Syracuse, N.Y. — Zack Mahoney couldn't help but flash a few smiles during his press conference.
Three weeks ago, the walk-on sophomore wasn't even in the discussion to replace Terrel Hunt when he tore his Achilles tendon.
Mahoney's been the scout-team quarterback, instead, and spent the last set of practices emulating Central Michigan's Cooper Rush.
But after SU freshman quarterback Eric Dungey left the game after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit, Mahoney platooned with redshirt sophomore Austin Wilson for the final two-plus quarters of regulation.
And when the game went into overtime, Orange offensive coordinator Tim Lester knew Mahoney was his man.