Syracuse University
West Virginia
Football Loses At West Virginia, 34-7
10/19/2002 5:31:33 PM | Football
Box Score
MORGANTOWN, W.Va.-Despite a career game from senior strong safety Keeon Walker, the Orangemen lost to West Virginia, 34-7, in front of 45,088 at Mountaineer Field on Saturday, Oct. 19. Walker led all tacklers with 15 stops, including two for a loss of 11 yards, and one sack. Eleven of Walker's stops were solo tackles. True freshman safety Anthony Smith registered a career-high 11 tackles.
Syracuse is now 1-6 overall and 0-3 in the BIG EAST. West Virginia improved to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in the BIG EAST. With the win, the Mountaineers gained possession of the Floyd "Ben" Schwartzwalder Trophy for the first time since 1998.
The two teams began playing for the trophy in 1993 to honor the memory of Schwartwalder, who coached Syracuse from 1949-73 and lettered for West Virginia from 1931-33.
WVU quarterback Rasheed Marshall rushed for two touchdowns, threw for another and finished 8-of-16 passing for 108 yards to lead the Mountaineers.
Marshall capped an 80-yard, game-opening drive with a 4-yard bootleg to the pylon and a 7-0 WVU lead at 10:13 of the first quarter. West Virginia converted three of Syracuse's four first half turnovers to score 13 points en route to a 20-0 halftime lead.
On SU's second possession of the game, quarterback R.J. Anderson's pass intended for David Tyree was intercepted by Jahmile Addae at the Syracuse 37-yard line. Addae returned the ball to the 10-yard line, but an illegal block in the back moved the ball back to the 35. The SU defense stopped West Virginia at the 18-yard line and Todd James converted a 36-yard field goal attempt for a 10-0 lead at 3:51 of the first quarter.
The Mountaineers' Tim Love recovered a fumbled option pitch at the Syracuse 29-yardline with eight seconds remaining in the opening quarter to set up the next WVU score. SU defensive tackle Louis Gachelin dropped Marshall for a 1-yard loss at the SU 8-yard line on third down, forcing a 25-yard field goal attempt from James. James split the uprights and West Virginia led, 13-0, with 13:02 left in the half.
Addae recovered a Walter Reyes fumble at the SU 26-yard line on the ensuing Syracuse possession. Three plays later WVU pushed the lead to 20-0 as Marshall scrambled for his second touchdown of the game, rushing in from 14 yards out.
Syracuse committed its fourth turnover of the half on the following possession as Jason Davis recovered another fumble on the SU 48. The Orange defense answered four plays later, as Walker forced his team-leading fourth fumble of the year, stripping Marshall. Gachelin pounced on the ball at the SU 31-yard line.
Anderson drove Syracuse into WVU territory but could not convert on fourth down, turning the ball over at the Mountaineer 36-yard line. With 1:25 left in the half, Anderson led a 9-play, 56-yard drive from the SU 14-yard line to the WVU 30. Collin Barber's 47-yard field goal attempt came up short as time expired in the second quarter.
West Virginia went 50 yards on six plays in its first series of the second half, culminating with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Marshall to Miquelle Henderson. The Mountaineers led, 27-0, with 11:05 left in the third quarter.
Troy Nunes replaced Anderson, who left the game with an injury, on SU's next series. Nunes marched the Orangemen 82 yards on 17 plays, with senior fullback Chris Davis scoring on a two-yard plunge to bring SU within 27-7.
Quincy Wilson finished the game's scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run with 15 seconds remaining in the game.
Nunes finished the game 10-of-17 passing for 99 yards.
Reyes carried the ball 15 times for 55 yards to lead the Orangemen. Mountaineer running back Avon Cobourne led all rushers with 108 yards on 28 carries. Wilson finished with 99 yards on 16 carries.
Johnnie Morant caught a career-high five receptions for 75 yards to lead Syracuse.
Syracuse is 1-6 for the first time since 1982.
The Orangemen will play host to Rutgers on Saturday, Oct. 26. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. at the Carrier Dome.
