’s causing concern was a non-contact play.
Angeli was scrambling to his right before tripping and falling to the ground. He couldn’t put any pressure on his left foot and was immediately helped to the medical tent.
“I was hurt for him,” said backup quarterback Rickie Collins Jr., “But I had to snap out of it and realize that I’ve got to go in and finish the game for him. He did a great job doing what he did through the game and putting us out there, giving us that lead so we could finish the game strong.”
Syracuse was on pace to have the nation’s leading passer in back-to-back years entering this game. Angeli had cleared the 1,000-yard mark and next week’s game against Darian Mensah and Duke was going to feature two of the nation’s top three leading passers.
What did not carry over from last season was the fortune of good health for the Orange’s starting quarterback.
Kyle McCord last season was the first Syracuse quarterback to play a full season since 2012 when Ryan Nassib did it. Between Nassib and McCord, every Syracuse quarterback missed games due to either health or performance.
After seemingly breaking the curse last season, the injury bug has revisited Syracuse, forcing Collins to take the reins for the Orange.
Angeli threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns before his injury. Collins threw one touchdown of his own in his relief appearance.
Brown and his staff have spent the last two months saying they believe Collins can step in and win games if something were to happen to Angeli. Now, the Orange will learn if that belief was accurate.
“He told me just keep playing,” Collins said of his conversation with Angeli. “Stay prepared and be ready.”
Collins currently has 137 passing yards and two passing touchdowns to his name as a quarterback. He has completed 66.7% of his passes in six appearances.
After Angeli’s injury, Collins is set to make the first start of his college career for Syracuse’s first home game of conference play.
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