In an exhilarating showdown in San Diego, the Syracuse Orange capped off their 2024 season with a spectacular 52-35 victory over the Washington State Cougars in the DirecTV Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon Stadium on Friday night.

The standout player of the game was quarterback Kyle McCord, who delivered a phenomenal performance, throwing for an impressive 453 yards and five touchdowns. This not only secured the win for the Orange but also set a Syracuse bowl game record for touchdown passes, as well as the ACC single-season passing yards record, which now stands at 4,779.

Supporting McCord were Trebor Pena and Oronde Gadsden II, who both caught two touchdown passes. LeQuint Allen Jr. had a remarkable game as well, scoring three times, including two rushing touchdowns, while accumulating 120 rushing yards, thus reaching the coveted 1,000-yard mark for the season.

Syracuse’s offense was a force to be reckoned with, adding up to 606 total yards with a balanced 453 yards through the air and 154 on the ground, averaging more than ten yards per play.

Under the guidance of first-year head coach Fran Brown, Syracuse not only celebrated a notable victory but also its first double-digit win season in six years—an achievement only realized twice this century.

Fans are encouraged to check out the full box score for detailed statistics from the game.

Game Highlights