Syracuse 31, No. 25 Rutgers 13: Orange Finally Notch A Big East Victory

Talk up the upset at our Syracuse blog, Nunes Magician, and our Rutgers blog, Protect R Turf.

Syracuse, NY (Sports Network) – Antwon Bailey, Averin Collier and Delone Carter each ran for a touchdown, as Syracuse upended 25th-ranked Rutgers, 31-13, to pick up its first Big East victory of the season.

The Orange (4-7, 1-5 Big East) racked up 213 yards on the ground in a balanced attack that also saw Greg Paulus throw for 142 yards and a score on 13-of-16 completions. Ryan Nassib completed four passes for 69 yards, as Syracuse snapped a three-game slide.

Syracuse linebacker Doug Hogue had a huge game, breaking the school record for tackles for loss in a game (6 1/2). Hogue also notched 3 1/2 sacks.

The Orange had nine total sacks of Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage and held the Scarlet Knights (7-3, 2-3) to 130 total yards. Savage completed just 7- of-17 passes for 66 yards and was intercepted twice.

Wideout Mohamed Sanu threw the only touchdown pass for Rutgers, which had won its last three contests.

Bailey ended Syracuse’s first drive with a pair of long runs, first going for 24 yards to convert a long second down, then rushing for 14 yards and a TD five minutes into the contest.

After Mike Holmes intercepted Savage on Rutgers’ first series, the Orange drove for a touchdown, going 83 yards and eating up more than six minutes of game clock. Carter ended the progression with a five-yard run across the goal line to make it a 14-0 game with 2:48 left in the opening frame.

The Scarlet Knights picked up a safety early in the second when they blocked a Syracuse punt, but they couldn’t take advantage of the ensuing possession, and the Orange tacked on another score.

Nassib’s 27-yard toss to Donte Davis gave the Orange a 1st-and-goal at the three, and after a Rutgers penalty shortened the field for Syracuse, Paulus completed a one-yard pass to tight end Carl Cutler with 7:35 left in the second.

Rutgers responded quickly, as Sanu completed a 38-yard TD throw to Tim Brown on the first play of the ensuing series.

Syracuse took a 24-10 lead into the break after Ryan Lichtenstein connected on a 44-yard field goal late in the second quarter, while San San Te missed a 46- yarder just before the intermission.

After a scoreless third quarter filled with punts, Te kicked a 25-yard field goal a little more than three minutes into the fourth. But the Scarlet Knights got no closer, as later in the frame, Savage was picked off again by Holmes, giving the Orange the ball at their own 40.

On the first play of the drive, Collier ran 60 yards for a score, sealing the Syracuse victory.

Bailey had a team-high 77 yards for Syracuse on 16 carries, while Carter rushed 22 times for 67 yards. Bailey also caught three passes for 47 yards…Because of the sacks, Rutgers totaled just 34 rushing yards…Syracuse closes its season next week at Connecticut…Rutgers plays at Louisville on Friday.

- Via Sports Network.