Hall of Fame Syracuse football coach Dick MacPherson, who orchestrated the rebirth of the sport in this town, passed away Tuesday at the age of 86.
Nate Mink recounts some of the most memorable games during MacPherson's tenure on the Syracuse sideline.
Nebraska (1984)
Syracuse authored its biggest victory since its national championship win in 1959 when it upset No. 1 Nebraska, 17-9 on Sept. 29, 1984 at the Carrier Dome.
The Orange was a 25-point underdog but held Nebraska to its lowest point total in three years to set the table for a rebirth of Syracuse football under MacPherson.
West Virginia (1987)
Several moments standout from that magical 1987 unbeaten season, but Syracuse would not have been in the discussion for a national championship if it couldn't fend off West Virginia, 32-31 on Nov. 21 in the regular-season finale at the Carrier Dome.
The Orange had already accepted its Sugar Bowl invite before the game but had higher aspirations, and MacPherson wasn't going to rob his team of that opportunity.
Trailing by seven with 90 seconds left, Syracuse moved 64 yards on seven plays, scoring on a 17-yard pass from Don McPherson to Pat Kelly. Then MacPherson called for the two-point conversion, and Michael Owens took the pitch from McPherson and scurried into the left corner of the end zone for the winning margin.
Penn State (1987)
Syracuse hadn't beaten Joe Paterno and eastern rival Penn State since Ben Schwartzwalder was roaming the sidelines in 1970.
That losing streak came to a thunderous halt on Oct. 17 from the moment Don McPherson linked up with Rob Moore for an 80-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.
Auburn (1988)
MacPherson's best shot at a national title wilted away when Auburn coach Pat Dye elected to kick a game-tying field goal with 4 seconds left to knot the Sugar Bowl at 16-16.
Overtime rules weren't yet part of the game, leaving Syracuse 11-0-1 and with a fourth-place finish in the final polls.
As the game's outcome became apparent, Syracuse fans chanted, ''War Chicken," mocking the famous Auburn "War Eagle" chant. Later, they mailed Dye thousands of ugly neck ties.
LSU (1989)
Emotions were high for this game.
Syracuse wore armbands on their jerseys with the number "103," in memory of 38 Syracuse students who died in the Dec. 20 crash of Pan Am Flight 103 near Lockerbie, Scotland.
LSU, the opponent on the field, talked an arrogant game to the foe from up North.
In the end, Syracuse punished the Tigers with its ground game and won a postseason game for the first time since the 1979 Independence Bowl.
Runnng back Robert Drummond rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns en route to MVP honors.
"Coach Mac told us that they were not going to outwork us and that we had to go out there and try to win every single play," Drummond said two years ago when reflecting on the game.
"I know me and Daryl (Johnston) ran to punish."
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Indiana (1981)
MacPherson arrived in 1981, one year after the Carrier Dome opened, from his job as the linebackers coach of the Cleveland Browns.
The 21-7 victory against Indiana in front of 32,060 fans at the Dome was the first of his 66 wins as head coach of Syracuse University.
West Virginia (1981)
MacPherson's first season ended on a high note, as the Orange upset an Oliver Luck-led No. 19 West Virginia squad, 27-24 on Nov. 21 at the Carrier Dome.
Running back Joe Morris rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns in the last game of his record-setting career.
Syracuse intercepted the father of Colts quarterback Andrew Luck four times in the second half.
Maryland (1985)
Sure, Syracuse lost, 35-18 to Maryland in the 1985 Cherry Bowl, but this is significant because it was the first bowl game for the Orange since the 1979 Independence Bowl.
Nicholas Lisi | Post-Standard
East Carolina (1989)
It was a performance of redemption for Syracuse kicker John Biskup.
MacPherson publicly criticized the redshirt freshman in the week leading up to the game because of his inconsistency, and while Biskup missed his fourth extra point of the season earlier in the game, he connected on four field goals to lift the Orange to a win.
Syracuse won the game, 18-16 on a 24-yard field goal by Biskup with 4 seconds remaining.
"It's our problem. We have to kick him," MacPherson had said in the week leading up to the game. "I don't blame him. I blame the program because we don't have another kicker ready. I thought he was the guy. You never know how people react under pressure, and the pressure gets to him."
Not on this day.
Dick Blume | Post-Standard
Georgia (1989)
Biskup played the role of hero again in the 1989 Peach Bowl against Georgia, converting a 26-yard field goal with 25 seconds remaining to help the Orange to a 19-18 victory.
On a day when MacPherson was almost decked by a skydiver during pregame fesitivies, the Orange turned to backup quarterback Mark McDonald to lead it to victory from 11 points down.
Tailback Michael Owens, SU's offensive player of the game, rushed for 116 yards and hauled in a 29-yard pass on fourth down to extend Syracuse's winning drive.
Photo by Stephen Parker, Syracuse University Sports Information Department
Arizona (1990)
MacPherson led Syracuse to its third-straight bowl victory in what would be his final game as head coach.
The Orange defeated Arizona, 28-0 on Christmas Day in the Aloha Bowl in Honolulu. Quarterback Marvin Graves was voted Syracuse's Most Valuable Player after scoring four touchdowns (two pass, two rush).
MacPherson would then leave Syracuse to become the head coach of the New England Patriots.
Nicholas Lisi | Post-Standard
Michigan State (1990)
Before the Aloha Bowl victory, Syracuse nearly scored an upset over No. 19/22 Michigan State at the Carrier Dome on Sept. 15.
Instead, it walked away with the first of two-straight ties. The Orange would tie Pittsburgh, 20-20, the following week at the Dome.
Here against the Spartans, it appeared the Orange would seize a victory on a fourth-down stop, but it was penalized for being offsides with 11 seconds remaining.
Michigan State quarterback Dan Enos used the good fortune to connect with wide receiver Courtney Hawkins for a 17-yard gain to the Syracuse 26, and kicker John Langeloh converted a 43-yard field goal as time expired for a 23-23 tie.
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