Axe: The 40 biggest Syracuse games in Carrier Dome history

Syracuse, N.Y. —The Carrier Dome turns 40 on Sunday.

In honor of the iconic building’s 40th anniversary, we listed the 40 biggest games played at the Dome in chronological order since its debut on Sept. 20, 1980.

Note: This list was limited to the five primary teams that play in the building; Syracuse University football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s lacrosse and women’s lacrosse.

1. Sept. 20, 1980: Opening Night

The Carrier Dome opens its air-supported doors with Syracuse football defeating Miami of Ohio 36-24 before 50,564 fans. SU running back Joe Morris returned a kickoff for a touchdown and any fan who was there remembers how hot it was in the Dome that night.

2. Nov. 29, 1980: A New Home for Hoops

Syracuse men’s basketball debuts at the Dome with a 108-81 victory over Columbia nine months after Georgetown had “officially closed” Manley Field House. Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim was skeptical about the move to the Dome at first. Oh, the memories that would come.

3. March 7, 1981: Leo’s Tip-In

When the Big East Tournament gets mentioned, basketball fans naturally think of Madison Square Garden, but in 1981 the event was held at the Carrier Dome.

The 1981 tournament’s championship game would go in history as one of the great finals in Big East history.

In triple-overtime, Leo Rautins inbounded the ball to Erich Santifer. Santifer went up for a 12-foot jumper. Santifer missed, but Rautins had positioned himself in front of the basket. He was in the perfect spot for the tip-in.

A last-second free throw made the final score 83-80 after three overtimes. That game would remain the longest in Big East Tournament history until Syracuse and Connecticut went to six overtimes in the 2009 tournament. Rautins’ son, Andy, played a key role in the 2009 game.

NOTE: No. 3 originally was a Syracuse-North Carolina game in 1983 that featured Michael Jordan’s visit to the Dome. It was replaced by the Syracuse-Villanova game because, come on, this game was a bigger deal.

4. Jan. 21, 1984: Pearl from Half-Court

With Boston College and Syracuse tied at 73 and just seconds before the final buzzer, Pearl Washington heaved a shot from half court, giving Syracuse a 75-73 victory (there was no 3-point shot back then.) The Pearl kept running to the locker room as his shot swished through the hoop, giving Syracuse a 75-73 win and electrifying the crowd of 30,000+ fans.

5. Sept. 29, 1984: Down Goes No.1

Syracuse football had been struggling to find itself under head coach Dick MacPherson the previous three seasons. This was Coach Mac’s big bang moment.

Syracuse, a 25-point underdog, defeated No. 1 Nebraska 17-9 at the Dome. Syracuse used a ball-control approach and a tough defense led by All-American Tim Green that shutdown a Cornhuskers team that was averaging over 40 points-per-game.

6. Jan. 21, 1985: Pearl’s Shot, Part 2

Pearl Washington came through in the clutch again, this time against defending champion and No.1 Georgetown.

32,229 fans watched a close game come down to the final minute. Pearl got the call to take the last shot despite the fact that he was 4-for-10 from the field with just nine points.

Georgetown’s Michael Jackson missed a buzzer-beater and Syracuse had a 65-63 win over the top-ranked Hoyas.

7. Oct. 17, 1987: Penn State’s streak snapped

This one was over just after it began. Don McPherson, who would finish as the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 1987, connected on a 80-yard touchdown to Rob Moore just 10 seconds into the game.

No. 13 Syracuse would go on to defeat the 10-ranked Nittany Lions 48-21, snapping a 16-game losing streak to Penn State.

8. November 21, 1987: Undefeated

Running back Michael Owens converted a 2-point conversion with 10 seconds remaining to give Syracuse a 32-31 victory over West Virginia to finish the regular season 11-0.

9. May 28, 1988: Air Gait

It was the shot heard ’round the world in college lacrosse.

Gary Gait, who would go on to become one of the greatest lacrosse players ever, came in from behind the net and scored. He actually did it twice in the game as Syracuse defeated Penn 11-10 in the NCAA semi-finals.

10. May 30, 1988: Title Time

Two days after “Air Gait,” Syracuse men’s lacrosse wins the first of three straight national titles against Cornell before 20,007 fans at the Carrier Dome, still the biggest crowd to watch a lacrosse game in the facility.

11. March 5, 1989: Boeheim grabs the mic

A record crowd of 32,683 showed up to watch another memorable Syracuse-Georgetown battle. Syracuse trailed 57-43 with 12:28 remaining, but used an effective full court press to go on a 19-2 run and get back into the game.

With about four minutes remaining, Syracuse fans threw an orange and a cup of ice on the floor resulting in a technical foul on Jim Boeheim. The Orange head coach grabbed the stadium microphone and announced to the crowd “No more stuff on the court or I’m going to ask the referees for a technical foul. I don’t care about this game. No more stuff on the court.” Boeheim already had two technicals at that point, and a third would mean his expulsion from the game. The fans behaved and Syracuse won 82-76.

12. Feb. 10, 1990: Payback for UConn

Syracuse and Connecticut set a new NCAA record as 32,820 fans were on hand to watch the Orange take on the Huskies.

It was a battle of two Top 10 teams with Syracuse at No. 6 and UConn at No. 8. Earlier in the season, Connecticut had beaten the Orange by 11 points in Hartford, Conn.

This time Syracuse came away with a 90-86 victory.

13. March 4, 1990: Thompson tossed

Of all the Big East battles between Syracuse and Georgetown at the Dome through the years, this one may be the best.

With two minutes and 14 seconds left before halftime, Georgetown coach John Thompson was ejected after picking up three technical fouls.

Syracuse benefited from another bizarre call at the end of regulation. With Georgetown ahead by two points, Georgetown’s Sam Jefferson fouled Syracuse’s Billy Owens at midcourt with one second left.

Owens hit both free throws, sending the game into overtime where Syracuse would win 89-87.

14. Sept. 14, 1991: Spurrier Spurned

Kirby Dar Dar returned a kickoff for a touchdown on a reverse and Syracuse football smacked Steve Spurrier’s Florida Gators, 38-21. Spurrier famously never left the state of Florida for a non-conference game again.

Syracuse would rise as high as No. 10 in the national polls after the victory, finishing the season 10-2 under new head coach Paul Pasqualoni.

15. Nov. 21, 1992: Three Yards Short

The stakes were high with two top-8 teams meeting five days before Thanksgiving at the Dome.

Miami came in at 9-0, riding a 27-game winning streak, and were ranked No. 1 in the country looking for a fifth national championship in 10 seasons. Syracuse entered the game at 9-1, and a victory against the Hurricanes would have shaken up the newly formed Bowl Coalition.

On the game’s final drive, Chris Gedney came up 3-yards short of the end zone off a pass from Marvin Graves and Miami held on for a 16-10 victory.

16. Sept. 3, 1994: Just Short of the Sooners

Trailing 24-0 to Oklahoma in the opening game of the 1994 season, Syracuse football mounted an incredible rally on the Sooners.

When SU went ahead deep in the fourth quarter, 29-27, a penalty for excessive celebration gave Oklahoma great field position to move quickly for a field goal and Syracuse lost 30-29.

17. Nov, 30, 1996: ‘Caned Again

The regular-season finale in ’96 was a chance to vanquish the demons of four straight losses to Miami and deliver SU its first Big East championship. More than 49,400 fans packed the Carrier Dome for the battle between the 16th-ranked Orangemen and 23rd-ranked ‘Canes. They left disappointed with a 38-31 loss.

18. Feb. 22, 1997: A Lax Legend

No. 3 Syracuse and No.2 Virginia opened the 1997 season before 11,000 fans at the Dome with a game many consider to be the greatest regular-season contest in college lacrosse history.

The Orange and Cavaliers combined for for 43 goals, 118 shots, 32 saves, 47 face-offs, and 115 groundballs in a 22-21 Syracuse victory. Syracuse’s Casey Powell produced 13 points (7-6) to set a program record.

19. March 1, 1998: Hello again, Hoyas

This was a game that proved you throw the records out in a rivalry game as a struggling Hoyas team (13-13) gave Syracuse all they could handle.

Down ten with five minutes left in the game, the Orange looked to Todd Burgan to lead the way. After going scoreless in the first half of his final Carrier Dome game, Burgan erupted for 19 points. With 22 seconds left, a Burgan lay-up tied the score at 68-68. Syracuse would go on to win 77-72 in overtime.

20. Sept. 5, 1998: Tennessee Tango

No. 17 Syracuse and No. 10 Tennessee opened the 1998 season before a sold-out crowd at the Dome with a game SU fans will not forget due to a controversial call.

On 4th and 7 with 1:43 to go in the game and Syracuse clinging to a 33-31 lead, Orange cornerback Will Allen was called for pass interference on Volunteers wide receiver Cedric Wilson. What appeared to be a game-saving play for Syracuse turned into a new set of downs for Tennessee, who drove for the winning field goal on the last play of the game to win 34-33.

21. Nov. 14, 1998: Tight End Throwback

All you have to do is say the name of the play and Syracuse football fans know exactly what you are talking about.

Tight end throwback.

Donovan McNabb’s pass to Stephen Brominski gave Syracuse a 28-26 victory over Virginia Tech as time expired before 49,336 fans at the Dome.

22. Jan. 24, 2000: Still Perfect

Syracuse basketball started the 1999-’00 season with a 19-0 record, a run that included an 88-74 victory over No. 6 Connecticut on “Big Monday.” Ryan Blackwell had 18 points and 12 rebounds for Syracuse while Etan Thomas had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

23. March 18, 2000: Luck of the Orange

Syracuse men’s lacrosse would spend the entire 2000 season as either the No.1 or No. 2 team in the nation.

Johns Hopkins gave the Orange all it could handle on St. Patrick’s Day weekend with SU edging out their long-time rival 13-12. The two teams would meet again in the Final Four, with Syracuse beating the Blue Jays once more and eventually defeating Princeton for the national championship.

24. Oct 21, 2000: Vick vs. Freeney

There were two football teams on the Dome turf this day, but it was all about Dwight Freeney vs. Michael Vick. Freeney sacked Vick 4.5 times, but the Virginia Tech quarterback got the last laugh as he scored on a 55-yard touchdown run with 1:34 remaining to give the No. 2 Hokies a 22-14 victory.

25. Sept 22, 2001: Back in Business

Syracuse football started the 2001 season 0-2, losing to No. 10 Georgia Tech and No. 8 Tennessee, but won nine of its last 10 games including a 31-14 victory over Auburn at the Dome.

Emotions were running high at the Dome as it was the first game back on the field for the Orange since the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

Dwight Freeney had two sacks and caused a fumble and made Auburn QB Jason Campbell and his offensive tackles panic before the snap. The Tigers committed five turnovers and had 10 penalties.

26. Nov. 9, 2002: Hokie Pokey

Syracuse football began the 2002 season 1-6 before upsetting the No. 8 Hokies 50-42 in three overtimes.

Freshman running back Damien Rhodes ran for 25 yards and the two-point conversion in the third overtime, and the Orange sealed the victory with an interception in the end zone by Maurice McClain.

The two teams combined for 1,163 yards.

27. March 9, 2003: ‘Melo’s Last Stand

“One more year” was the chant from a record-setting crowd of 33,071 crammed up to the Dome’s rafters for what they all knew would be their last chance to see Carmelo Anthony, who was expected to leave for the NBA after the season.

Syracuse, which was ranked 12th in the country, easily downed the Scarlet Knights 83-74. Anthony led Syracuse with 30 points against the Scarlet Knights. Syracuse would go on to win the national championship that season.

28. March 5, 2006: Goodbye Gerry

Syracuse’s game against 4th-ranked Villanova broke the NCAA attendance record as 33,633 fans came to the Carrier Dome to say good-bye to one of the school’s all-time greats.

Gerry McNamara played his final home game at the Dome and was given an emotional send-off.

McNamara scored 29 points and became the Big East’s all-time leader for 3-pointers, but it wasn’t enough as Villanova held off the Orange for a 92-82 win.

29. May 17, 2008: First Final Four

Syracuse women’s lacrosse clinched its first trip to the Final Four with a 13-11 win over North Carolina. Katie Rowan, Syracuse’s all-time leading scorer, had four assists to give her 69 on the season, which tied the NCAA single-season record at the time.

Syracuse would make seven appearances in the national semifinals in a nine-year span.

30. Feb 27, 2009: Another Syracuse-Virginia Classic

The third-biggest crowd to attend a lacrosse game in Dome history (16,595) watched yet another Syracuse-Virginia classic in a matchup of No. 1 vs. No. 2.

SU scored four goals in the game’s final five minutes, but the Cavaliers hung on for a 13-12 win, snapping an 11-game home winning streak for SU.

31. Sept. 5, 2009: Paulus Ball

48,617 fans attended the first game of the 2009 season at the Dome, which featured the debut of new Orange head coach Doug Marrone and CBA-grad Greg Paulus at quarterback, who returned to Syracuse after a four-year basketball career at Duke.

Syracuse lost 23-20 to Minnesota in overtime on a Paulus interception.

32. May 16, 2010: Army stuns Syracuse

Jeremy Boltus, a Baldwinsville native, fed sophomore midfielder Devin Lynch from Skaneateles on the crease for a goal with 5.7 seconds left in the second overtime period to give the Cadets a 9-8 upset, stunning second-seed Syracuse and ending its shot at a third consecutive national championship. The winning goal produced Army’s only lead of the game.

33. Sept 1, 2011: Wake Forest Wonder

With a good chunk of the crowd of 40,833 having left early, Syracuse football staged a furious comeback on Wake Forest. SU’s offense came alive to score 15 points in less than 90 seconds and a total of 22 points in the fourth quarter and overtime to win 36-29.

34. Feb. 23, 2013: Georgetown Spoils the Party

A record crowd of 35,012 showed up to watch Syracuse and Georgetown play their last game at the Dome as Big East rivals.

Georgetown spoiled the party and Carmelo Anthony’s jersey retirement with a 57-46 victory. The 46 points scored by Syracuse was the lowest total by the Orange in the history of the Carrier Dome.

35. Nov. 30, 2013: Boston College Buzzer-Beater

Syracuse quarterback Terrel Hunt overcame an interception thrown just minutes earlier by connecting with Josh Parris for an 8-yard touchdown with six seconds to go to give Syracuse a 34-31 victory over Boston College. Syracuse finished 6-6 and earned a trip to the Texas Bowl under first-year head coach Scott Shafer.

36. Feb 1, 2014: Beat Duke

Syracuse fans set the NCAA record for on-campus attendance as 35,446 packed the Carrier Dome to witness Duke’s first game against the Orange in Syracuse and the first meeting between the two schools as members of the ACC.

The two teams staged an epic battle. Syracuse led in the game’s final minute, but Rasheed Sulaimon hit two 3-pointers late in the game, including a buzzer-beating halfcourt shot that forced overtime.

In overtime, Duke led 87-84, but Syracuse scored six straight points to take a 90-87 lead. The Orange held on for the win, stopping Duke on its last possession.

37. March 20, 2016: How Sweet It Is

Syracuse women’s basketball punched a ticket to the Sweet 16 with a 76-59 win over Albany in a NCAA Tournament second-round game in the Carrier Dome.

Brittney Sykes led the way for SU with 24 points while Alexis Peterson had 22.

Syracuse would advance to its first Final Four, eventually losing to UConn in the national championship game.

38. Jan. 12, 2017: Peterson Power

Alexis Peterson scored a program-record 45 points to spark the Syracuse University women’s basketball team to a come-from-behind 85-75 win over North Carolina State.

45 points is a single-game record for men’s or women’s basketball at Syracuse.

39. Feb 22, 2017: Gillon’s buzzer beater

John Gillon banked in a 3-pointer from just beyond the top of the key as the final horn sounded to give Syracuse a 78-75 win over No. 10 Duke at the Carrier Dome.

Duke’s Luke Kennard missed a mid-range shot with 8 seconds left that could’ve given the Blue Devils the lead. Tyler Lydon rebounded the ball. He threw it to Tyus Battle, who quickly passed it to Gillon for the winner.

40. Oct. 13, 2017: Hold That Tiger

It was fitting something weird had to happen on Friday the 13th.

Eric Dungey threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns as Syracuse shocked No. 2 Clemson with a 27-24 upset — the program’s greatest win since the Orangemen took down No. 1 Nebraska in 1984.

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