While he had missed five games, Marlowe Wax Jr. made a big splash in his second game back. Wax capped off a big day by forcing a fumble on the final play of overtime that Fadil Diggs recovered to make LeQuint Allen’s third touchdown stand as the winning score as Syracuse became bowl eligible with a 38-31 home victory over Virginia Tech.

The Orange (6-2, 3-2 ACC) had trailed by 18 points early in the third quarter, but used a furious rally to take the lead early in the fourth. The Hokies (5-4, 3-2) responded with a pair of scores to go back on top by seven, but SU marched for a scoring drive that knotted the game with under 30 seconds left in regulation.

The Hokies got out to a 7-0 lead on their second possession, following a long pass with a reverse that got them into the end zone with just over six minutes elapsed. After the Orange posted their second three-and-out drive, Virginia Tech drove the length of the field for another score, pushing their lead to 14-0 with 4:31 left in the first quarter.

SU responded with their most effective drive to that point, but it bogged down and they settled for a 44-yard field goal attempt from Jackson Kennedy. His kick was true from the right hash on the first play of the second quarter, clipping the deficit to 14-3.

Marlowe Wax Jr. split a sack with David Omopariola early in Tech’s next drive, then ended it with a solo sack. Wax’s big plays set a trend where both defensive units took over, including the Hokies picking off a deep pass from Kyle McCord in the end zone and later thwarting the last Syracuse drive of the half by stripping Darrell Gill Jr. after a completion. The turnovers helped Virginia Tech hold their 14-3 lead to halftime.

The Orange could not generate a first down to start the third quarter, but the Hokies had no problems, driving for a touchdown to stretch their lead to 21-3 midway through the period. SU responded quickly, needing just over 90 seconds to get their first touchdown of the day when Justus Ross-Simmons caught a short pass, slipped a tackle, and took off for a 55-yard touchdown. Kennedy’s extra point pulled Syracuse within 21-10 with a little over six minutes left in the third.

Syracuse made it two scores in as many drives when LeQuint Allen leapt over the pile from a yard out for a touchdown. Trebor Pena set up the score with a 41-yard gain on a screen pass two plays prior and Oronde Gadsden II followed it by snaring the two-point conversion from McCord with a sliding catch in the back of the end zone. The Orange trailed, 21-18, with just under three minutes left in the quarter.

The defense kept things going when Duce Chestnut forced a fumble and Wax pounced on the ball at the VT 39. Four plays later, McCord and Ross-Simmons connected on another short pass and, once more, Ross-Simmons eluded a tackle and took off for a touchdown, this one covering 28 yards. Kennedy’s extra point was blocked, holding the SU lead at 24-21 just one play into the fourth quarter.

Virginia Tech struck back for a touchdown, grabbing a 28-24 lead less than four minutes into the quarter, then extending the lead to seven on a field goal with 5:16 left on the clock.

Syracuse responded with another touchdown drive, marching 75 yards on 15 plays for a touchdown. Allen vaulted over the pile again from a yard out for the score and Kennedy made the extra point to knot the game at 31-31 with :29 remaining in regulation.

The Orange rode their momentum into the first overtime, scoring quickly when Allen turned the second play into his third touchdown run of the day, this one from nine yards out. Kennedy tacked on the extra point to make SU’s lead 38-31 and set the stage for the final defensive stand.

Allen’s big day combined with a splash from Ross-Simmons provided a meaningful part of the Syracuse attack. To go with his three touchdowns, Allen had 158 yards from scrimmage, including 121 coming on 21 rushing attempts. Ross-Simmons had his first four catches for the Orange for 88 yards and two scores. McCord bounced back from a slow first half to finish 24-of-35 for 280 yards through the air with Pena grabbing seven passes to lead the team.

In addition to his 1.5 sacks, fumble recovery, and forced fumble, Wax had eight total tackles, second on SU behind Devin Grant’s ten stops. Duce Chestnut forced a fumble and Diggs had a recovery while Rashard Perry notched a sack and David Omopariola was credited with half a sack.

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