...........................when you've got Chad Schwenk?
25 years ago this afternoon,true freshman quarterback Chad Schwenk piloted a 96 yard 4th quarter game tying drive in what was to become a 24-21 overtime victory over Syracuse,the only RU victory of the season in a 1-10 disaster before a delirious-and likely somewhat stunned-crowd of 17,919 at Piscataway.
Also stunned had to be the crowds around the TV's in the casinos in Las Vegas whose sportsbooks had made Syracuse a 30 point favorite.Upsets of this magnitude just don't happen this late in the season but on this day one happened.
As the game began,Syracuse appeared to be out of sync to the ESPN telecasting crew as the Orangemen incurred several penalties in the scoreless first quarter.
The action picked up in the second quarter with both teams scoring twice,RU on a first catch of his career TD by converted linebacker Shin Black and on a 1 yd. Schwenk Sneak.The Orangemen scored on a throwback pass and run and on a 1 yd end around made possible by a personal foul by lineman Mike Behl,letting Syracuse stay on the field.
Syracuse went ahead 21-14 midway through the third quarter as platoon QB Danny Noones appeared to get it in gear.
RU looked DOA with the defense spending an inordinate amount of time on the field.
With 7:23 to go in the 4th quarter,RU took the ball on its own 4 yd.line with many of the crowd heading for post game tailgating.
Then came one of those moments that make you know why you love sports.
Jacki Crooks went for 5 around left end.
After a sideline catch ruled out of bounds,Syracuse blitzed, leaving Crooks open for 20 over the middle.
Following a no gainer by Schwenk,Jason Ohene cut back on a misdirection play and had a career long 34 yard run,taking the ball to the Cuse 37.
On 3rd and 8,Schwenk hit LJ smith for 11,then after Crooks went for 3,Schwenk found Walter King open on 4.
After Crooks to it to the 1,he again got the carry and went around right end,holding the ball aloft before crossing the goal line with 2:13 left.
It gets better.
On Syracuse's last possession of regulation,a receiver attempted to run before catching the ball deep in RU territory to send the game into OT.
In the OT,Wayne Hampton broke through on third down to nail Noones to hold Syracuse to a 32 yd FG attempt.
That's what the box score reads,just an attempt.
Kicker Nate Trout missed to the left.
On RU's first play,Schwenk just missed King behind two defenders.
Undaunted,two plays later he hit LJ on the sideline for a first down outside of 10.
Two running plays by Crooks placed the ball in the center.
Enter Lee McDonald.
Lee was playing only because starting kicker Steve Barone was suspended for breaking a team rule.
Waiting for Lee at the 25 were his holder Mike Jones and his snapper Shaun O'Hara,the threesome who shared an off campus apartment.
The kick wasn't vintage Morton Andersen,but no matter.
Walter King fell to the ground as he had ended his personal 28 game losing streak at RU after missing the 5-6 season in 1998,following the 0-11 of 1997.
In the locker room ,ever the optimist,Coach Terry Shea said:"We've got a one game winning streak."
Miracles don't usually happen in this world,but on this one day they did.
