In the second quarter, quarterback Kordell Stewart threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Sean Embree to give Colorado a 7–6 lead.

With 6:22 left in the third quarter, tailback David Walker scored on a 13-yard touchdown run.

Colorado's Mitch Berger connected on a 38-yard field goal with 3:10 left in the quarter, to cut the lead to 12–10.

Facing a third and 10 on Colorado's 28-yard line, Marvin Graves took it himself, and ran 28 yards for a touchdown, increasing Syracuse's lead to 19–10 with 1:33 in the quarter.

Colorado running back James Hill ran for 61 yards a few plays later, to set up a 16-yard slant pass from Stewart to Charles Johnson.