Ryan Griffin hauled in a 32-yard touchdown pass from Chandler Whitmer with 3:30 left in the second quarter, but the Syracuse Orange were also able to score two second-quarter touchdowns and enter halftime with a 20-10 lead over the Connecticut Huskies.
Griffin's touchdown reception came on a play in which Whitmer rolled out to the right, then threw all the way across the field to Griffin, who was sneaking down the left sideline. The touchdown capped a four-play, 90-yard Connecticut drive that lasted just over a minute and included three passing plays of over 15 yards.
Earlier in the quarter, Syracuse's Adonis Ameen-Moore scored on a one-yard touchdown run, giving the Orange a temporary 13-3 lead. After Connecticut responded Griffin's touchdown, Syracuse embarked on a 77-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard strike from Ryan Nassib to Beckett Wales at the 1:19 mark.
The touchdowns opened up a game that featured field goal kickers in the first quarter, with Connecticut's Chad Christen kicking a 23-yarder. Syracuse's Ross Krautman kicked two field goals for the Orange.
Connecticut struggled to run the ball in the first half, with -25 rushing yards on 13 carries. They fared much better through the air as Whitmer completed 14-of-23 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown. Nassib was held to 104 yards on 12 attempts, but also has 87 yards on 21 carries for the Orange.