Syracuse football: Revisiting the 2013 Texas Bowl

We’re just two days away from a Bowl rematch between the Syracuse Orange and Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Wait... rematch?

That’s right, SU actually faced off against Minnesota in the 2013 Texas Bowl and scraped out a 21-17 win at the Houston Texans’ Reliant Stadium (now NRG Stadium). Before the two squads clash again in the Bronx, let’s relive their previous bout in the Lone Star State:

During their first season in the ACC, the Orange went 6-6 and secured a bowl berth with Week 13 victory over Boston College. Minnesota meanwhile went 8-4 but came into bowl season on a two-game skid.

‘Cuse RB Jerome Smith got on the board first with a 1-yard rushing TD, his 12th of the season on the ground and 13th overall. The Gophers would only manage a field goal as retaliation before the half, giving SU a 7-3 lead with 30 minutes to play.

The star of the day was QB Terrel Hunt, who dashed his way into the endzone for the other two Orange touchdowns. First was a 5-yard dash up the middle and right through Minnesota defender. Then after the Golden Gophers had taken the lead late in the fourth, Hunt scrambled out of a blitz and once again ran over the goal-line, giving SU the lead for good.

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Hunt was named the game’s MVP, throwing 19/29 for 188 yards and rushing for 74 more.

However, that final drive was set up by a fantastic 70-yard punt return by freshman Brisly Estime. The Orange then only needed to move the ball 14 yards to score, and their defense held off a last-minute counter for a third bowl win in four seasons.

Game highlights:

Field perspective:

Will history repeat itself against Minnesota?

P.S. 2013 was the other time that SU shut out Wagner, so surely that guarantees another Bowl victory here ;)