By PAUL GOTHAM
Former East High standout Justus Ross-Simmons finished with five receptions including a pair of grabs for touchdowns as host Syracuse (1-1) rallied from 11 down to beat UConn, 27-20 in overtime on Saturday.
On fourth-and-four from the 47-yard line, the senior wide receiver made an over-the-shoulder grab on a throw from teammate Steve Angeli for a 53-yard touchdown with 5:41 remaining in the game. After a two-point conversion failed, Syracuse trailed 17-12.
“When the big plays come, it’s best that I stay composed because I know I can make those plays,” Ross-Simmons said. “When they do come, I just got to make sure that I’m ready. We practice stuff like this, so that when the big plays do come, it’s routine.”
In overtime, Ross-Simmons and Angeli connected again – this time from six yards out for the eventual game winner.
“I made that play before, so even though it’s new to everybody in the world it was a routine play for us out there,” Ross-Simmons said. “I just made sure I held on to the ball, and I got the ball across the pylon.”
Ross-Simmons, who struggled with a hamstring injury in 2024, has eight receptions for 133 yards in two games this season.
JRS x2 🤯@ross_justus x @SteveAngeli_125 pic.twitter.com/uTX5ynP7ti
— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) September 6, 2025
“He has some of the strongest hands I’ve ever seen at the receiver position,” said Angeli who transferred to Syracuse from Notre Dame during the past off-season. “Just the way he is able catch the football, focus, his body control. It’s impressive. I’ve seen it countless times in practice. I feel very confident throwing him the football.”
Ross-Simmons played football and basketball at East High. He earned Tournament MVP as part of the 2021 East basketball team that won Class A2.
He played his senior year at Inglewood High in California and started his collegiate career at Colorado State where he was Honorable Mention All-Mountain West his sophomore year.
Ross-Simmons transferred to Syracuse prior to his junior year in college.
Syracuse hosts Colgate for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Friday. That game will be televised on the ACC Network.
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