Tomorrow marks the 30th meeting between Holy Cross and Syracuse, and just the second since 1973. The series is time-tested, dating back to 1905, but not as storied as the Crusaders' rivalry with Boston College or the Orange's rivalry with Colgate. Syracuse dominates the series with a 24-5 lead, but those five Crusader wins are worth remembering.
Holy Cross first beat Syracuse in 1920. The fourth time was the charm for the Crusaders when a 40-yard dropkick by Looie Smith was the only score in a 3-0 win. The Crusaders missed three prior dropkicks. In addition to his heroic dropkick, Smith kicked Holy Cross out of the shadow of its goal line with a 60-yard kick with under five minutes to play.
27 years later, the Crusaders had a more dominant performance against Syracuse in their 26-0 win in 1947. The Crusaders outgained the Orange 324 to 97 while holding Syracuse to three first downs. Syracuse crossed into Holy Cross territory twice.
The Holy Cross dominance ensued the following year when the Crusaders beat Syracuse again, 33-7. Unlike 1947, when Holy Cross ran for 287 yards, the Crusaders employed a more revolutionary attack, throwing for 224 yards. The Crusaders once again played a complete game, outgaining Syracuse 378-74, holding the Indians (Syracuse's nickname at the time) to a single rushing yard.
The dominance from 1947 to 1948 did not last and Holy Cross did not beat Syracuse for another nine years, losing seven meetings in a row. In 1957, Tom Greene etched himself into Holy Cross lore with a 281-yard passing performance and a game-winning ten-yard run with 1:15 left to give Holy Cross a dramatic 20-19 win.
The win spurred another two-year winning streak against the Orange. In 1958, Greene was once again the hero, running for a one-yard touchdown in the game's final stages and scoring the game-winning two-point conversion in a 14-13 win. The win is still one of the greatest in Holy Cross history. The Crusaders were the only team in the regular season to beat Syracuse, who was on its way to an Orange Bowl appearance and an 8-1 record.
The odds may be against Holy Cross, but the Crusaders have overcome the odds to upset Syracuse multiple times. Another win against the Orange, one over six decades in the making, would be one of the greatest wins in Crusader history.
*** The Holy Cross Football Fact and Record Book was an indispensable resource in this article. You can access it here.
