Syracuse, NY (Sports Network) – Zach Collaros threw for 295 yards and four touchdowns in place of Tony Pike, as fifth-ranked Cincinnati earned a 28-7 win over Syracuse in a Big East matchup at the Carrier Dome.
Cincinnati 28, Syracuse 7: Bearcats Easily Top Orange, Stay Unbeaten
Collaros completed 22-of-28 passes, while Armon Binns had five grabs for 138 yards a a pair of scores for Cincinnati (8-0, 4-0 Big East), which was able to build off a convincing 41-10 victory over Louisville last weekend. The Bearcats, who were without Pike for a second straight game while he recuperates from left forearm surgery, is off to their best start since 1954.
Kazeem Alli and Adrien Robinson also pulled in a touchdown catch apiece for Cincinnati, which extended its winning streak to 14-straight regular-season games dating back to last season.
Greg Paulus completed 12-of-17 throws for 85 yards with a TD and an interception for Syracuse (3-5, 0-3), which defeated Akron, 28-14, last weekend in non-conference play. The Orange have dropped three of their last four. Delone Carter rushed for 50 yards on 19 touches, but fumbled late in the third quarter with the Orange in the red zone. Cody Catalina had a pair of catches for 25 yards and a touchdown catch.
Mike Williams returned to the field after serving a one-game suspension last weekend against Akron for violating team rules and had four catches for 34 yards.
Cincinnati put up the first points of the game on its opening drive. Facing a 3rd-and-11 from its own 19, Collaros escaped pressure and flipped a short pass to Binns on the far side of the field and he took it the distance for an 80- yard touchdown.
The Orange answered right back on their next possession when Paulus hit a wide open Catalina in the back of the end zone for a 10-yard score with just over four minutes to play in the quarter.
Collaros fumbled a snap on a field-goal attempt early in the second period, but gathered himself and tossed a 16-yard strike to Alli in the end zone for a 14-7 Bearcats lead.
With Syracuse driving late in the second quarter and with a 1st-and-goal on the Cincinnati eight, Paulus was picked off by Drew Frey in the end zone. The Bearcats attempted to tack on three more in the closing seconds of the half, but Jake Rogers’ 43-yard effort was off the mark and it remained 14-7 heading into the break.
Collaros found Binns in the back of the end zone for a 13-yard score to put the finishing touches on a seven-play, 60-yard drive early in the third quarter to make it a 21-7 game.
Carter fumbled with the Orange in the red zone at the Cincinnati seven in the later stages of the third, but the visitors were unable to capitalize on the miscue and were forced to punt.
Another Collaros TD toss, this time to Robinson with a little under 10 minutes remaining in the game made it 28-7, which would be the final points of the day.
Cincinnati will host Connecticut on November 7, while Syracuse welcomes Pittsburgh to the Carrier Dome next Saturday…Cincinnati improved to 6-4 lead over Syracuse in the all-time series, with the Bearcats winning the last five encounters, including a 30-10 decision last season…Isaiah Pead rushed for 78 yards on 16 carries for the Bearcats.
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