Syracuse Orange, Steve Angeli experience ecstasy, agony of college football all in one at Clemson

Sports offer the whole range of human emotion in a single afternoon.

That's particularly true of college football, and it was immensely true of Syracuse's Saturday at Clemson.

Steve Angeli, the nation's leading passer, helped SU surge out of the gate. There was an opening-drive touchdown, a surprise onside kick, and a big lead from start to finish as the Orange upset the Tigers in Death Valley.

But then late in the game, there was Angeli, crumpling to the turf, a non-contact injury to his lower left leg, eventually on crutches. Heartbreak on what should've been the greatest of triumphs in Angeli's first season at Syracuse.

Sports in that way can be so much like life. A major victory can be immediately followed by, or even overlapped with, a painful setback.

This isn't even about what it means for Syracuse's season, which will likely now hinge on Rickie Collins, the LSU transfer.

This is about the emotion of it all, and how a football team and a fanbase is supposed to feel about a statement upset win when their on-field leader goes down in immense pain.

These are, for better or worse, the moments that mold these young men into who they can become.

How does someone respond to the hurt of a teammate? How does one handle an impressive win?

Is there empathy, humility, a shared love and bond? Because that's how a team gets through it.

With Fran Brown at the helm, it seems that Syracuse embodies many of those salt of the earth traits. They'll need them now.

Saturday proved that Syracuse can contend for anything it wants to this season, but it also dealt the Orange some adversity on every level.

Angeli has set the tone for what can be a special season. It's up to the rest of Syracuse to uphold that standard while experiencing the whole host of emotions that sports have to offer.

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