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Ifeatu Melifonwu Gets Interception to Secure Detroit Lions First Division Title in 30 Years

The former Syracuse Orange defensive back had a huge game to help the Lions win the division for the first time since 1993.

Mike McAllister

Ifeatu Melifonwu Gets Interception to Secure Detroit Lions First Division Title in 30 Years
Ifeatu Melifonwu Gets Interception to Secure Detroit Lions First Division Title in 30 Years /
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Former Syracuse defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu picked off a pass to secure a Detroit Lions victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. With the win, the Lions clinched its first division title since 1993 (30 years). That means Detroit will host its first playoff game in that same timeframe. You can watch the play in the embedded tweet below. It was Melifonwu's first career interception as well. 

It capped a stellar day for Melifonwu, who also had five tackles, two sacks, two passes defensed and two tackles for loss. The Vikings were driving trailing 30-24 looking for a touchdown to steal a victory against their division rivals. Nick Mullins tried to hit Justin Jefferson inside the 10 yard line, but Melifonwu had other plans. He jumped in front of the pass, made the catch and secured the win. 

Melifonwu was selected by the Detroit Lions with the 101st overall pick in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He finished his Syracuse career with 88 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions and 19 passes defensed in three seasons. His best individual year was his final season when he had 54 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and six passes defensed in 10 games.

In three seasons with the Lions, Melifonwu has played in 32 games. He has accumulated 54 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and one interception. He has his most productive year this season. 

Melifonwu signed with Syracuse as part of the Orange's 2017 recruiting class over offers from Michigan and others. 

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Mike McAllister
MIKE MCALLISTER

Title: Publisher All Syracuse Education: Roberts Wesleyan College Location: Syracuse, New York Expertise: Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting.  EXPERIENCE Mike McAllister has been covering Syracuse basketball, football and recruiting for more than a decade. Mike's career started with his own free blog as a way to vent following sporting events. Shortly thereafter, a network of basketball sites called Coast 2 Coast Hoops asked him to run their Syracuse site. That site was called Nation of Orange, and Mike quickly established it as a go-to for Syracuse fans.  After running Nation of Orange for several months, a position with the Syracuse site on the Scout network became available. After one year as the recruiting expert with Cuse Nation, he was named the publisher. Mike oversaw the transition from Scout to 247Sports, and ran the site on that network for years.  Presented with the opportunity to join one of the biggest names in the sports journalism industry, Sports Illustrated, Mike jumped at the chance. All Syracuse was started from scratch by Mike and the Fan Nation team. It has now become a staple for Orange fans of various sports.  Mike has broken news on recruiting, Syracuse basketball and football team information and has established himself as the top recruiting inside in the market. He has appeared on local radio shows, television broadcasts, national radio shows and much more. Mr. McAllister has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and Information Management from Roberts Wesleyan College. 

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